Homeschooled Morristown Sixth Grader Reads 552 Hours to Win Tristar Reads
Local Homeschool News: Tennessee
A homeschooled 12-year-old from Morristown, Tennessee, turned a summer of reading into a college scholarship. Sixth grader Wesley Martin was named the 2026 overall winner of the Tristar Reads competition at a ceremony at the Morristown Public Library (Tennessee Firefly).
Wesley read 33,134 minutes over the summer, more than 552 hours. The statewide program, run by the nonprofit Tennesseans for Student Success and sponsored by Atmos Energy, asks students in kindergarten through 12th grade to read at least 20 minutes a day during summer break. Each year it names four champions, and each earns a $1,000 college scholarship. Wesley also won the elementary division in 2023.
His family planned a “summer of reading for school,” mixing assigned books with books he picked for fun. “I tried to wake up early and read most of the day,” he said. Wesley also writes his own books and says good stories give him ideas. His favorite read of the summer was The Last Chance Detectives: Canyon Quest by Jim Ware.
It is a great example of how homeschool families can shape a schedule around a child’s love of learning. For more on homeschooling in the state, see our Tennessee Homeschool Laws page.
Sources:
- Firefly Staff, “East Tennessee 6th Grader Logs 552 Summer Reading Hours to Win Scholarship,” Tennessee Firefly, September 29, 2026