GO! St. Louis' youth initiative, the Read, Right & Run Marathon, has eclipsed participant numbers from previous years by registering over 3,000 children from 92 schools in both the city and county. The six-month program begins in October of every school year and challenges students to read 26 books, perform 26 good deeds and run 26.2 miles. Children and their families gather in St. Louis' famed Forest Park every April to watch the little marathoners finish up their mileage.

Since its inception in 2001, the Read, Right & Run Marathon has grown remarkably. In 2008 alone, a total of 24 new schools and youth organizations will be participating for the very first time. When children gather to run their final miles on Saturday, April 5, they will have read 78,000 books, performed 78,000 good deeds and run 78,600 miles. In only six years, the Read, Right & Run Marathon has impacted close to 10,000 children. Although the registration deadline for the 2008 Read, Right & Run Marathon has passed, GO! St. Louis is always adding schools and parents to its mailing list. For more information on the program, contact Courtney Irwin at: cirwin@gostlouis.org

Also visit wwwGoStLouis.org