If you are like many teachers and parents at this time of year, you are celebrating the growth students have made as learners but wondering if that growth will be maintained over the summer months. Keeping young minds stimulated during summer vacation is so important to maintaining learning gains and one of the best ways for students to keep their minds active is through regular reading.
The Read to Ride Summer Reading Challenge provides any opportunity to motivate students to read this summer. The Maine Department of Education is collaborating with the Freemasons of Maine to sponsor this contest for students in grades PK-8. The Maine Freemasons have generously donated 48 bikes with helmets as prizes for the Read to Ride Summer Reading Challenge.
Any school serving students in grades PK-8 may register by June 16, 2017 to participate. Students who read (or are read to if they are not yet reading) at least 500 minutes during summer vacation will be eligible for their school level drawing. Participating schools will document which students have completed the challenge and hold a drawing to select two students (one boy and one girl) to enter into the state level drawing to be held on September 22, 2017. Schools are encouraged participate and to coordinate this opportunity with any other summer reading challenges/programs they offer. Details about the Read to Ride Summer Reading Challenge and about how to register your school can be found at: http://www.maine.gov/doe/literacy-for-me/summer-literacy.html.
Questions may be directed to Maine DOE’s Literacy Specialist Lee Anne Larsen at leeann.larsen@maine.gov.