Buffalo, N.Y. – Mayor Byron W. Brown celebrated the conclusion of his 17th annual Mayor’s Reading
Rules! Summer Reading Challenge with more than 2,500 Champion Readers at the Buffalo Niagara
Convention Center.
Mayor Brown was joined by representatives of the Buffalo Public Schools, the Department of Community
Services and Recreational Programming, the Buffalo Police Athletic League, and several Reading Rules!
event sponsors at the annual awards ceremony.
“I’m pleased to celebrate the Champion Readers in my 17th annual Reading Rules! Kids Summer Reading
Challenge,” said Mayor Byron W. Brown. “This was a record-setting summer for the program with nearly
3,700 students participating, and more than 2,500 Champion Readers successfully completing the Challenge.
Since 2006, more than 16,500 youngsters have taken part in Reading Rules!”
Mayor Brown started the program in 2001, when he was a New York State Senator, to help increase
literacy in the Buffalo and Western New York area. The program is open to students in grades K-12 from
public, parochial, private and charter schools from Buffalo and Western New York.
“Every year, I’m proud to join our Champion Readers, their families and our generous event sponsors to
celebrate the reading accomplishments of our youth,” Mayor Brown said.
To become Champion Readers, participants are required to read and write summaries of at least seven
books. All those who successfully complete the Challenge are invited to the giant awards ceremony where
they receive a certificate of achievement, books, and school supplies. Each child is also entered in a raffle
to win major prizes, such as computers, bicycles, video game systems, and other electronic equipment,
donated by area businesses and cultural organizations.
“The Mayor’s Summer Reading Challenge continues to grow annually,” said Department of Community
Services Commissioner Otis T. Barker. “But even more impressive is the growth in support from so many of
our sponsors, parents, summer camps, schools, community centers, agencies like Say Yes Buffalo and Read
to Succeed who all understand the true value of literacy!”
“Once again the Police Athletic League of Buffalo is excited to be one of many proud sponsors for the 17th
Annual Reading Rules! Mayor Brown’s Summer Reading Challenge,” said PAL Executive Director Nekia
Kemp. “Each year this event gets bigger and better. Promoting Literacy and encouraging families to read
together is the foundation for our youth to be academically successful.”
New for 2018, all participants were encouraged to “Go Green” by filling out the electronic form and also
submit their summaries on the City’s website, www.buffalony.gov, for the first time ever. This helped both
the City, and program participants, save paper by corresponding via email.
This year’s sponsors include: the City of Buffalo, Buffalo Police Athletic League, Say Yes Buffalo, AT&T,
M&T Bank, Alternative Information Systems, Bank on Buffalo, Variety - The Children’s Charity of Buffalo
& WNY, Norstar, GBAUHN, Buffalo Metropolitan Federal Credit Union, National Grid, Veolia North
America, UPD Dental Associates, The Buffalo News, Delaware North, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Talking
Leaves Books, Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, Buffalo Bills, and Ingram Micro.