Black Hills Reads Events

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND EVENTS

RACE TO READ COMMUNITY EVENT  - Postponed!  Join us for our January Event

YOUNG READERS ONE BOOK

RACE TO WRITE CHALLENGE

YOUNG WRITERS 3RD GRADE WRITING CONTEST

RACE TO READ COMMUNITY EVENT

PURPOSE
 
The purpose of this event is to encourage and show the importance of literacy to all ages in your community. This toolkit is being provided to you by Black Hills Reads, United Way of the Black Hills in order to allow you guidance to host an event with all of the tools necessary! Black Hills Reads encourages the host entity to engage the community in order to get youth and adults alike, excited and engaged in reading.
 

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Anyone and everyone is welcome to join– this is a community focused event! For every book read, you will get a strip of paper and you will write the name of your book on that strip of paper. The host entity of this event (that’s you!) will choose how entities/individuals will return the strips of paper and how they get them for when the event begins. Once you receive all strips back it will end by connecting all the strips in a chain link, representing how many books have been read in the community as a collective. You, as the host entity, will plan for a big celebration on a set date to ‘show off’ your efforts! Sound fun? We think so too! If you are interested, keep reading for more details on how to make this a reality.  

FIRST STEPS…

Any organization, nonprofit or for-profit may host the event. (this entity will be known as the host entity in this document) It is highly encouraged to allow anyone and everyone in the community to participate including local businesses, summer programs, schools, etc.
 
Any organizations/individuals participating will write on and keep their strips prior to the event. (strips are explained in first paragraph of this document)
 
Click the links below to register and get involved! 
 
 
Host Entity Sign-up form
 
Race to Read Flyer
 
Race to Read Editable Flyer

 

RACE TO WRITE CHALLENGE

Race to Write Challenge

Are you passionate about helping children develop their writing skills? Then have them join in on this Race to Write Challenge!

Every story and poem will help our figurative "writing tree" grow taller and taller.

Any school, community organization or family in the Black Hills that would like to challenge their kiddos to write is welcome to participate!

The challenge will begin on October 27th and end November 24th!

Email racetowritesd@gmail.com to participate!

The Process

For every 15 stories or poems written = 1 foot of "growth".

Each week will have a theme or prompt for the stories and poems.

There will be opportunities to earn bonus points each week. Check your email and Facebook for these bonus opportunities. Facebook.com/blackhillsreads

A Google form will be sent to all participants every week to collect weekly writing numbers. This will allow Black Hills Reads to track progress.

Even if you don't join at the beginning, feel free to email racetowritesd@gmail.com to join at any time.

 

 

YOUNG WRITERS 3RD GRADE WRITING CONTEST

Writing Challenge

When: October 27 - December 1st

Who: Any third grader in the Black Hills 

What: Write either a short story (300 words maximum) or poem about DREAMS or EXPLORING YOUR NEXT CHAPTER

To be eligible, participants must include the following information when submitting their writing for this contest:

  • First and Last Name
  • School or Organization
  • Town/City
  • Phone Number
  • Email Address

There will be three winners for each category. Entries will be judged on:

  • Short Stories
    • Main idea & focus
    • Plot & narrative devices
    • Organization
    • Voice
  • Poems
    • Topic focus
    • Creativity
    • Title
    • Imagery

Prizes will include

  • Gift certificates
  • Books
  • Journals
  • More

Students may submit either handwritten or typed documents and either electronically or by traditional mail.

  • If submitting electronically, please email to racetowritesd@gmail.com
  • If submitting by traditional mail, please send to:
    • Young Writers 3rd Grade Contest
      c/o United Way of the Black Hills
      621 6th St. #100
      Rapid City, SD 57701
  • If submitting by dropbox, please use the dropbox at the back of United Way and date the package.
  • Traditional mail entries must be postmarked by December 1st. Electronic and dropoff entries must be submitted by December 1st.

 

 

YOUNG READERS ONE BOOK

Imagine. Imagina.

Black Hills Reads is pleased to garner once again with the SD Humanities Council to Bring the Black Hills the 2021 Young Readers One Book South Dakota, Imagine/Imagina, written by Juan Felipe Herrera and illustrated by Lauren Castillo.

 
To learn more about Juan Felipe Herrara and Young Readers One Book, click HERE.
 
Join the Group: Click HERE to join our Facebook group for announcements.
 
Black Hills Reads has partnered with the Statewide Family Engagement Center to provide supplemental materials for teachers and families.
 
 

 

 

 

 

Media Resources

"Read Across South Dakota" kicks off 2nd annual road trip - KEVN Black Hills FOX