Source: Arizona Daily Star Online
May 8, 2017
The United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona is offering 1,700 local students free books to take home with them for the summer to keep them sharp in preparation for the next school year.
My Summer Library is part of Read On Tucson, a reading campaign that emphasizes three keys to success: being ready for school, offsetting summer learning loss and having good attendance.
Each year they participate, from kindergarten to second grade, students can choose up to 12 free books to take home for a total of 36 books.
The books are paid for by local donations and grants. The Read On program, in place since 2011, has donated more than 36,000 books to Pima County students.
The goal is to see that students who read over the summer do not slide back in their reading skills.
There are 12 schools in the Flowing Wells, Tucson Unified, Sunnyside, Sahuarita and Ajo school districts offering students who can participate in the Read On book program.
Students have been in the process of selecting their books to take home for the summer since last week, according to the United Way.
“Not only does having a personal summer library keep students’ skills sharp, it facilitates their readiness for the next school year and keeps them engaged in school and the learning process,” Tony Penn, president and CEO of the United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona, said in a news release.