“Reading is for a lifetime”
Library hosts summer reading program to encourage students to read while school is out.
Research has proven that students who don’t read throughout the summer can lose reading progress that they gained during the school year, according to Nyala Edwards.
In order to increase literacy, maintain progress made and improve students’ reading levels, the Calhoun-Gordon County Public Library is hosting a free summer reading program for all age groups. Library staff not only want to challenge students to read during summer months but also aim to demonstrate how reading outside the classroom is critical for education.
Edwards, who works as the library’s manager, said she hopes adults will sign up for the program as well as younger children and teenagers.
“Children and teens tend to read more when adults in their lives encourage them to read, and also when they see those adults reading often themselves,” Edwards said. “We ask that (adults) set the standard for the importance of reading and to be an example to our children and youth to enable them to recognize that reading is for a lifetime.”
The program encourages registered participants to log the hours they’ve read over the summer in order to enter into a grand prize drawing at the end of the summer. Children fifth grade or younger must read 12.25 hours to be entered into the drawing and teenagers and adults must read 24.5 hours by July 22.
Time spent reading must be written down on a reading log provided by the library, and “extra credit” book reviews may also be turned in for a chance to be published on the library’s social media pages and to be entered into an additional prize drawing.
To sign up for the reading program, visit the library, 100 N. Park Ave., or visit http:// ngrl.org and click on the summer reading tab. Reading logs are available at the library.
The library is also offering other free activities throughout the summer, including performances at the GEM Theater, summer feeding programs, free English as a Second Language classes and mobile labs from the Georgia Department of Labor.
The GEM will host special presentations, free for children 11 years old and younger, which will be every Monday at 11 a.m. at the theater. This Monday live animals will be at the GEM for “Animal Adventures with Robin Pressley-Keough.”
On weekdays the library hosts breakfasts from 9 to 10:30 a.m. and lunches from noon to 1: 30 p. m., with food provided by Calhoun City Schools as a part of their feeding
READING,
programs. Meals are available to any children 18 or younger.
ESOL classes are on Saturdays during the summer from 10 a. m. until noon, and the Department of Labor’s mobile lab will be available to help anyone creating resumes, searching for jobs or interviewing for various positions.
For the full calendar of summer events hosted by the Calhoun- Gordon County Public Library visit http://ngrl.org/events.