School of the Year
Read Live School of the Year Awardees
The Read Live School of the Year Award recognizes schools whose students have substantially improved their reading skills using the Read Live program. It has been gratifying to read the many inspiring success stories from schools far and wide. Join us in congratulating our 2026 awardees!
2026 Read Live School of the Year Award
Davis Elementary
Vernal, Utah
Submitted by Cris Labrum, Principal
Davis Elementary receives a $2000 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Educators at Davis Elementary School had struggled for years to achieve significant results from their reading intervention efforts. A turning point came two years ago, when a teacher requested to use Read Naturally. Success spread so rapidly throughout the school that this year, Davis expanded use of the program beyond intervention, making it available to all students in grades 1–5.
2026 Read Live School of the Year Award Runners-Up
Nightingale Primary School
Woolwich, London
Submitted by Sonia Skunder, Reading Specialist
Nightingale Primary School receives a $500 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Educators at Nightingale Primary School believe reading is the foundation for success. They are committed to using effective strategies to build students’ fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills, and they have used Read Live for many years to support that work—with clear results.
Balmoral School
Calgary, Alberta
Submitted by Fatima Saeed, Reading Specialist
Balmoral School receives a $500 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
This was Balmoral’s first year using Read Live, and thanks to the dedicated efforts of staff members implementing the program consistently and with fidelity, they have already seen significant results. Students have made gains not only in reading fluency and comprehension, but also in confidence, and staff report improvements in English learners’ language skills as well.
People for People Charter School
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Submitted by Ellen Wedemeyer, Special Education Administrator
People for People Charter School receives a $500 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Chief Innovation Officer Dr. Ellen Wedemeyer had to fight to convince her team to try Read Live during ESY in the summer of 2025 with students with special needs. The team had worked hard to implement other programs with little success and was afraid to be disappointed again. But the results with Read Live were so significant that by week three, teachers were fully on board.
2026 Read Live School of the Year Award Honorable Mentions
The following schools will each receive a $100 Read Naturally gift certificate:
Centerburg Elementary • Centerburg, Ohio
Chickasaw Elementary/Intermediate School • Chickasaw, Alabama
Krystal School • Hesperia, California
Lakewood Elementary • Mandan, North Dakota
Lucy S. Herring Elementary School • Asheville, North Carolina
Northwood Elementary School • Kalamazoo, Michigan
Wapakoneta Middle School • Wapakoneta, Ohio
2025 School of the Year Award Winners
2025 Read Live School of the Year Award Winner
Robinson School
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Submitted by Laura Amill, Special Education Teacher
Robinson School receives a $2000 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Robinson School is dedicated to unlocking the potential of each unique student by providing individualized support. Its Pathways Program provides targeted intervention for students with language-based learning difficulties in both English and Spanish. The Pathways team adopted Read Live as a reading intervention tool in 2023 with the goal of providing students with a comprehensive, systematic, multi-sensory reading experience.
2025 Read Live School of the Year Award Runners-Up
Hamilton Elementary School
Moline, Illinois
Submitted by Megan Peterson, Reading Specialist
Hamilton Elementary School receives a $500 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
In the past, Hamilton Elementary School used Read Live to support students in intervention develop their fluency and comprehension skills. The results were so positive that this year, they decided to implement the program across the entire third-grade level—ensuring that every student, regardless of reading ability, has access to the structured literacy support that Read Live provides.
Las Brisas Academy
Goodyear, Arizona
Submitted by Erin Brandon, Reading Specialist
Las Brisas Academy receives a $500 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Las Brisas Academy has used Read Live for years with their intervention groups. This year, they’ve kickstarted a new initiative to support all students in the earliest stages of their reading development: Read Live Roadrunners. Now, every first-grade student in the school uses Read Live for 30 minutes every day. For every three stories a student completes, they earn a small prize and get to move their roadrunner along the progress board on the wall.
Laveen Elementary School
Phoenix, Arizona
Submitted by Leah Hall, Special Education Teacher
Laveen Elementary School receives a $500 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
In the resource room at Laveen Elementary, Special Education Teacher Leah Hall works with students who are English language learners, students with intellectual or reading disabilities, and students who are neurodivergent. Many of her students become frustrated with reading, and it can take a toll on their confidence. She explains, “They don’t like reading in class, and they feel ‘less than’ everyone else.”
Hall describes her students as “beautiful, smart, creative, and funny kids,” and is committed to helping them see themselves that way, too. One of the most powerful ways she supports them is by helping them find success in reading.
2025 Read Live School of the Year Award Honorable Mentions
The following schools will each receive a $100 Read Naturally gift certificate:
Bodine School • Germantown, Tennessee
Educational Pathways Academy • Bonita Springs, Florida
Lehi Elementary • Mesa, Arizona
Metolius Elementary School • Metolius, Oregon
Roadways Literacy Academy • Saskatoon, SK Canada
Springmore Elementary • Shelby, North Carolina
2024 School of the Year Award Winners
2024 Read Live School of the Year Award Winner
Main Street Elementary School of Arts and Leadership
Lake City, South Carolina
Submitted by Marcia Ramsey, 5th Grade Reading Intervention Teacher
Main Street Elementary receives a $2000 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Congratulations to our 2024 Read Live School of the Year, Main Street Elementary! Main Street Elementary has used Read Live for the past three years. The students' scores reflect their commitment to the program, as a significantly higher percentage of students are now reading on grade level.
2024 Read Live School of the Year Award Runners-Up
Del Rey Elementary School
Del Rey, California
Submitted by Traci Tucker, Special Education Teacher
Main Street Elementary receives a $500 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Del Rey Elementary School has been using Read Live for 13 years and was also selected as a Read Live School of the Year Runner-up in 2022. As a Spanish Dual Language school, Del Rey has made the most of the English and Spanish components of Read Naturally Live and Read Naturally Live— Español. The program has resulted in impressive gains for English Language Learners and struggling readers.
Estrella Mountain Elementary School
Goodyear, Arizona
Submitted by Amy Johnson & Carrie Jones, Reading/Literacy/Language Arts Teachers
Estrella Mountain Elementary School receives a $500 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Estrella Mountain Elementary School has been using Read Live for five years, and students are making significant gains. Teachers, parents, and community volunteers have turned the Read Live lab into a place where students are thriving. According to nominating teachers Amy Johnson and Carrie Jones, "At Estrella Mountain Elementary our kids are excited about reading, and we attribute so much of that excitement to the Read Live stories that light up their curiosity." Amy and Carrie also report that, thanks to Read Live, Estrella is leading its district in many ELA standards this year.
Miami Trace Elementary School
Washington Court House, Ohio
Submitted by Kylie Lanman, District Administrator
Miami Trace Elementary School receives a $500 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Miami Trace Elementary School has been using Read Live for 12 years, and the program has been "a transformative tool" in the school's literacy initiatives. According to District Administrator Kylie Lanman, "Over the past decade, amidst the trials brought forth by the pandemic, we have continued to witness remarkable growth and progress among our students, thanks to Read Live. We wholeheartedly endorse Read Live and its potential to empower students across all school districts."
2024 Read Live School of the Year Award Honorable Mentions
The following schools will each receive a $100 Read Naturally gift certificate:
Annie L. Gaetz School • Red Deer, Alberta, CA
Almond Grove School • Oakley, California
Hamilton Elementary School • Moline, Illinois
Lower Dauphin Middle School • Hummelstown, Pennsylvania
North Dickinson County School • Felch, Michigan
2023 School of the Year Award Winners
2023 Read Live School of the Year Award Winner
Upson-Lee Elementary School
Thomaston, GA
Submitted by Debbie Busbee, Reading/Literacy/Language Arts Teacher
Upson-Lee Elementary School receives a $2000 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Upson Lee Elementary School has used Read Live for the past 5 years. Students have demonstrated impressive growth working in Word Warm-ups Live, Read Naturally Live, and One Minute Reader Live four days a week. According to nominating teacher Debbie Busbee, Read Live has helped the students meet their goals on MAP Benchmark assessments, and "Students who have been in the bottom 20th percentile of their class are now performing in the upper part of their grade level." Congratulations, Upson Lee Elementary!
2023 Read Live School of the Year Award Runners-Up
Highland Park Elementary School
Austin, TX
Submitted by Emily King, Dyslexia Interventionist
Highland Park Elementary School receives a $500 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Highland Park Elementary School has been using Read Naturally programs since 2004. The first through fifth graders using the program have made incredible strides, both in school and at home. Some students have improved up to three grade levels! According to Emily, “Many parents have shared that their child, who used to have to be forced to read, now reads willingly and with pleasure.” Keep up the great work, Highland Park Elementary!
Rapid City Elementary School
Rapid City, MI
Submitted by Michelle Zamaites, Special Education Teacher
Rapid City Elementary School receives a $500 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Rapid City Elementary School was able to purchase Read Live using a grant this year after trying the program last spring. The students have made significant gains in fluency and comprehension, with a huge increase in confidence. Fourth-graders using the program said the following: "My mom and dad will be so proud of me, I can’t believe I can read these stories," and "I never thought I would be able to read, and I am actually reading stories!" Keep up the great work, Rapid City Elementary!
Yorba Middle School
Orange, CA
Submitted by Jackie Vaca, Special Education Teacher
Yorba Middle School receives a $500 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Yorba Middle School has been using Read Live since 2020 as an intervention for students in Special Education. Nominating teacher Jackie Vaca notes that the program has sparked a love of learning for her students. "The students who participate in this Read Live class have all shown solid growth in their reading levels for both fluency and comprehension. Teachers also report observations that students who are in this program are growing in their classroom participation in other classroom settings, so their hard work in the program is translating to more success in their other classes and an overall confidence in themselves," Jackie said. Way to go, Yorba Middle School!
2023 Read Live School of the Year Award Honorable Mentions
The following schools will each receive a $100 Read Naturally gift certificate:
Crenshaw School • Crystal Beach, TX
Deming/Miller Elementary • Cheyenne, WY
East Valley Elementary • Yakima, WA
Grant Middle School • Grant, MI
Headway School • Edmonton, AB, Canada
Sojourner Truth Academy • Minneapolis, MN
Tri County Public Schools • DeWitt, NE
Zion Chapel • Jack, AL
2022 School of the Year Award Winners
2022 Read Live School of the Year Award Winner
Cambridge School
Pennington, NJ
Submitted by Meghan Peters, Special Education Administrator
Cambridge School receives a $2000 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Cambridge School has been using Read Naturally since 2001. As a school that specializes in helping students with learning differences, Cambridge has experienced great success using Read Naturally Live to support students' reading growth in grades K-8.
2022 Read Live School of the Year Award Runners-Up
Del Rey Elementary School
Del Rey, CA
Submitted by Traci Tucker, Special Education Teacher/Intervention Teacher
Del Rey Elementary School receives a $500 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Del Rey Elementary School has been using Read Naturally programs since 2012. This school currently uses Read Live with English Language Learners, students with IEPs, and students who need reading intervention. They were able to successfully integrate Read Live into a distance-learning curriculum during the pandemic and continued to see impressive growth.
Violet Elementary School
St. Clair Shores, MI
Submitted by Mary VanNieulande, Para Professional
Violet Elementary School receives a $500 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Violet Elementary School has used Read Naturally programs for nearly 17 years. Read Live is now the backbone of the school's intervention reading curriculum. Violet currently uses Read Live with third, forth, and fifth grade students who have made substantial progress and gained confidence.
2022 Read Live School of the Year Award Honorable Mentions
The following schools will each receive a $100 Read Naturally gift certificate:
Daisy Gibson, Palmdale, CA
Elizabeth Academy, Salt Lake City, UT
Estrella Mountain Elementary School, Goodyear, AZ
Horizon Middle School--West, Moorhead, MN
Lingle-Ft. Laramie Elementary, Lingle, WY
Ogilvie School, Ogilvie, MN
Renaissance Academy, Lehi, UT
2021 School of the Year Award Winners
2021 Read Live School of the Year Award Winner
Crescent Elementary School
Anaheim, CA
Submitted by Lauren Caughren, Special Education Teacher
Crescent Elementary School receives a $2000 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
This was Crescent Elementary's first year using Read Live after upgrading from Read Naturally Masters Edition. Read Live was used with students in grades 2-6. Students using the program experienced growth in both their reading levels and personal confidence.
2021 Read Live School of the Year Award Runner-Ups
Cottonwood Elementary School
Aguanga, CA
Submitted by Lynelle Juarez, Specialized Academic Instructor
Cottonwood Elementary School receives a $500 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Cottonwood Elementary School uses Read Live for both Tier 2 and 3 intervention, as well as support for English language learners. With school closed due to the pandemic, they were able to continue working with students remotely with Read Live. All students using Read Live made more than a year’s growth in reading.
De Zavala Elementary School
San Marcos, TX
Submitted by Nelda Reyes, Reading Specialist
De Zavala Elementary School receives a $500 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
De Zavala Elementary has used Read Live since 2011 to help their struggling readers, including those with dyslexia. Their students have always done well in the program, and the addition of Word Warm-ups Live and the recording feature really helped students soar this year.
Upson-Lee Elementary School
Thomaston, GA
Submitted by Debbie Busbee, Title I Teacher
Upson-Lee Elementary School receives a $500 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Upson Lee Elementary uses Read Live as a Tier 2 intervention in grades 3–5. The teachers and staff love the new features introduced this year, especially the ability for students to record themselves. Students using the program saw huge improvements in their fluency, comprehension and self-confidence.
2021 Read Live School of the Year Award Honorable Mentions
The following schools will each receive a $100 Read Naturally gift certificate:
Adams Elementary School, Santa Barbara, CA
Great Hearts North Phoenix Academy, Phoenix, AZ
Gilmore Elementary, League City, TX
Jackson Middle School, Lakefield, MN
Morningside Elementary School, Kimberly, ID
Peckham School, Newkirk, OK
Royster Middle School, Chanute, KS
Scott City Middle School, Scott City, KS
2020 School of the Year Award Winners
2020 Read Live School of the Year Award Winner
Abraham Lincoln Elementary School
Hastings, NE
Submitted by Becki Kulwiki, Title I Teacher
Abraham Lincoln Elementary School receives a $2000 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Abraham Lincoln Elementary School has been using Read Live for over five years. They use the program as an intervention for their fourth and fifth grade English learners and SPED students with the greatest need. In the first half of the school year, all the students using Read Live increased their Academic Data Management scores.
2020 Read Live School of the Year Award Runner-Ups
Corona Foothills Middle School
Vail, AZ
Submitted by Sarah Hammer, 7th/8th grade Resource Teacher
Corona Foothills Middle School receives a $500 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Corona Foothills Middle School is part of the Vail, AZ school district which has been using Read Live since 2014. Corona Foothills Middle School has made Read Live a daily fixture in their curriculum. They have been able to get those hard to please middle-school students excited about meeting their word correct per minute (wcpm) goal. Teacher Sarah Hammer uses the built-in reports to communicate progress to parents and identify individual student needs. Student progress in Read Live translated to increased scores in district formative assessment.
Upson-Lee Elementary School
Thomaston, GA
Submitted by Debbie Busbee, Title I Teacher
Upson-Lee Elementary School receives a $500 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Upson-Lee Elementary has been using Read Live since 2017, but it was the first year for experienced special education teacher Ms. Busbee. At first. Ms. Busbee was skeptical of a web-based reading intervention. That quickly changed after seeing Read Live students’ rapid progress, sometimes beyond grade level. She also noted the added bonus of seeing kids glow when they reached their word correct per minute (wcpm) goal.
2020 Read Live School of the Year Award Honorable Mentions
We recognize ALL EDUCATORS for 2019-2020 Read Live School of the Year Honorable Mention. This past spring was a challenging experience for everyone, and it was especially difficult for teachers transitioning to remote instruction. We are continuously impressed by teachers going above and beyond to care for and support their students. The upcoming school year promises many more challenges and educators everywhere will be working tirelessly to keep students safe and learning.
Read Naturally was founded by teachers and we continue to work for teachers. We understand the dedication and creativity necessary to be successful in the classroom. Your mission is our mission. Thank you for everything you do.
2019 School of the Year Award Winners
2019 Read Live School of the Year Award Winner
Pioneer Elementary School
Pierz, MN
Submitted by Miranda Hoheisel, SLD Special Education Teacher
Pioneer Elementary School receives a $2000 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Pioneer Elementary School has been using Read Naturally Strategy programs for the last eight years and started with Read Naturally Live in 2015. They use the program as an intervention for Tier 2 and 3 students in grades 1–3. Read Naturally Live is also used with their English language learners and dyslexic students. Of the students in grades 1-3 that are using Read Naturally Live, 80% will meet their fluency goals.
2019 Read Live School of the Year Award Runner-Ups
The Summit School
Edgewater, MD
Submitted by Leslie Eget, Director of Program Supports
The Summit School receives a $500 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
The Summit School has been using Read Naturally programs since 2010 and began using Read Naturally Live in 2017. The number of students using Read Naturally at The Summit School has continued to grow since the implementation of Read Naturally Live. Students, teachers and parents are all requesting to use Read Naturally Live, especially after an informal study first semester. The study showed students using Read Naturally Live had growth rates in oral fluency and vocabulary that were at least 20% higher than the growth of their peers not placed in the Read Naturally Live program.
Harrison Junior School
Harrison, OH
Submitted by Katelyn Harm, Reading Tutor
Harrison Junior School receives a $500 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Harrison Junior School started using Read Naturally Live in 2015. Reading Tutor Katelyn Harm works with 69 students for one hour each day in Read Naturally Live, targeting students that scored in the bottom 8% on reading in the school. This year, 46% of her students are now reading on or above grade level. Read Naturally Live is implemented with fidelity at Harrison Junior School.
2019 Read Live School of the Year Award Honorable Mentions
The following schools will each receive a $100 Read Naturally gift certificate:
The Lumpkin County Elementary School, Dahlonega, GA, submitted by Stacie Gerrells
Chamisa Elementary School, Los Alamos, NM, submitted by Jenifer Thayer
Mary Lou Cowlishaw Elementary School, Naperville, IL, submitted by Michelle Hebenstreit
Crooksville Elementary School, Crooksville, OH, submitted by Helen Anderson
iForward Wisconsin, Grantsburg, WI, submitted by Colleen Trumper
Leonard Elementary School, Ovid, MI, submitted by Amanda Fruchey
Tilton School, Haverhill, MA, submitted by Beth Perry
2018 School of the Year Award Winners
2018 Read Live School of the Year Award Winner
Richmond Street School
El Segundo, CA
Submitted by Lisa Haun, Reading Specialist
Richmond Street School receives a $2000 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Richmond Street School has been using Read Naturally Strategy programs for over 15 years. Reading Specialist Lisa Haun, who has worked with Read Naturally Live since 2012, and her lab assistants have implemented the program with fidelity for their targeted group of 3rd graders. Read Naturally Live is also used with 4th and 5th grade students and by the special education teacher in their learning center.
2018 Read Live School of the Year Award Runner-Ups
Olive B. Loss Elementary School
Bear, DE
Submitted by Veronica Daniel, Reading Specialist
Olive B. Loss Elementary School receives a $500 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Olive B. Loss Elementary, has been using Read Naturally Strategy programs for over 10 years. Resource Specialist Veronica Daniel, who has been working with Read Naturally Live since 2015, oversees a program that is used in grades 2 through 5 throughout the school, averaging about 60 students. The program is implemented with fidelity, with many groups meeting every day.
Hannah Elementary School
Beverly, MA
Submitted by Michelle Zampell, Reading/Literacy/Language Arts Administrator
Hannah Elementary School receives a $500 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Hannah Elementary School, has been using Read Naturally Strategy programs for nine years. Literacy Coach Michelle Zampell, who has been working with Read Naturally Live for a little over a year, oversees a program that targets 30 students in 2nd and 3rd grade who need a fluency intervention. During the course of the school year, educators saw great results even in Tier III students with reading disabilities.
Van Buren Elementary School
Van Buren, OH
Submitted by Mariah Hohman, Special Education Teacher
Van Buren Elementary School receives a $500 Read Naturally Gift Certificate.
Van Buren Elementary School has been using Read Naturally strategy programs for 15 years. Special Education Teacher Mariah Hohman, who has been working with Read Naturally Live since 2016, oversees a program that targets 45 students in kindergarten through 5th grade. Students are averaging a year and a half growth on reading levels, and their confidence has greatly improved.
2018 Read Live School of the Year Award Honorable Mentions
The following schools will each receive a $100 Read Naturally gift certificate:
Aberdeen Elementary School, Aberdeen, ID, submitted by Marina Taylor
Challenge Charter School, Glendale, AZ, submitted by Kathleen Mertler
Crystal Lake Elementary School, Benzonia, MI, submitted by Crystal Milne
Holdingford Elementary School, Holdingford, MN, submitted by Sue Ruprecht
Iditarod Elementary School, Wasilla, AK, submitted by Marilee Nufer
Leicester Middle School, Leicester, MA, submitted by Nikki O’Connor
Lutie Lewis Coates Elementary School, Herndon, VA, submitted by Jennette Leiva
Pioneer Elementary School, Pierz, MN, submitted by Miranda Hoheisel
Temple View School, Idaho Falls, ID, submitted by Luci Peck
Ubly Elementary School, Ubly, MI, submitted by Holly McIntyre
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