Connecting students to stories across the Region
Read Across the Region
Connecting Community Leaders to Classrooms
Read Across the Region takes place annual around February and March.
Read Across the Region 2026 Dates:
February 23- March 6
Inspired by National Read Across America Day, Read Across the Region connects community leaders to 2nd grade classrooms across NWI for a story hour about kindness!
This initiative has grown from one school in 2023, to Read Across Hammond Week in 2024 where 32 readers read to every second grade classroom in the School City of Hammond, over 800 students.
In 2025 BBB4E included Hammond East Chicago and Gary public elementary schools. Expanded partnerships with the East Chicago Public Library and Gary Literacy Coalition supported this growth deeper into North Lake County.
Volunteers all read the same book to second grade students region wide: How to be a Lion by Ed Vere. The story addresses the issues of bullying and supports kindness through fun animal characters.
After the story, participants all complete a short writing project, which invites them to reflect ways to be kind in their own life. Over 50 community leaders have participate so far.
Representatives include Hammond City Hall, PNW, Calumet College, Ivy Tech, Indiana University Northwest, Peoples Bank, Tri-State Automation, the Excel Center and NWI Urban League, among other regional leaders. - Thank you
2025 Library Events
After the in-school story hours are the complete the lion projects visit public libraries around the schools.
Hammond Library Event: Read-a-palooza
Saturday, March 8, 2025 1-4 pm
East Chicago Library: Hear Them Roar Exhibit
Tuesday, March 4 through Friday, April 18 2025
FAQs
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You would like to bring Read Across the Region to your school, that’s great!
Please email your inquiry to Give@bbb4E.org with the number and size of second grade students in your school.
BBB4E begins connecting with schools around 3 months before the readings begin, Please reach out by Jan. 10, 2026 to be include in the 2026 Read Across the Region.
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Contact give@bbb4e.org, readers are typically assigned to their school placement in early February.
All volunteers are required to complete the appropriate background check for the school where you will read.
The total volunteer time commit is about 1 hour and 15 minutes on the day of the reading.
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