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Program Overview

The 10^th Annual Detroit Lions Tackle Reading Program Presented by AAA is a three-part literacy initiative designed to inspire a love of reading and celebrate March is Reading Month for 2^nd and 3^rd grader teachers and students in Michigan. Created in collaboration with the Detroit Lions Foundation, Tackle Reading, and Dr. Seuss Enterprises, this program provides a custom literacy curriculum and immersive student experiences for participating classrooms. 

Selected 2^nd and 3^rd grade teachers and their students will engage in:

• A custom Dr. Seuss and Tackle Reading literacy curriculum
• An online in-service with staff from the Detroit Lions Foundation, NFL Tackle Reading, and Dr. Seuss Enterprises for teachers participating on Tuesday, February 24 at (4:00pm – 5:00pm EST). Teachers will hear directly from Kathryn Starke of Tackle Reading and representatives from Dr. Seuss Enterprise as they introduce the custom "Tackle Reading – March is Reading Month" curriculum. This curriculum will guide all literacy activities students will engage in throughout the program.
• An interactive literacy kickoff event at Ford Field on Wednesday, March 4 (9:30am – 2:00pm EST)

Why Nominate a 2^nd or 3^rd grade classroom for the Tackle Reading Program?

1. The program increases student motivation and engagement with reading: By connecting literacy to the Detroit Lions, offering Dr. Seuss reading materials, and a field trip to Ford Field, the program makes reading fun and meaningful, encouraging students to read more and develop positive reading habits.
2. The program provides a high-quality, structured literacy curriculum: The custom Dr. Seuss and Tackle Reading curriculum supports key reading skills such as comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency while giving teachers ready-to-use, age-appropriate resources aligned to literacy standards.
3. The program creates immersive, real-world literacy experiences: Interactive activations and classroom-wide participation reinforce reading as a shared experience, helping students see literacy as something exciting, social, and valuable beyond the classroom.

Below is the application form that should be completed by a school superintendent, principal, administrator, staff member, student parent, or a community member.

Please complete the application below to nominate a school's entire 2^nd or 3^rd grade student body to participate in the NFL Tackle Reading program.

Only one application will be considered per grade level for each school. Please see the FAQ section at the bottom of this page for more information.

The last day to submit applications is Thursday, February 12, 2026 (10:00am EST)