Bonner Chiles Library Summer Reading Program 

Early literacy is critical for any child's development. The Bonner Chiles Library, in partnership with the Midtown Cultural and Educational Center and YouthWorks volunteer program, offers a four week summer reading program for local K-8 students. In its second year this summer, the program curriculum was developed by certified English teachers and designed to foster a love of reading by our earliest readers, serving an average of fifty children ages 5-7 each program day. 

Everybody Reads! 

Partnering with YouthWorks volunteers from across the country, the Summer Reading Program offered intensive 1:1 ratios with early readers, allowing each child to practice existing literacy skills and work on new reading techniques modeled by encouraging young mentors. 

Take home books to encourage family literacy

Each child participating in the program joined us for library time three times a week for four weeks. After completing each week, students could pick out a brand new book to take home! Adding books to the home encourages young children to read together with their caregivers, establishing a foundation for family literacy. Special thanks to Books-A-Million for their donation of children's literature to the Bonner Chiles Library.

Art and Books and Books and Art

Within the small groups established by the reading partners, the children were led in literacy-focused art, craft, and writing activities each program day. Linking themes and skills from the reading, these hands-on activities were designed to reinforce reading comprehension, creativity, vocabulary expansion, and phonological awareness.