Second Round of $1 Million Literacy Challenge Aims to Boost Reading Skills for St. Louis Students

To improve early literacy and close racial achievement gaps, The Opportunity Trust and St. Louis-based global technology firm Emerson have launched the second cohort of the Emerson Early Literacy Challenge — a $1 million initiative aimed at helping more children read proficiently by third grade.

The renewed effort builds on the momentum of last year’s launch, continuing to answer the urgent call from the St. Louis NAACP to tackle the city’s literacy crisis — a crisis that disproportionately affects students of color and those in under-resourced schools.

“At Emerson, we believe strong early childhood literacy lays the foundation for a thriving workforce and community,” said Akberet Boykin Farr, Vice President of HR, Corporate Functions at Emerson. “We’re proud to continue our investment o