January 31, 2013
For Immediate Release  

Governor Scott Walker Announces the Winners of the Read to Lead in Wisconsin State Parks Program

Madison—From Kenosha to Superior and points in between, more than 300 children ages 5 to 9 discovered more about nature and sharpened their reading skills this past year by reading a total of 8,225 books through the Read to Lead in Wisconsin State Parks program. 

The program, part of the Governor Walker’s Read to Lead initiative, paired a state park with a nature book to make a weekly reading list.  Children who read or had someone read to them at least 20 of the books were eligible to be entered in a drawing for a Kindle.   Winners were drawn on January 11.  There were 317 participants who successfully met the reading goal.

Annika Isaacson of Sauk City won the grand prize Kindle Fire.  Ten other children won Kindles.  They are Taylor Johnson, Chippewa Falls; Tyler Norton, Arena; Jack Hagen, Ixonia; Abigail Kofford, Evansville; Colt Smolen, Milwaukee; Annika Larsen, Appleton; Josie Rammer, Janesville; Tommy Szymanski, Milwaukee; Jeremy Field, Brookfield; and Mara Minning, Watertown.  The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin and Friends of Wisconsin State Parks provided the prizes.

“Congratulations to all the children who participated in the program.  There’s always a place for reading, whether traveling in the car, lying at the beach, or sitting around a campfire,” Governor Walker said.

State parks on the reading list had books available for campers to borrow and some offered special naturalist programs.  The books were also available through local libraries. 

“We encouraged young readers to read everywhere, even while camping,” said Carrie Morgan, a natural resources educator with the Department of Natural Resources, who coordinated the program with state parks.  

Morgan said the most read book was “Owl Moon” by Jane Yolen followed closely by “Around the Pond: Who’s Been Here?” by Lindsay Barrett George and “Zipping, Zapping, Zooming Bats” by Ann Earle.

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