Hundreds of third-grade students from across Natrona County gathered on Tuesday for the 27th annual Wyoming Reads event, a statewide initiative dedicated to promoting literacy and a lifelong love of reading among young learners, Oil City News reports.
Held at the Natrona County Public Library and the nearby Nicolaysen Art Museum, the event welcomed approximately 900 children for a day of storytelling, book distribution, and educational activities. To accommodate the large number of participants, organizers hosted two separate sessions.
Each student received a gift bag that included a book of their choosing from a list of ten curated titles, along with various reading-themed materials and souvenirs. In preparation for the event, students voted on their preferred book, with the majority selecting Buffalo Fluffalo, a humorous tale about a buffalo who pretends to be tough while hiding a much softer side.
The Wyoming Reads program is led by the Sue Jorgensen Library Foundation, which was founded in 1996 by John Jorgensen in memory of his wife, Sue, who passed away in an accident. Initially launched as “Casper Cares, Casper Reads,” the program expanded to become “Wyoming Reads” in 2006 and now reaches students across the state.
This year, the program provided books to around 6,600 third graders statewide. Wyoming Reads has since become recognized as an official state holiday, underscoring the state’s commitment to childhood literacy.
