Jacksonville nonprofit launches youth literacy billboard campaign

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A local nonprofit is working to get more teens to read. Literacy Pros of Jacksonville, Inc., just launched a billboard campaign to promote its new effort called #YREAD.

The static and digital billboards feature students with some of their favorite books. The goal is to encourage teens in Duval County to read more.

In a news release, Literacy Pros said the billboards were paid for with $20,000 awarded to the nonprofit by the City of Jacksonville’s Special Committee on Social Justice and Community Investment.

According to Literacy Pros, the inaugural chair of their Youth Leadership Council and current freshman at FSU, Rodney Wells, played a major role in advocating for the city funding.

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Wells said, “This is about promoting and celebrating young people who prioritize reading, literacy, and learning; young people who look like me, who represent the next generation of Jacksonville’s leadership.”

Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry also provided a statement about the billboard campaign saying, “The Literacy Pros Jacksonville, Inc. #YREAD campaign is a great example of our nonprofit sector leading the efforts to promote youth literacy and give every citizen in every ZIP code the opportunity to succeed.”

Clear Channel Jacksonville Division installed a static #YREAD billboard off Interstate 95 South at the Golfair Boulevard exit.

The company also donated space for the #YREAD campaign on several digital billboards around the city.

Action News Jax Anchor Tenikka Hughes is a volunteer board member with Literacy Pros. According to the nonprofit, Literacy Pros was founded in 2003 and is a volunteer-driven organization dedicated to eradicating literacy in our community. If you would like to get involved or learn more about Literacy Pros of Jacksonville, Inc., click here.

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