Congratulations to Paige Lessard, one of our 20 Outstanding Women of 2026!
Listen to Paige’s full interview with Blake and Kelly below:
At just 25, Paige Lessard has already made a remarkable impact across Maine. Her passion for literacy is deeply rooted in her family’s story. Her grandfather, the oldest of 11 children, left school after fifth grade to work in the woods with his father and never learned to read or write. Determined to break that cycle, Paige’s mother became the first in her family to graduate high school, later earning advanced degrees and building a career of teaching kindergarten students to read.
Inspired by both her grandfather’s struggles and her mother’s achievements, Paige founded “Turn the Paige” in 2016 to promote literacy. Now celebrating its tenth year, the initiative distributes books to children across the state, helping close the “million-word gap” faced by children who are not read to at home. Through book drives, classroom visits, assemblies, and online readings, Paige has helped place hundreds of books into young hands and built a network of ambassadors across multiple states, all dedicated to fostering a love of reading.
