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3rd-graders in Indiana reading contest to learn winner at Final Four game

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Sports fans are looking ahead to March and the return of the Final Four to Indianapolis.

Indiana Sports Corp is kicking off a statewide reading contest for third-graders.

“It’s like March Madness, but for reading,” said Brett Kramer, Indiana Sport Corp director of public relations. “They compete by minutes read and on Jan. 29 we actually have a selection show.”

The top 68 Hoosier classrooms will compete in a bracket-style tournament, and the winner will be announced at the Final Four.

In the Read to the Final Four contest, third-grade classes will compete with how many books they can read. The goal is to use the spirit of competition to promote literacy and make students better readers.

“How cool is it to be a third-grader getting your name announced at the Final Four during Final Four festivities?” Kramer said. “I know if I was in the third-grade I would absolutely love that.”

Kramer says the main motivation, however, is to use the competitive atmosphere to send a more important message to the youths.

“At the end of the day, it gets third-graders reading, and I can’t think of something more important,” she said. “Whatever you might be interested in there’s something for you, and if you win some prizes and some notoriety along the way, I think most third-graders would like that.”

Go online to find out how to sign your classroom up for the competition.