Annual signature program of Detroit Red Wings Foundation continues to grow, providing reading materials and hockey awareness to more students each year
An important part of each Detroit Red Wings season is bringing hockey to the community through the forms of education and wellness; both vital pillars of the Detroit Red Wings Foundation.
One of the annual programs in which this is accomplished is through Red Wings for Reading. Throughout the 2024-25 season, more than 10,000 students were impacted, with 4,000 books donated, three million minutes read and 250 hours volunteered by Red Wings colleagues and personnel.
This incredible impact was made through the Reading Buddies, United Way “My Home Library” and Classroom Challenge programs.
Located in downtown Detroit, less than two miles from Little Caesars Arena, Detroit Public Schools Community District’s smallest school (123 students), Chrysler Elementary, saw volunteers inspire students through reading.
The Reading Buddies program had Red Wings colleagues visit Chrysler Elementary School each week during National Reading Month (March). During each visit, volunteers read a book to each grade level of students (K-5) in small classroom settings and then surprised students with a copy of the book to take home to build their at-home library.
Partnering with United Way, the “My Home Library” program provides five complimentary books to each student at elementary schools in southeast Michigan communities deemed as “book deserts.” The Detroit Red Wings Foundation provided funding to support New Paradigm Glazer Academy, Daly Elementary and Holbrook Elementary book fairs and and Red Wings colleagues visited each school. New Paradigm Glazer Academy and Madison Elementary both received a special visit from Red Wings forward Marco Kasper.,
“It’s awesome being here,” Kasper said. “Obviously it’s awesome for the kids, and just to see how happy they are to learn about the Red Wings and hockey in general. Giving back to the community is awesome, and I really like doing it.”
Kasper read “Dino-Hockey,” a book by Michigan-based author Lisa Wheeler. Kasper said reading a book like “Dino-Hockey,” which incorporates hockey terms in a fun and creative way, helps introduce kids to the sport.
“You can see that when you come here, these kids are so happy to see you,” Kasper said. “You’re doing this with the Red Wings logo on, and they know what that logo is. It’s just awesome to be here, get the kids to learn about the sport and get involved in reading.”
As Red Wings for Reading’s established statewide program, the Classroom Challenge encourages thousands of children to read in classrooms across Michigan during National Reading Month. To further enhance the popular program, the team increased accepted classrooms from 250 in 2024, to 400 in 2025. This added more than 3,500 student participants, from 6,500 in 2024, to more than 9,000 in 2025.
Participating teachers receive a Classroom Challenge kit before March that included student reading incentives and pizza parties for classrooms with the highest average minutes read.
Teachers interested in having their classroom join the Classroom Challenge can fill out this form.
For more information on the Red Wings for Reading program, visit DetroitRedWings.com/Reading.