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The Red Wings for Reading, presented by the Detroit Red Wings Foundation, is a no-cost literacy program for K-5th-grade classrooms in Michigan. The program is designed for individual classrooms and runs throughout the Red Wings season.
Kindly chatting with me are community impact coordinator Kylie Anderson and manager Merideth Gokey.
The DRW Reading Program will be joining us at Bookfest! And they are bringing a special guest: DRW alum and kids book author, Justin Abdelkader. He will be doing a reading for kids at Noon in the DTE Plaza.
1.) What year did your program start? How did it come about, what’s the official inception story?
The Red Wings for Reading program was launched in 2012 with the goal of promoting reading and literacy among Kindergarten through 5th grade classrooms across Michigan. What began as a local initiative has grown significantly over the years, now reaching more than 9,000+ students annually. The program continues to inspire a love of reading while supporting educators and young learners throughout the state.
2.) How many people work on the program?
We have a small but mighty team of two who run and facilitate the program, but we are heavily reliant on the support of various Ilitch Sports and Entertainment colleagues who are always so generous in volunteering their time!
3.) Where are you located specifically?
The team plays and practices out of Little Caesars Arena in Downtown Detroit. Our program is run out of the arena but is open to all K-5 teachers across the state of Michigan.
4.) Can you please explain in detail what your program does?
By registering for Red Wings for Reading, teachers will have access to monthly newsletters and reading activities, exclusive Detroit Red Wings ticket
offers. reading incentives for students, guest celebrity readers and MORE! During the 2024-2025 season, 3 million minutes were read across 9,000 students.
Registration for the program also includes entry into the Classroom Challenge, in which classes will compete across the state of Michigan to see who can read the most minutes.
HOW IT WORKS:
- Receive Monthly Newsletters – Newsletters will be sent via email each month and will include monthly reading challenges, classroom shout-outs, special ticket offers and more
- Compete in the Red Wings for Reading Classroom Challenge – During the month of March, teachers will track the minutes in which students read through the Red Wings for Reading website to compete for classroom prizes.
- The top classroom for K-2 and 3-5 grades will receive a $2,500 library upgrade for the school.
- The top five classrooms for K-2 and 3-5 will receive a Little Caesars pizza party.
5.) Any fun facts/ interesting trivia about your operation or anything related to it?
The Detroit Red Wings are entering their Centennial Season — celebrating 100 years as a franchise! It’s an incredible milestone, and we’re proud to have been a part of Michigan’s history for a full century. From Stanley Cup championships to legendary players, and community programs like Red Wings for Reading, it’s been an honor to serve and grow with the Michigan community since 1926. Here’s to the next 100!
6.) What are some of the biggest misunderstandings or misconceptions that people have about what you do?
One of the biggest misconceptions about the Detroit Red Wings is that our impact is limited to what happens on the ice. In reality, community involvement is a core part of who we are. Through year-round programs focused on education, health and wellness, and youth development—like Red Wings for Reading and our partnerships with local schools and nonprofits—we’re deeply committed to making a lasting difference across Michigan. Our players, staff, and organization are actively engaged in giving back, and we view our role in the community as just as important as our legacy in hockey.
7.) When do signups begin?
Signups for the program will begin in early October. To be the first to know about the launch of the 2025-2026 Red Wings for Reading programming, fill out the form here: www.nhl.com/redwings/community/red-wings-for-reading
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