WILKES-BARRE – For many students, summer can mean taking a break from books.
Staff members at the Wyoming Valley Catholic Youth Center don’t want that to be the case this year – and are working to build a lifelong love of reading with their youngsters.
This summer, a number of children participating in the CYC’s summer camp program are taking part in a special literacy initiative designed to keep young minds engaged.
“This past school year, we partnered with the McGlynn Center for a tutoring program for our children which is very needed. To piggyback on that, we’re doing a summer reading challenge,” CYC Executive Director Mark Soprano said. “They have 55 children there. We’re selecting 55 children here at the CYC and we will see which group of kids reads more.”
Through a partnership with United Way, the CYC has several thousand books available, and students are allowed to bring them home and even keep them if desired.
“We’re encouraging parents to read with their children in the evenings and on the weekend. We want them to make it a habit of reading,” Soprano added. “We know that when kids leave school in the springtime, especially reading, regresses a little bit. We don’t want that to happen with our children.”
For many campers, reading has become one of the highlights of the day.
“I like to read chapter books, and I like to read princess books,” Lola Williamson, who will enter second grade this fall. “When you read, you get to learn about things.”
Her favorite? Sleeping Beauty.
Williamson says keeping up with reading during the summer has its rewards when school begins again.
“I like to do it because I get good grades, sometimes 90s and 100s,” she added.
Fellow camper Gianna Ranieli, who is also entering second grade, enjoys discovering new stories through books.
“I practice in the summer with my dad. I read really hard words and try to pronounce them,” Ranieli said. “It’s very fun to read. I love reading.”
When the summer reading challenge ends at the end of July, the CYC is planning to hold a pizza party with prizes and awards for participants.
“We’re looking forward to a celebration and really rewarding the kids, whether they read one page or 100 books, for their accomplishments this summer,” Soprano said.