POCATELLO — For the ninth year in a row, Mayor Brian Blad of Pocatello has teamed up with Lookout Credit Union and the Marshall Public Library to promote education through the Mayor’s Million Minute Marathon program. This reading initiative challenges K-5 students from public, private and home schools in Pocatello, Chubbuck and Fort Hall to read a combined1 million minutes during the month of February.

Throughout the month of February, students recorded their reading time. The total minutes read was tallied at the beginning of March, and this year’s final count was an impressive 1,620,052 minutes, surpassing the million-minute mark for the seventh year in a row, with 2,600 students taking part in the success.

Kathryn Lopez Luker congratulated all participants, stating that the program helps children develop strong skills and a love of reading.

“1,620,052 is a lot of reading. The best part about it is all the fluency, learning and adventure that the participants in the Mayor’s Million Minute Marathon gained as they were reading. It’s a program that enhances life, any way you look at it.”

The winning schools’ principals and librarians will be visited by Mayor Brian Blad, Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25 and Lookout Credit Union, who provides each winning school with a giant, personalized check and awarded each participant with a bookmark.

School District 25 Superintendent Douglas Howell shared: “The Mayor’s Million Minute Marathon is a powerful example of how our community comes together to support the growth and development of young learners. Reading is the foundation of all learning, and this initiative not only fosters strong literacy skills but also inspires a lifelong love of reading. We are incredibly proud of our learners, families, and educators — and grateful to partners like Lookout Credit Union and the city of Pocatello — for helping us surpass the million-minute mark once again.”

The 2025 winners are listed as: Gate City Elementary School won Most Minutes Total, with 312,085 minutes read. Holy Spirit won Highest Average Per Reader and Highest Participation, as 100% of their students participated with an average of 1,398 minutes per student.

The program has seen impressive growth, with the first pilot year coming in at 487,590 minutes in 2016, to just over 1.6 million this year. BJ Fillingame, vice president of marketing for Lookout Credit Union, noted that the program’s upward success is a testament to the community’s support and commitment to education for our children. “This reading program has always held a special place in our hearts, not only because of its lasting impact on our local learners, but also for the way it brings our community together, fostering growth, curiosity and a love for learning. We consider ourselves extremely fortunate to be a part of Mayor Blad’s vision and success from the first year to today.”

Lookout Credit Union and the educational community look forward to continuing the Mayor’s Million Minute Marathon initiative in the future, building a love for reading and promoting inspiration and literacy among children in the area.

Lookout Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative established in 1952 by a group of individuals who wanted a campus credit union where Bengals could learn about finances and stop living paycheck to paycheck. Until 1969, the field of membership was limited to faculty and staff of the Uuiversity and their families. Today, membership has expanded to include Idaho State University students, alumni, faculty, staff and students at many Southeastern Idaho school districts, as well as their family members. Several businesses in Southeast Idaho have also chosen to affiliate with Lookout Credit Union and offer their employees the benefit of membership. Today, Lookout has six branches serving over 27,500 members. Specific details on eligibility and more information about the credit union are available at lookoutcu.com or by calling 208-235-7100.