June 7, 2009
June Is Kick-Off Summer Reading Month
From the First Lady’s Desk
A Monthly Message by First Lady Gayle C. Manchin
Charleston, WV (HNN) -- Just as the last school bell rings, children are busy thinking of how
they can fill their time during the summer, I have a great idea for
both children and parents: Summer reading!
As a reading and language arts educator, I have always been a passionate advocate for the importance of reading at all times and for all ages. However, with our children away from the structured framework of a classroom, we may not realize how detrimental it can be for children to be removed from reading for eight to 10 weeks during summer break.
Therefore, at a national level, 31 governors’ spouses so far have signed on as “Reading Ambassadors,” in hopes of encouraging students to read four or more books this summer. This program, the Scholastic Summer Challenge, is a full-fledged literacy campaign to raise the awareness and importance of reading to not only children but also families, teachers and librarians across the country.
As one of the spouses promoting this endeavor, Scholastic will donate 500 books to fourth and fifth grade students in West Virginia to take home and read this summer.
Obviously, with the devastating flooding in southern West Virginia, I thought of our children in Mingo County. Therefore, in June, I will be delivering Scholastic books to the fourth and fifth graders of Gilbert, Burch and Matewan Elementary Schools.
This is extremely important, because kids, who do not have the opportunity to read age-appropriate books in the summer, will usually experience the “summer slide” where their skills diminish and their test scores can suffer in the coming year. Unfortunately, many children after the age of eight do not read books for fun as they did when younger. I believe the reason for this is that they have a much harder time finding books they like or that interest them. I often tell students in schools I visit that if they do not enjoy reading-then they have not found the right book!
I love having the opportunity to visit schools and personally encourage children to read this summer, which I hope will foster a love for reading that will extend through their lifetime.
I challenge every citizen in West Virginia to pick up that book lying on the bedside table just collecting dust, take out the book in the bottom of the book bag, rescue the book from the drea ded bookshelf, or better yet, visit the local library and pick from the wonderful selection available, and READ, READ, READ! It is a great summer experience and adventure!
* * *
Editor's Note: Huntington News Network Editor and Book Critic David M. Kinchen has a suggestion for summer reading: "The Night I Freed John Brown" by WV native and Brookyn NY resident John Michael Cummings. The accompanying photo shows Cummings with students in Brooklyn. Kinchen, an English major in college, believes that the book is ideal for young readers as well as adults. It's set in one of the most historic towns in the Mountain State, Harpers Ferry. The link below tells of Cummings' visit to a Brooklyn school and has an internal link to Kinchen's review of the book. link: http://www.huntingtonnews.net/state/090407-kinchen-statebooktour.html
Share This Story:
Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
June Is Kick-Off Summer Reading Month
From the First Lady’s Desk
A Monthly Message by First Lady Gayle C. Manchin
Charleston, WV (HNN) -- Just as the last school bell rings, children are busy thinking of how
they can fill their time during the summer, I have a great idea for
both children and parents: Summer reading!
As a reading and language arts educator, I have always been a passionate advocate for the importance of reading at all times and for all ages. However, with our children away from the structured framework of a classroom, we may not realize how detrimental it can be for children to be removed from reading for eight to 10 weeks during summer break.
Therefore, at a national level, 31 governors’ spouses so far have signed on as “Reading Ambassadors,” in hopes of encouraging students to read four or more books this summer. This program, the Scholastic Summer Challenge, is a full-fledged literacy campaign to raise the awareness and importance of reading to not only children but also families, teachers and librarians across the country.
As one of the spouses promoting this endeavor, Scholastic will donate 500 books to fourth and fifth grade students in West Virginia to take home and read this summer.
Obviously, with the devastating flooding in southern West Virginia, I thought of our children in Mingo County. Therefore, in June, I will be delivering Scholastic books to the fourth and fifth graders of Gilbert, Burch and Matewan Elementary Schools.
This is extremely important, because kids, who do not have the opportunity to read age-appropriate books in the summer, will usually experience the “summer slide” where their skills diminish and their test scores can suffer in the coming year. Unfortunately, many children after the age of eight do not read books for fun as they did when younger. I believe the reason for this is that they have a much harder time finding books they like or that interest them. I often tell students in schools I visit that if they do not enjoy reading-then they have not found the right book!
I love having the opportunity to visit schools and personally encourage children to read this summer, which I hope will foster a love for reading that will extend through their lifetime.
I challenge every citizen in West Virginia to pick up that book lying on the bedside table just collecting dust, take out the book in the bottom of the book bag, rescue the book from the drea ded bookshelf, or better yet, visit the local library and pick from the wonderful selection available, and READ, READ, READ! It is a great summer experience and adventure!
* * *
Editor's Note: Huntington News Network Editor and Book Critic David M. Kinchen has a suggestion for summer reading: "The Night I Freed John Brown" by WV native and Brookyn NY resident John Michael Cummings. The accompanying photo shows Cummings with students in Brooklyn. Kinchen, an English major in college, believes that the book is ideal for young readers as well as adults. It's set in one of the most historic towns in the Mountain State, Harpers Ferry. The link below tells of Cummings' visit to a Brooklyn school and has an internal link to Kinchen's review of the book. link: http://www.huntingtonnews.net/state/090407-kinchen-statebooktour.html
Share This Story:
Make HNN Your Homepage (IE Users Only)
