As of mid-October, TEPF’s Calgary Flames Reading…Give it a Shot! program has reached over a million students across Alberta. The program, which is free for educators to use, has inspired students to want to read and increase their literacy skills.

“I’m incredibly proud of the team for growing this program over the years. It has been a creative way to inspire students to read and has increased literacy rates since 1995,” said Barb Simic, TEPF’s president and CEO. “Literacy is a fundamental human right and an important building block for a successful life. The program has grown into something truly special, becoming a key part of literacy education in the province for nearly three decades.”

“The Flames Reading… Give it a Shot! program has been helping students read for almost 30 years,” says Candice Goudie, Executive Director of the Calgary Flames Foundation. “The number of families that have reached out over the years to express the positive impact the program had on their school life is significant. This is an important and meaningful milestone for us, and for the people that support the community work of the Calgary Flames and Calgary Flames Foundation.

The Calgary Flames Reading…Give it a Shot! program started in Calgary in 1995 with the support of the Calgary Flames Foundation. Since then, countless lives have been touched by a simple idea: using collectible cards to reward students for reading. The original cards featured the Calgary Flames. The late Ken King, one of the program’s biggest advocates, helped ensure it had the support needed to succeed. It wasn’t long before Calgary Flames Reading…Give it a Shot! became a beloved tradition in Calgary schools. Teachers were able to adapt how the cards were used to meet their students’ needs and reading levels, incenting a love of reading.

In 2018, the program expanded across Alberta, and feedback from teachers suggested the card collection needed to expand as well, to meet the interests of more students. The cards began to feature more than just hockey heroes—Canadian wildlife, species at risk, and dinosaurs became part of the collection. Suddenly, the program wasn’t just about reading; it was about sparking curiosity and connecting students to the world around them.

The program continued to evolve based on teacher feedback. In 2022, we knew we needed to reach more students, especially those who face challenges with English as their second language. We developed cross-curricular lesson plans that blended literacy with numeracy, social studies, and science, ensuring the program was accessible to every student, regardless of their background. This year, we’re continuing to evolve by adding cards featuring the Calgary Stampeders and Edmonton Elks to the collection.

As we celebrate reaching over a million students, it’s clear that the heart of Calgary Flames Reading…Give it a Shot! has always been about more than reading. It’s about giving students the tools they need to succeed, both in school and in life. From the first set of cards featuring the Calgary Flames to the upcoming collections, the program continues to evolve, ensuring it stays relevant and impactful for today’s students.

“This milestone is a testament to the dedication of the educators, partners, and communities who have supported the program over the years,” said Simic. “With over a million students reached, Calgary Flames Reading…Give it a Shot! is more than just a success story—it’s a movement. A movement to make learning fun, accessible, and meaningful for every student, no matter their circumstances. And as we look to the future, we’re excited to keep growing, evolving, and making a difference.”

Let’s celebrate this incredible milestone together. Share your own Calgary Flames Reading…Give it a Shot! stories, whether you’re an educator, student, or parent. Use #1MillionReaders, and help us inspire even more young readers across Alberta.If you’d like to join our program, sign up here. If you want to support our mission, consider making a donation here. Together, we’ll keep this journey going, one card, one book, and one student at a time.