Mequon, WI – Gill's Reading Challenge is back for 2016. After 2,000 students from all over Southeastern Wisconsin participated in last year's challenge, the Chinooks decide to continue on with the team's reading initiative. With the Reading Challenge, the team hopes to increase literacy in schools and to get students of all ages excited about reading.

Gill's Reading Challenege is a free program available to all schools in the area. The challenge is intended for students in grades K-8. The program is eight weeks long which consist of four two week segments. Schools can determine their program start date but all challeneges must conclude by the end of May.

With this free program, teachers will have the ability to set students' goals for each base whether it is a set number of pages, number of chapters, or number of books read. At the start of the program, each student will be given a Chinooks bookmark to help track their progress throughout the challenge. When a student reaches their goal for each base they will be rewarded with a prize from the Chinooks. If a student reaches all four goals and makes it around all the bases, they will be rewarded with a ticket to a Lakeshore Chinooks game as well as a certificate of completion.

Students will have five game dates to choose from to redeem their ticket voucher. On June 10th, it will be Reading Challenge Night at Kapco Park. All students in attendance who completed the Reading Challenge will be able to join Gill on the field for a pre-game parade and recognition for completing the progam.

The team will provide all the necessary materials for teachers, students, and parents. At the start of the challenge, the coordinators will receive step by step instructions, an introduction letter for parents, bookmarks for students, student goal and progress chart for the classroom, teacher tracking charts, and the incentive prizes.

Gill is also available to come to your school and help kickoff your reading challenge. Appearance dates and times are limited to school day hours and are scheduled on a first come, first serve basis.

For more information and to get your school's challenge started, contact Ashley Sugden at 262-618-4659 or by emailing ashleys@lakeshorechinooks.com

The Chinooks hope to get your school hooked on reading!

The Northwoods League is the proven leader in the development of elite college baseball players. The 22-year old summer collegiate league is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 140 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (DET), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Lucas Duda (NYM) and Ben Zobrist (KC). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League website. For more information, visit www.northwoodsleague.com.