The year-long citywide challenge to improve literacy rates among school-aged children known as “River City Readers” has surpassed its goal of 1.5 million minutes read, according to Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan.

Dozens of parents and their children visited Ed Austin Regional Park Saturday morning for the River City Readers Summer Kickoff event.

In Jacksonville, the goal of getting residents to read for a million minutes doesn’t stop when school does.

Students from a Jacksonville charter school took part in a special event at the Players Championship Friday aimed at promoting and encouraging literacy.

Mayor Donna Deegan kicked off the first “River City Readers” in Downtown Jacksonville on Saturday. It’s a part of a year-long citywide challenge to improve literacy rates among school-aged children.