Atlanta Public Schools Rewards #RACE2READ Buzzer Readers with Trip to Georgia Tech Women’s Basketball Game

Written By: Jennifer Saunders, APS Director of Library Media Services

For the fourth year in a row, Georgia Tech’s women’s basketball team opened their season with an Education Day Game and invited over 4,000 students from Atlanta Public Schools.

The students who were invited to attend participated in the district’s #RACE2Read challenge with the month-long Buzzer Readers Challenge. The goal of the reading challenge is to remind students to read everyday. Reading for just 20 minutes a day can make a significant difference in a student’s academic success, literacy development, and lifelong relationship with books. It’s a small daily commitment with big benefits – including being invited to cheer on the Georgia Tech women’s basketball team!

At halftime, the students in each grade level who read and logged the most minutes were escorted to center court and presented with a certificate.

2026 APS #RACE2READ Top Buzzer Readers:

• Kindergarten – Miles Berry (Benteen ES)
• 1st Grade – James Appleton (Brandon ES)
• 2nd Grade – Tiras Mason (Benteen ES)
• 3rd Grade – Alexandria Landry (Drew Charter Elementary Academy)
• 4th Grade – Jamir Lisbon (BAMO)
• 5th Grade – Jamal Lisbon (BAMO)
• 6th Grade – Parker Shimkat (Drew Charter Junior Academy)
• 7th Grade – Annie Mae McDonald (Drew Charter Junior Academy)
• 8th Grade – Harper Cunningham (Drew Charter Junior Academy)
• School with the most participation – Benteen Elementary School