The Alabama Education Association (AEA) announced that a student from Livingston and a student from Rainbow City were the winners of its 2024 annual “Be a Champion and Read” contest.
The yearly contest challenges students in K-12 from every Alabama district to read six appropriate reading-level books.
Two winners are picked - deemed Team Alabama and Team Auburn - to qualify for the grand prize of attending the Iron Bowl with two guests, including sideline passes and pre-game activities.
Lily Hindsman, a 4th grader from John S. Jones Elementary School in Rainbow City, won Team Auburn while Jordan May, a 2nd grader from University Charter School in Livingston, won Team Alabama.
They were given their awards from the Alabama and Auburn mascots Aubie and Big Al during surprise announcements at their schools.
Lily was presented with a signed autograph from Auburn Coach Hugh Freeze and Jordan was given a signed autograph from Alabama Kalen DeBoer. Both were given their tickets and sideline passes to the Iron Bowl with two guests.
“This contest has shown yet again that tens of thousands of Alabama elementary school students are fired up and excited to read,” said AEA President Dr. Susan Williams Brown.
“Reading is a crucial building block for all other learning, which is why AEA established the Be a Champion and Read contest in 2011 to motivate young students to develop a love of reading. This contest is another way for AEA to help establish foundational reading skills and increase students’ reading proficiency.”
More than 27,000 students reportedly entered the competition in 2024.
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