Every year between May 1 and April 30 of the following year, Poplar Bluff students in grades seven through twelve are encouraged to participate in the Charlie Classics Reading Contest. The top two readers at each grade level will receive $300 cash and $150 cash respectively by meeting the following criteria:

Junior high students must read and have mentored a minimum of twenty books from the Charlie Classics junior high list, of which twelve must be designated as classics (*). Senior high students must read and have mentored a minimum of ten books from the Charlie Classics senior high list. The top two readers at each grade level are awarded their cash prizes and are recognized for their reading accomplishments at an awards reception held at the Bloodworth House each May.

The reading contest encourages progress toward the goal of reading one hundred classics by graduation by providing sizeable monetary prizes.