Created to encourage students’ love of reading and creative writing, Cobb EMC and Gas South are proud to continue Literacy Week this year. The program reached students through both in-person and online events at 49 schools in the Atlanta metro area. More than 25,000 students interacted with authors this year. 

“Reading is vital to a successful education, and literacy supports successful STEM [science, technology, engineering, and mathematics] education,” said Mark Justice, Director of Education and Community Relations at Cobb EMC. “Literacy Week is a program that inspires thousands of local students and promotes lifelong reading habits.” 

Now in its 11th year, Literacy Week has impacted more than 160,000 students in schools throughout Cobb, Paulding, Cherokee, Bartow, and Fulton counties. Gas South, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cobb EMC, joined the program in 2015 as a co-sponsor. New York Times Best Selling Authors Brian Lies, Carmen Agra Deedy, and Jennifer A. Nielsen all participated in the Literacy Week program. Lies has been a part of the program since its inception. 

“Cobb EMC is such a strong supporter of education in the communities we both serve,” said Carley Stephens, Manager of Community Affairs at Gas South. “We believe that communities can only be well when children and families thrive. Education plays a huge part, so it makes sense to combine resources and collaborate on Literacy Week to bring this initiative to as many students as possible.” 

Literacy Week is held each year during the last week of October and included 16 authors that shared their books and illustrations with students. The program is offered to students from kindergarten through 12th grade. To learn more about the community programs at Cobb EMC and Gas South, visit cobbemc.com/schools and gassouth.com/giving-back.