PASADENA, Texas -- Students at Turner Elementary in the Pasadena Independent School District have read more than 5,000 books to raise money for the March of Dimes, KPRC Local 2, Your Education Station reported Wednesday.

The March of Dimes Reading Champions program has teamed up with 72 schools in Houston, targeting both educational and charitable goals.

Executive Director of Curriculum Karen Gibson conducted research with students grades 1 through 5. She learned that 82 percent of students surveyed said they would feel good about reading to earn money for a charity.

"The parents love it because the kids are not only learning to read better, they are learning the joy of volunteerism," Gibson said.

In the program, students are challenged to read an unlimited number of books for monetary pledges.

Reading Champions receive an award based on the number of books they read.

Sisters Hannah and Gracie Powell received top honors for reading 30 books in two weeks.

"It's good to help babies," fourth-grader Hannah Powell said.

"It's good to help babies so they could not be sick anymore," second-grader Gracie Powell said.

This is the perfect time of the year to focus on the needs of little ones. November represents Prematurity Awareness Month.

"Many things have to be done. One of the things of course is research. Fifty percent of the time we don't know what causes a preterm birth. You're using the money to donate to the March of Dimes that will indeed help with research that's so critical," Texas Children's Hospital Neonatologist Charleta Guillory said.

"I love this school very much, and I love babies. So, I'll help the babies by reading books," first-grader Chance McCoy-Alexander said.