STAIR Summer Reading
Posted by STAIR-Annapolis on June 16, 2021
Summer is the perfect time to relax and unwind with a good book, and STAIR-Annapolis has planned lots of different ways to help kids keep reading this summer!
The STAIR Summer Reading program was designed to support "brain gain," the idea that simple educational activities like reading and writing can make it easier for elementary school students to stay academically on track over the summer months and return to school in the fall ready to learn. We know STAIR-Annapolis students have made serious progress in their reading during the school year, so it's important that our summer programming gives kids plenty of opportunities to build on that awesome growth.
This year, we're bringing back three popular summer reading initiatives and adding an exciting new component to our programming!
All 120 students enrolled in the 2020-2021 STAIR At Home program will continue to receive packages of brand-new books for home libraries throughout the summer. Students are already enjoying June's direct mailing, and we have even more great books and activities headed out in July and August. These book mailings are the cornerstone of STAIR Summer Reading, made possible by the generous financial gifts of many donors. Our summer book selections include early chapter books, graphic novels, and nonfiction titles to help our rising third-graders continue their reading adventures all summer long!
Little Free Libraries are a wonderful community initiative meant to give readers of all ages easy access to books close to home. Each LFL is independently maintained by individuals, families, schools, or civic organizations and neighbors are invited to "take a book, leave a book" anytime. Once again this year, STAIR-Annapolis staff and volunteers will be restocking Little Free Libraries in the neighborhoods where STAIR students live. By ensuring these free library kiosks are always full of great books, we can help provide support to readers young and old.
Community partnerships are so important to the success of our organization and we're very fortunate to have built strong relationships with so many amazing groups doing awesome work for local kids. We're proud to support our friends at Reading Camp Maryland again this summer, providing these fun word search books and highlighters to add to their students' reading packages. Reading Camp Maryland's goal to help striving elementary readers improve their literacy skills over the summer is in perfect alignment with our mission, and we're thrilled to have the opportunity to give this small gift to further their efforts.
Finally, we're so excited to introduce our newest summer initiative: STAIR Book Fairs! Our great friends at the Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis and the City of Annapolis have enthusiastically allowed us to host three free book fairs for young readers at the Eastport, Robinwood, and Stanton community centers this summer. We have thousands of brand-new books packed and ready to give to kids of all ages to support their summer reading adventures. We're so grateful to HACA and the City of Annapolis for embracing our idea and for providing the space and logistic support we needed to launch STAIR Book Fairs. Dates are TBD so stay tuned for more details!
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