43 government officials join 2016 Summer Reading Challenge to get kids reading

Josephine Djonovic  //  Jun 20, 2016

43 government officials join 2016 Summer Reading Challenge to get kids reading

Today we're thrilled to announce that 39 U.S. Governors’ Spouses, 3 Governors and 1 Lieutenant Governor have shown their support for summer reading by signing on as “Reading Ambassadors” for the 2016 Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge!

To help generate excitement about summer reading, these 43 Reading Ambassadors have each delivered 500 new books donated by Scholastic to schools in their states. In addition, many of them have also hosted reading events with local children at schools and libraries to kick off summer reading in their communities. Check out these great pictures from events hosted by the First Gentleman of Rhode Island Andy Moffit, Oregon's First Gentleman Dan Little, Arizona First Lady Angela Ducey and First Lady of Arkansas Susan Hutchinson

We'd like to give a heartfelt thank you to the following Governors, Governors’ Spouses and New York’s Lt. Governor who have committed to promoting reading this summer.Below is the full list of the 2016 Reading Ambassadors. We'll be sharing their pictures and event information on social media all week long—check it out at #summerreading.

  • Alabama – Governor Robert Bentley
  • Alaska – First Lady Donna Walker
  • American Samoa – First Lady Cynthia Malala Moliga
  • Arizona – First Lady Angela Ducey
  • Arkansas – First Lady Susan Hutchinson
  • Connecticut – First Lady Cathy Malloy
  • Georgia – First Lady Sandra Deal
  • Hawaii – First Lady Dawn Amano-Ige         
  • Idaho – First Lady Lori Otter
  • Illinois – First Lady Diana Rauner
  • Iowa – First Lady Christine Branstad
  • Kansas – First Lady Mary Brownback
  • Kentucky – First Lady Glenna Bevin
  • Maine – First Lady Ann LePage
  • Maryland – First Lady Yumi Hogan
  • Massachusetts – First Lady Lauren Baker
  • Michigan – First Lady Sue Snyder
  • Minnesota – Governor Mark Dayton
  • Mississippi – First Lady Deborah Bryant
  • Missouri – First Lady Georganne Nixon       
  • Montana – First Lady Lisa Bullock
  • Nevada – First Lady Kathleen Sandoval
  • New Hampshire – First Gentleman Thomas Hassan
  • New Jersey – First Lady Mary Pat Christie   
  • New Mexico – First Gentleman Chuck Franco
  • New York – Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul
  • North Carolina – First Lady Ann McCrory
  • North Dakota – First Lady Betsy Dalrymple
  • Ohio – First Lady Karen Kasich
  • Oklahoma – First Gentleman Wade Christensen
  • Oregon – First Gentleman Dan Little
  • Pennsylvania – First Lady Frances Wolf
  • Rhode Island – First Gentleman Andy Moffit
  • South Dakota – First Lady Linda Daugaard
  • Tennessee – First Lady Crissy Haslam
  • Texas – First Lady Cecilia Abbott
  • U.S. Virgin Islands – Governor Kenneth Mapp
  • Utah – First Lady Jeanette Herbert
  • Virginia – First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe
  • Washington – First Lady Trudi Inslee
  • West Virginia – First Lady Joanne Tomblin
  • Wisconsin – First Lady Tonette Walker
  • Wyoming – First Lady Carol Mead

This is a guest post from Josephine Djonovic, Corporate Communications Coordinator