On Your Mark, Get Set…Read!

The Warren County-Vicksburg Public Library is facilitating a six-week independent children’s reading program this summer with the theme “On Your Mark, Get Set…Read! Reading is for Winners.”

“Our biggest thing is we just want them to enjoy reading without the stress of having to finish a book or do the points,” children’s librarian Marie Cunningham said.

The child sets their own goal of how many books they want to read during the program. For each book a child in second grade or older reads, they write a four to six sentence summary and receive a sticker.

“Every child gets a sticker for every book,” Cunningham said.

The program began Tuesday, May 31 and will run through Friday, July 8. The deadline to apply is Friday, June 17. Applications can be found at the library, 700 Veto St., or online at warren.lib.ms.us.

“We started something new this year with the online registration,” Cunningham said, adding parents seem to really like the accessibility.

The program was created to keep kids reading during the summer and aims to advance the child’s reading level before the school year starts.

“We encourage them to keep reading because that’s all going to pay off in the long run, but because they are not required to do AR books, a lot of this can be reading for fun,” Cunningham said.

Cunningham, who is a retired educator, said it is statistically proven that children who do not continually read will fall behind. She said the first two weeks of school are usually devoted to reviewing material to get students caught back up to where they left off before summer break. Parents have told her in previous years that the program has boosted their child’s reading level by the next school year.

About 170 children have signed up for the program that is open to ages 1 to 17. She said many daycares have signed up for the program, and the teachers and directors will read to their students.

“We have one daycare that’s got 30 kids signed up and they have a goal, and she encourages them on her end to meet that goal,” she said.

At the end of the six weeks, if the child reaches their goal they are give a certificate of achievement, a goodie bag and an invitation to a celebration at the library Thursday, July 14 with magician Dorian LaChance. His presentation will have audience participation with the theme “Reading is the sport of champions.”