Britton Middle School Completed Reading Event

Students at the Lexington school finished a literacy project alongside the Breeders' Cup.

Updated on Sept. 25, 2026 in Secondary Education

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Mary E. Britton Middle School students in Lexington finished their One School One Book project with a community event highlighting local equine history. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Mary E. Britton Middle School in Lexington concluded its One School One Book project by hosting a special event in partnership with the Breeders' Cup. Students finished reading Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds during the program.

Why it matters

The project aimed to help students connect with literature and see their own lives reflected in stories. The partnership with the Breeders' Cup was designed to entertain and educate students about the local equine industry.

The school-wide initiative pursued 3 distinct goals through its festival-themed event. Participants engaged with literature while exploring equine careers and industry roles.

The players

Mary E. Britton Middle School

This is a public school located in Lexington, Kentucky, that serves middle school students.

Breeders' Cup

This organization operates an annual series of Grade 1 thoroughbred horse races.

Fayette County Public Schools

This public school district provides primary and secondary education for the Lexington area.

Jason Reynolds

He is an American author who writes novels and poetry for young adult and middle-grade audiences.

The details

Students and staff spent time reading Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds as part of the Fayette County Public Schools initiative. The final event included a visit from a horse named Hank and interactive sessions where students designed their own jockey silks.

Timeline

  1. September 25, 2026: Mary E. Britton Middle School held the concluding event.

Culture Shift

This event follows the established pattern of the Fayette County Public Schools One School One Book project. The program demonstrates a movement toward community-integrated literacy initiatives that bridge the gap between classroom reading and local vocational interests.

This program directly integrates professional industry exposure into the standard middle school curriculum for local students. Families can expect continued district-wide engagement efforts that combine literary analysis with practical career exploration.

The takeaway

Literacy projects can be significantly enhanced when schools partner with prominent local industries to provide real-world context for reading. Parents can support similar outcomes by discussing the themes of current school books to help students find personal connections to the text.

Further reading

Discover more about academic initiatives in the area by visiting the Secondary Education section.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Wkyt.

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