Hawks Celebrate Heritage Academy’s Back-to-Back Race2Read Win with Pep Rally

ATLANTA — Earlier this morning, the Atlanta Hawks brought the energy off the court, hosting a pep rally to celebrate Heritage Academy Elementary School after it once again earned top honors in Atlanta Public Schools’ third annual Race2Read Challenge, held in recognition of National Reading Month.

And this wasn’t a one-time moment.

Heritage Academy made it back-to-back.

Out of 48 schools across the district, the school separated itself with a full commitment to the challenge — reaching 100% student participation and 100% teacher participation while logging more than 180,000 minutes of reading throughout March. That kind of buy-in doesn’t happen by accident. It speaks to a culture that’s been built and sustained.

“Back-to-back achievements like this speak volumes about the culture of learning and dedication at Heritage Academy,” said Alexis Roe, Vice President of Community Impact for the Hawks and State Farm Arena. “We’re proud to continue supporting initiatives like Race2Read that encourage students to build strong literacy skills, grow their confidence, and discover the joy of reading.”

The celebration reflected that same energy.

Students packed into a high-spirited rally that spotlighted top classrooms and individual readers, while also recognizing the school’s overall achievement. Heritage Academy was awarded a stipend to continue building out its media center — an investment that matches the work already being done inside the building.

And in true Hawks fashion, it wasn’t quiet.

Harry the Hawk, the ATL Dancers and the Flight Crew all made appearances, turning the event into more than just recognition — it felt like a moment.

“This recognition reflects the continued passion and commitment our scholars and staff bring to literacy every single day,” said Principal Trennis A. Harvey. “To be named the top school two years in a row is an incredible honor, and we’re proud to be part of a district that champions reading and student success at every level.”

Heritage wasn’t the only school recognized. Dobbs Elementary School and Virginia Highland Elementary School finished second and third, respectively, with both receiving donations to support improvements to their media centers.

Still, Heritage set the tone.

“Achieving over 180,000 minutes of reading with 100% participation proves that at Heritage, literacy isn’t just a lesson — it’s part of who we are,” said Jennifer Saunders, Director of Library Media Services for Atlanta Public Schools. “We are grateful to our teachers, families, and the Atlanta Hawks for celebrating this culture and showing our students that the more they read, the more they can achieve.”

The APS Race2Read Challenge continues to serve as a district-wide push to close the literacy gap, encouraging students to read consistently while celebrating progress along the way. Through initiatives like March Minutes Madness, schools compete to log reading minutes, working toward a shared goal of 10 million minutes of leisure reading by the end of the school year.

Moments like this show what that looks like in real time.

Not just numbers — but impact.