Last year’s programs helped participants learn many things in a fun way.
By Laurelle Walsh
North Central Regional Library’s (NCRL) Summer Reading Program begins tomorrow (June 11) as soon as school lets out for the summer. Kids of any age may participate. Prizes are awarded for hours spent reading, or being read to, and raffles will be held throughout the summer and at the program’s end. Sign up at either the Twisp or Winthrop library branch.
“We want to encourage kids to come in to the library this summer to keep up their reading skills,” said Twisp librarian Dawn Woodruff. “Reading is so important to Sally [Portman — Winthrop librarian] and me that we’d like to reward kids for reading.”
“Kids can lose a huge amount of their reading ability if they don’t read over the summer,” Portman said. In fact, students — especially in the primary grades — can lose up to two months of reading achievement if they aren’t encouraged to read during the summer, according to NCRL.
Plus, “Kids learn so much about the world through reading,” Woodruff said.
Youngsters can read anything they would like, Portman said, including comics or magazines
Participants who maintain a reading record over the summer are encouraged to check in at the library every so often and show their record to the librarian. Prizes are awarded throughout the summer for hours logged. A Morning Glory balloon ride will be the prize for the first kid to log 100 hours.
Kids can also put raffle tickets into a jar for a chance to win a larger prize at the end-of-summer parties on Aug. 28.
Money for prizes at the Twisp branch comes from Twisp Library Friends fundraisers, such as the recent book sale. Prizes at the Winthrop branch are mostly donated by local merchants. Winthrop Kiwanis also donated money for summer reading prizes. Portman is still looking for new toy donations, “especially for boys,” she said.
Both branches also reward adult readers in two ways: Parents who bring their kids to the library over the summer can enter a raffle for prizes; in addition, adult readers who fill out a book recommendation card will be entered into a weekly drawing.
All summer long, both branches host weekly programs and activities. (See schedule below.) Since the theme of this summer’s reading program is “Every Hero has a Story,” several of the weekly events offer a chance to learn about heroes, such as meeting a working K9 police dog, touring a fire engine and creating your very own cartoon super hero.
The NCRL website also offers online summer reading programs for kids, teens and adults. Go to www.ncrl.org/summerreading for more information.
For more information about programs at the Twisp and Winthrop libraries, stop in or call the Twisp branch at 997-4681 or the Winthrop branch at 996-2685.
