Students read 60% more than non-participants in UNICEF donation drive

Students' donations rise by 23% in third annual classroom donation campaign

TUCSON, Ariz., Dec. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Learning A-Z today announced results from its third annual Donation Challenge in collaboration with UNICEF USA. Students read 1.4 million books which translated into food and water donations to communities throughout the world.

It's evident that students feel incentivized to engage with their learning when they know it will have an impact beyond the classroom. With nearly 70,000 participating students, the Fall 2022 campaign resulted in more than 41,000 Wonder Food Donations¹ and more than 66,000 Water Donations. That's a 2 month supply of Wonder Food and months of clean water for hundreds of children around the globe.

"As many educators know, getting students interested in reading can be challenging. During the Learning A-Z Donation Challenge, my students couldn't wait to read so they could earn stars to donate!" said Jordan Snyder, Assistant Principal at Plato Academy in Tampa, FL. "By framing my students' efforts as supporting a well-needed cause, they were eager to dive in headfirst to make a difference. I was blown away by how excited they were to jump back in each day."

The Donation Challenge supports individuals and families worldwide by providing them with nutritious food and clean water through UNICEF USA. Results include 108,000 donations to children in need worldwide and 1.4M books read by participating students, a 60% increase compared to non-participating students.

"Empathy isn't a feeling, it's an action. This drive gave students an outlet to express empathy through helping others and an opportunity to develop their literacy skills," said Lisa O'Masta, president of Learning A-Z. "We're proud that this campaign continues to engage students in reading like never before, and we're thankful for all the classrooms eager to turn their learning into action for social good."

During the Donation Challenge, students earned stars by reading books, taking quizzes, and completing assignments on Learning A-Z platforms. They could then choose to convert earned stars into donations. Through these donations, funded by Learning A-Z, UNICEF USA provides children in need with a two-month supply of ready-to-use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) and water.

For more information, please visit https://www.learninga-z.com/.

Learning A-Z^® delivers pre-K–6 solutions that inspire curiosity, ensure comprehension, and instill the joy of learning in elementary students. Its award-winning digital products, which include Reading A-Z^® and Raz-Kids^®, are used by more than 12 million students in more than 170 countries. Learning A-Z is a Cambium Learning^® Group company.

For information, please visit www.learninga-z.com or find us on Facebook or Twitter.

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) works in more than 190 countries and territories to pursue a more equitable world for every child. UNICEF has helped save more children's lives than any other humanitarian organization by providing health care and immunizations, safe water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief, and more.

UNICEF USA advances the global mission of UNICEF by rallying the American public to support the world's most vulnerable children. Together, we are working toward a world that upholds the rights of all children and helps every child thrive. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org.

Cambium Learning^® Group is the education essentials company, providing award-winning education technology and services across the K-12 space. With an intentionally curated portfolio of respected global brands, Cambium serves as an education leader, helping millions of educators and students feel more universally seen, valued and supported. In everything it does, the company focuses on the elements that are most essential to the success of education, delivering simpler, more certain solutions that make a meaningful difference right now. To learn more, visit www.cambiumlearning.com or follow Cambium on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Medium. The Cambium family of brands includes: Cambium Assessment, Lexia^® Learning, Learning A-Z^®, Voyager Sopris Learning^®, ExploreLearning^®, Time4Learning^® and Kurzweil Education^®.

¹ Wonder Food is a two month's supply of easy to use Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) — enough to bring one severely malnourished child back to good health.

Media Contact:
Erin McCreadie
[email protected]

SOURCE Learning A-Z