Reading Scores Big in New Jersey: Wellpoint NJ Honors National Library Week with Read Across NJ Events

Though the New York Cosmos made a guest appearance as part of their 2026 partnership with Wellpoint New Jersey and a dizzying performance of trick shots and basketball handling skills by Harlem Globetrotter Latif “Jet” Rivers were all part of a series of assemblies across New Jersey Elementary Schools, children left their auditoriums most excited about one thing: reading.

National Library Week, which runs from April 19th - 25th, highlights the essential role of libraries in fostering positive relations with reading and education. Given approximately 17% of NJ residents lack basic literacy skills and only 42% of New Jersey third graders met or exceeded proficiency in English Language Arts (ELA), this literacy challenge is a health crisis. Wellppoint recognizes literacy as a critical tool for increased health and self-empowerment, and hosted these events with the goal of supporting community wellbeing in mind.

As part of their ongoing mission to tackle the literacy crisis in both New Jersey youth and adults, Wellpoint NJ hosted a variety of Read Across NJ initiatives across the month of April. Featuring guest readers, like Latif Rivers, visits from Minor League Baseball Teams the Paterson Jackals and the Sussex City Miners, in addition to the USL League One New York Cosmos, goodie bags and free books, the events hosted during National Library Week reached more than 700 students across the state.

Bringing stories to life through these read-aloud events, Wellpoint NJ’s Read Across NJ program provides the outlet for community and local partners to support initiatives with lasting impact and help strengthen their communities. The Read Across events are part of Wellpoint’s larger mission to provide a variety of programs and services for choosing and sustaining an empowered, healthy lifestyle.