Gas South and Cobb EMC Empower Thousands Through 15th Annual Literacy Week

MARIETTA, Ga. (Sept. 29, 2025) - Created to encourage students’ love of reading and creative writing, Cobb EMC and Gas South are proud present Literacy Week 2025 from Monday, Oct. 27, through Friday, Oct. 31. The program will reach students through in-person events at approximately 50 schools in the Atlanta metro area. More than 15,000 students interacted with authors last year.

“Literacy supports STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics], and reading is crucial to a successful education,” said Mark Justice, Senior Manager of Education and Community Relations at Cobb EMC. “Literacy Week promotes lifelong reading habits and is designed to inspire thousands of local students in our five-county service area.”

Now in its 15th year, Literacy Week has impacted more than 230,000 students in schools throughout Cobb, Paulding, Cherokee, Bartow and Fulton counties. Gas South, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cobb EMC, joined the program in 2015 as a co-sponsor.

Literacy Week is held each year during the last full week of October and is scheduled to include 14 authors in 2025 that will share their books and illustrations with students. This year’s program includes Rosemary Wells of Max & Ruby fame, New York Times best-selling author Brian Lies and Book Award winner Jenny Cote.

“Cobb EMC is such a strong supporter of education in the communities we both serve,” said Carley Stephens, Director of Corporate Giving, Gas South. “We believe that communities can only be well when children and families thrive. Education plays a huge part, so it makes sense to combine resources and collaborate on Literacy Week to bring this initiative to as many students as possible.”

The program is offered to students from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Learn more at CobbEMC.com/schools.