In November, Orange County students from transitional kindergarten to 12th grade will be invited to take their love of books to astronomical heights by participating in the STEAM Race to Space Reading Challenge.
Coinciding with National STEAM Day, the third annual reading event will return Nov. 8 and encourage students to improve their reading habits while exposing them to potential careers in industries like engineering and space through storybooks and novels.
Teachers and families can register their students online starting Nov. 1.
Through the three-week challenge, local nonprofit Timeless Learning Inc. — in partnership with the Orange County Department of Education and 4Space — aims to inspire the next generation of innovators in the fields of science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.
To get started, students must download the Beanstack app to track how much they read. Then, participants can kick off their journey by following the recommended reading lists.
Each list of STEAM-themed content is categorized by four age-based learning levels, from picture books for kindergartners to science fiction novels for middle school to high school readers. This year’s reading challenge features dozens of books including “AlphaBot” by author and illustrator Vicky Fang, and “The Boy Who Reached for the Stars” by author and space engineer, Elio Morillo.
After meeting the base goals for their category, students will receive a personalized certificate of completion. Young readers who go above and beyond to meet the reading requirements will have the chance to earn rewards like tickets to local attractions and opportunities to chat with renowned scientists, artists and engineers.
Teachers interested in getting their classes involved can learn more by checking out the STEAM Race to Space Reading Challenge resources. Students interested in reading STEM books and winning prizes can learn how to sign up for the challenge on the program website.
Stay tuned for more details as the STEAM Race to Space Reading Challenge gets ready for takeoff.