Reading is the foundation of almost everything else a school teaches, and some teachers make it their mission. They run reading challenges, rebuild tired classroom libraries, set up book clubs, invite authors, and find exactly the right book for the student who hates reading. Librarians do the same across the whole school. The Reading Champion award celebrates the people who build a reading culture, and this certificate is designed around the thing they love most: an open book.
An Open Book Design
This US Letter landscape certificate (11 x 8.5 inches) opens with a book at the top centre, lying open with its cream pages gently curving upward and several layers of pages fanning out beneath, bound in a deep blue cover. Faint lines suggest text on each page, a red ribbon bookmark hangs from the centre, and three small gold stars float above the pages as if an idea had just escaped from the story.
Below the book, Certificate of Achievement in blue capitals introduces Reading Champion in bold Lora, with Literacy Leadership Award in italics beneath it. The recipient’s name is set in Great Vibes script above a gold rule, followed by a citation and signature lines for the Principal and the Librarian. A deep blue footer band with a thin gold line carries the motto Read · Imagine · Grow in gold and our logo in white.
Reading Challenge Ideas Worth Celebrating
The sample citation celebrates a school-wide reading challenge in which students read more than 4,000 books this year. If your recipient ran a different initiative, these are all worthy of the award:
| Initiative | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Reading passport | Students collect stamps for books from different genres. |
| Drop Everything and Read | A daily or weekly whole-school quiet reading time. |
| Book buddies | Older students read with younger ones each week. |
| Author visits | Bringing writers in to talk, read, and run workshops. |
| Classroom library makeover | Refreshing shelves with diverse, appealing books. |
| Parent reading evenings | Showing families how to read with children at home. |
Measuring a Reading Culture
Numbers help tell the story in a citation, but reading is about more than totals. Consider including one number (books read, library loans, club members) and one human detail, such as a reluctant reader who finished their first novel or a book club that now meets every week without being asked. Together they show both the scale and the heart of the teacher’s work.
Adapting the Open Book Certificate
- Type the recipient’s name and rewrite the citation.
- Change Literacy Leadership Award to Library Champion, Book Club Leader, or Reading Challenge Coordinator.
- Edit the signature lines; a Head of English or Literacy Coordinator might replace the Librarian.
- The open book is a single grouped illustration, including the bookmark and stars; select it to move or recolour the cover.
- Change the motto in the footer band, for example to Every Page Counts or your school’s reading slogan.
Celebrating on World Book Day
World Book Day, held in many countries in March, and World Book and Copyright Day on 23 April are ideal occasions to present this certificate. Schools often hold dress-up days, book swaps and reading marathons; presenting the Reading Champion award at a special assembly adds a moment of recognition for the adults who make reading possible year-round. You can also award it at the end of a reading challenge, alongside certificates for the students who took part.
Recognising Student Readers
The open book design works equally well for students. Retitle it Star Reader, Bookworm of the Year or Reading Challenge Champion, adjust the citation to the student’s achievement, and have it signed by the class teacher and librarian. Printing a set of student certificates with the same design as the teacher award creates a satisfying connection between the teacher who led the challenge and the readers who rose to it.
Printing the Book and Footer
The page is mostly white, with the blue footer band as the largest area of colour. Print US Letter landscape unscaled, or shrink to fit if your paper is A4. A cream or ivory card suits the literary theme, echoing the book’s pages, though white card looks crisp too. If you print many copies for a reading challenge, a laser printer keeps the footer band even.
Nominating a Reading Champion
Students are often the best judges of who has changed their reading lives. A simple nomination box in the library, with a slip asking Which adult helped you find a book you loved this year?, can surface champions who might otherwise be missed: a maths teacher who runs a lunchtime graphic novel club, a teaching assistant who reads with a small group every morning, or a parent volunteer who reorganised the picture-book section. Combine student nominations with the librarian’s view of who has driven reading initiatives, and the choice usually becomes clear.
Keeping Reading Visible
Encourage the winner to display the certificate in the library or classroom reading corner, where students can see it. It sends a message that reading is valued at the highest level of the school, and it gives students a reason to ask about the challenge and join in next year. Some schools create a Reading Champions wall where each year’s certificate is added, building a history of literacy leadership.
Reading Champion Award Questions
Can a school librarian receive this award?
Absolutely. Librarians are often the heart of a school’s reading culture; change the signatures accordingly.
Can parents who volunteer in the library receive it?
Yes. Change the subtitle to Library Volunteer and adapt the citation.
What size is the certificate?
US Letter landscape, 11 x 8.5 inches.
Turn the Page on Recognition
Every reading culture has a champion. Put their name beneath the open book, describe the stories they have brought to life, and thank them for helping a whole school read, imagine, and grow.
Then sit down and set next year’s reading target together. A champion who knows the whole school noticed this year’s effort will be ready to aim even higher.
