At Scholastic we love hearing about academic success stories and we certainly love to celebrate literacy, so when I heard about this particular student in the Scholastic Reading Counts!(SRC) program I had to share her story!

Earning 1,000 points in the course of one year in the SRC program is a remarkable accomplishment—and this is just what 2^nd grader India Howely from Binks Forest Elementary in Wellington, FL did, even before her school year ended! To put this in perspective (as I learned recently) to complete this achievement, India must have read 5 books every week—that’s a lot of reading! After talking to India’s mom I quickly learned that this was a fun task for India, “Saying India loves to read is not an understatement. Birthdays are easy for friends and family, books or bookstore gift cards are always appreciated.”

Coming from a household of book lovers and both parents having majored in art, India has grown up with mentors who encouraged the importance of reading and appreciating language, something we strongly believe in here at Scholastic. India’s mom added “You only have to reach out an arm in [our] household and you will be able to pick up a book.” While at school the encouragement to read is continued by India’s teacher Ms. Eldredge, who awards prizes for point levels achieved in the SRC program.

With a remarkable Lexile level of 1220, India’s favorite books are Jack London’s White Fang and Call of the Wild. India also loves a good mystery, like Chasing Vermeer, she especially likes English humor found in the writings of Roald Dahl, Cressida Cowell and of course J.K Rowling. In addition to reading India also loves horseback riding, Tae Kwon Do and learning how to play the piano.

Always motivating her friends and classmates to love reading as much as she does, India says she would like to have more books in her classroom for everyone to enjoy!