Davis School District students will get dedicated class time to read on Friday, Oct. 2, as part of a statewide Read-A-Thon. The event is backed by Gov. Spencer Cox and First Lady Abby Cox through the Utah Reads initiative.

Students will spend time during the school day reading books, exploring topics that interest them and building reading skills, according to a district announcement. The district is also asking families to extend the effort at home by reading together and talking with children about what they are reading.

The statewide event invites schools, libraries, businesses and families to take part in a shared hour of reading across Utah. Families can sign up at ShowUpUtah.org.

First Lady Abby Cox said in a Sept. 15 press release announcing a Granite Credit Union Foundation partnership that reading "has the power to enrich lives at every age" and that "books create opportunities that can last a lifetime."

Cox will also visit Granite Credit Union's corporate office at 3675 S. 900 East in Millcreek on Oct. 2 for a children's story time. Community members are invited to attend and will receive a free financial literacy book.

The Read-A-Thon comes as Davis School District has invested in literacy programming across its campuses. In February, the Utah State Board of Education recognized three district educators with the Science of Reading Award: Patty Arbon, MacKenzie Largent and Angela Morales, according to the district. In April, the district shared that Bountiful Elementary hosted a family literacy night led by DSD Literacy Coach Jodi Rees that included materials in Spanish.

The district also runs Davis Reads, a summer program that challenges students to read for 45 days during vacation. District materials note that more than half of students experience a decline in reading ability over the summer, a pattern educators call the "summer slide."

Families looking for free books ahead of Oct. 2 have options. Granite Credit Union Foundation and Marissa's Books & Gifts are partnering to host a three-day free book event starting Friday, Sept. 25, where readers can select up to four free books. Granite Credit Union branches will also distribute free books through Oct. 2 while supplies last.

The district has not specified which grade levels are participating, how long the dedicated reading block will be, or whether participation is required at every campus.