During a recent government meeting, Christie High, the senior community engagement specialist and literacy coordinator at Cincinnati Children's, presented an exciting initiative aimed at enhancing literacy in the community. High announced the launch of \"Scentsy Reads,\" a citywide literacy challenge scheduled for March 2025, coinciding with National Reading Month. This month-long event aims to raise awareness about the importance of reading and literacy for both children and adults.

The initiative will involve collaboration with various community partners, including Cincinnati Public Library, United Way of Greater Cincinnati, and Cincinnati Public Schools, among others. Each partner will host pop-up events leading up to the main challenge to engage the community and promote literacy. Participants will track their reading minutes through an app or paper forms, with a goal of 513 minutes of reading, which will be celebrated at a closing event featuring local sponsors such as the Cincinnati Reds and Bengals.

High emphasized the significance of the Imagination Library program, which provides free monthly books to children aged 0 to 5 in Hamilton County. Currently, over 31,000 children are enrolled, and the program aims to enhance early literacy and kindergarten readiness. High's role includes increasing enrollment and reaching underserved populations to ensure that more children benefit from this valuable resource.

The meeting highlighted the community's commitment to fostering a culture of reading and literacy, with plans for promotional materials and media coverage to generate excitement as the event approaches.