Library Summer Reading Program sets 10-year record
SUBMITTED BY THE MARYVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Hattie, Isaiah and Chase Nielson, children of Maryville residents Scott and Betsy Nielson, graduated from this year’s Summer Reading Program at the Maryville Public Library.
MARYVILLE, Mo. — The Maryville Public Library’s eight-week Summer Reading Program ended July 31 with the highest participation rate in 10 years.
According to a news release from the library, a total of 376 kids ages birth through 17 and 91 adults participated, with at least 139 kids in K-12th grade completing the library’s challenge of reading for at least 20 minutes per day for 20 days.
MPL Youth Services Coordinator Elizabeth Argo has been the organizer of the children’s Summer Reading Program since 2018, when the library began closely tracking how many kids in grades 1-6 were reading enough to avoid a loss in reading skills between the spring and fall. This year marks the first that more than 100 kids in that specific age group followed all the way through in meeting that goal within the eight-week program.
In addition to the help from incentives provided by the Maryville Pride Lions Club, Argo sees a trend within the last two years of growth.
“I was wowed by the dedication of parents bringing their children in week after week to get more books and pick up prizes,” Argo said in the release. “I think now that we are four years post-pandemic, parents are getting back into the rhythm of going to the library more often and getting or keeping their children ready for school in the fall.”
For every 10 days of reading 20 minutes or more, kids earned prizes, including books to keep for their own. The Maryville Pride Lions Club has provided summer reading prizes every year since 2010.
Library Director Stephanie Patterson notes that summer is the best time of year for public libraries.
“We invest in early literacy programming year-round, but summer is when we also get to see more kids from grade school and middle schools enjoying the library collection,” she said in a statement. “This year is special because we saw over 100 kids in the early stages of independent reading follow through and complete the challenge.”
Children completing this year’s reading challenge as of Aug. 3 are:
Grades 1-6: Kinley Auffert, Henry Barber, Lucy Barber, Jackson Beatty, Allison Beatty, Julian Bix, Cylas Bolin, Breck Bostwick, Rileigh Bostwick, Alyssa Bowe, Lana Brand, Victoria Brand, Brielle Budden, Bianca Budden, Jaxson Burns, Jackson Campbell, Alexander Campbell, John Cerrone, Ruben Christian, Hudsen Cline, Audrey Colwell, Dash Conn, Elliot Conn, Cora Davidson, Brentlyn Davis, Damien and Yesenia Delapaz, Adalyn Ditamore, Jaxon Dunkin, Lennox Fisher, Hannah Frueh, Hadley Glidden, Kamryn Gockel, Jaxson Gockel, Nathan Gockel, Olivia Goff, Layla Greeley, Samuel Green, Josiah Green, Rowan Guthrie, Holden Guthrie, Hatcher Hamilton, Evelyn Hanes, Kreyton Hanna, Brynlee Hanna, Gage Heinen, Ashton Heinen, Maddie Henggeler, Melanie Herrera, Max Herrera, Lincoln Jeter, Truman Jeter, Sydney Kern, Vincent Kern, August Kuhlemeyer, Carsyn Kurz, Kamryn Lager, Gavin Layman, Adalyn Marsh, Avery Marsh, Jasper Mayes, Hadlee Mayfield, Chael McDermott, Addysin McGary, Anika McNiel-White, Avery Mitchell, Eli Mitchell, Oliver Mitchell, Tim Miyazaki, Thatcher Murphy, Liam Murphy, Ainslee Myers, Beckett Myers, Heidi Nielson, Hattie Nielson, Chase Nielson, Isaiah Nielson, Henry O’Gwin, Lucy O’Gwin, Sylvia Offutt, Lane Owens, Thena Parry, Leola Parry, Hunter Pearson, CJ Pierson, Kyla Pulley, Cameron Rampton, Emalyn Rodgers, Lorraina Rovella, Skyla Rovella, Aubrey Sanders, Alaina Schlapia, Ashtyn Schlapia, Keaton Schultz, Hudson Scofield, Wesley Scofield, Jaylee Search, Oliver Shepherd, Layton Stoll, Ellie Spire, Audrey Storm, Brynn Sturdivan, Graham Sturdivan, Luna Tadlock, Rosalie Tengelsen, Joshua Tengelsen, Torri Tobin, Maggie Tobin, Ezra Walker, Isaac Walker, Jude Walker, Eva Ward, Achima Washington, Iyana Washington, Pearl Wehmeyer, Marleigh Weichinger, Meredith Weichinger, Vincent White and Gordon Wiederholt.
Grades 7-12: Brynn Beattie, Geordynn Bostwick, Abigail Bowe, Addison Bowe, Ashton Brand, Mayryssa Breeding, Beckett Budden, Elley Cline, Alyssa Frueh, Kody Gockel, Harper Hamilton, Alaina Henggeler, Izzy Henggeler, Wilson Kuhlemeyer, Autumn Pearson, Pippa O’Gwin, Kyra Schultz and Nasya Washington.
Fifty-eight adults also completed a challenge of reading four adult books during the summer or reading 20 minutes a day to a child for 20 days over the summer. A total of 87 children birth through preschool earned prizes for every 10 books read to them by a parent or grandparent.
A total of 13,925 library books were borrowed during June and July.
