Taurasi, Taylor launch statewide Read to the Final Four ® contest in Cartwright School District
PHOENIX – Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi and former Mercury forward and former assistant coach Penny Taylor read to 1,500 Cartwright School District third graders on Thursday to tip off Read to the Final Four, a contest that uses the excitement of the 2024 Men’s Final Four to inspire Arizona third graders to accelerate their reading skills and increase academic achievement.
The Phoenix Final Four Local Organizing Committee, the NCAA and Helios Education Foundation are teaming up to present Read to the Final Four, which is free and open to schools across Arizona. It comes ahead of the 2024 Men’s Final Four, which is set for April 6 and 8, 2024 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale.
“It’s wonderful to see college basketball provide the spark for children to get excited about reading,” said Taurasi, who played in four Women’s Final Fours and won three national championships at UConn. “The students had so much energy today, and I know they’ll bring the same energy to this fun competition. Good luck to all the schools competing in Read to the Final Four.”
The competition will be based on average time spent reading by third grade students. Read to the Final Four mimics the March Madness brackets, with schools advancing to further levels of competition based on the average number of minutes read. The first phase of competition, the Qualifying Challenge, takes place this fall. The top 68 schools will be invited to participate in the Challenge Bracket in January.
The Final Four schools with the highest average number of minutes read will be announced the week of March 4, 2024; all four will be celebrated and a champion announced on Friday, April 5, 2024. The Read to the Final Four champion school will receive a $5,000 cash prize to support reading, literacy or library programs.
Schools are encouraged to register to participate in the Qualifying Challenge portion of the competition. For key Read to the Final Four dates, please visit https://phoenixfinalfour.com/read-to-the-final-four/.
“Read to the Final Four is pivotal to our mission to leave a positive legacy in Arizona long after the Final Four is over,” said Jay Parry, CEO of the Phoenix Final Four Local Organizing Committee. “With Diana Taurasi and Penny Taylor reading these wonderful stories, today’s rally was an unforgettable experience for Cartwright School District students. We’re grateful to the NCAA and Helios Education Foundation for their strong support of this important initiative.”
“Read to the Final Four is important to the NCAA because we are about education,” said JoAn Scott, NCAA Managing Director, Men’s Basketball Championships. “We’re delighted that students across Arizona can participate in a competition that will inspire them to develop a love for reading that will last a lifetime.”
“Third grade is a crucial year for students' reading proficiency,” said Dr. LeeAnn Aguilar-Lawlor, Superintendent of Cartwright School District. “That's why Cartwright School District is grateful to the Phoenix Local Organizing Committee, NCAA and Helios Education Foundation for providing our scholars a fun and entertaining way to raise their reading game.”
“We are proud to support the Read to the Final Four literacy challenge,” said Jane Roig, Vice Chair of Helios Education Foundation’s Board of Directors. “We hope this will inspire and incentive thousands of third graders across Arizona to improve their reading abilities and ultimately become proficient readers.”
About the Phoenix Local Organizing Committee
The Phoenix Local Organizing Committee (PLOC) is a non-profit organization that is hosting the 2024 NCAA Men’s Final Four. The committee is comprised of Arizona business, Native American, tourism and sports leaders and will collaborate with the NCAA to support the Men’s Final Four’s myriad ancillary events and to establish legacy projects that will ensure the lasting impact of the Men’s Final Four in Arizona. The PLOC is fundraising with local stakeholders to support the event and ensure that the 2024 Men’s Final Four sets a new standard of excellence. The PLOC will also work with Arizona State University, the host institution. The 2024 Men’s Final Four will be played at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., with the national semifinals on Saturday, April 6 and the national final on Monday, April 8, 2024. For more information visit http://www.phoenixfinalfour.com.
About the NCAA
The NCAA is a diverse association of more than 1,100 member colleges and universities that prioritize academics, well-being and fairness to create greater opportunities for more than half a million student-athletes each year. The NCAA provides a pathway to higher education and beyond for student-athletes pursuing academic goals and competing in NCAA sports. More than 54,000 student-athletes experience the pinnacle of intercollegiate athletics by competing in NCAA championships each year. Visit www.ncaa.org and www.ncaa.com for more details about the Association and the corporate partnerships that support the NCAA and its student-athletes. The NCAA is proud to have AT&T, Capital One and Coca-Cola as official corporate champions and the following elite companies as official corporate partners: Buffalo Wild Wings, Buick, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Great Clips, Intuit TurboTax, Invesco QQQ, LG, Marriott Bonvoy, Nabisco, Nissan, Pizza Hut, Reese’s, Unilever and Wendy’s.