Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan and Miss Florida 2025 Paris Richardson teamed up earlier today at Dinsmore Elementary School to inspire young readers, promote literacy, and share the joy of books with Jacksonville students.

The visit highlighted Mayor Deegan’s River City Readers literacy initiative, which encourages reading and provides free access to books for children across Jacksonville. The Mayor’s Bookmobile was also on site, giving children the opportunity to take home free titles of their own.

Richardson, a Jacksonville native, Ribault High School graduate, and champion for health equity and literacy, delighted students by reading aloud and gifting them copies of her own children’s book, The Not-So-Secret Garden Project. She also shared her journey as Miss Florida 2025 and spoke about her upcoming competition in the Miss America pageant.

Mayor Deegan praised Richardson’s commitment to service and education, noting how important it is for children to see local role models championing reading and lifelong learning.

“Books open doors to opportunity, imagination, and confidence,” said Mayor Deegan. “Having Miss Florida join us today shows our students that their dreams, whether on a page or in real life, can really come true.”

Richardson echoed the message, telling students, “Literacy is the foundation for every success. Sharing my book with you is not just about reading, it’s about believing in yourselves and in the power of your own stories.”

Today’s event is part of the City of Jacksonville’s continued investment in literacy and education. River City Readers provides resources, programming, and partnerships to ensure every child has access to books and the tools they need to thrive. Since the mayor’s literacy initiative began nearly two years ago, Duval County’s third grade literacy rate has shown improvement, with 51% of students scoring at or above Level 3 on the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) in the 2024-25 academic year.