Record number complete library Summer Reading Program

By Editor | August 19, 2025 |

SUBMITTED BY THE MARYVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Breck, Ryleigh and Geordynn Bostwick completed this year’s Summer Reading Challenge at the Maryville Public Library.

MARYVILLE, Mo. — The Maryville Public Library’s eight-week Summer Reading Challenge set a new record for completion among participants in grades 1-12 with 162 kids reading for at least 20 minutes on at least 20 days.

That’s up from 139 in 2024. MPL Youth Services Coordinator Elizabeth Argo, who has organized the program since 2018, noted the importance of completion rates.

“We’re thrilled to see even more kids reaching the finish line this summer!” Argo said in a news release. “Our focus on grades 1-6 aims to help reduce summer learning loss, and 137 finishers came from that age group — surpassing our goal of 100 for the second year in a row.”

Incentives from community partners such as Maryville Pride Lions Club, Northwest Missouri State University and Sonic helped boost participation, but Argo was quick to credit the role of families.

“We’re so grateful to parents who brought their children to the library week after week for new books and prizes,” she said.

A total of 13,973 books were checked out by Maryville Public Library cardholders in June and July.

Overall registration totals ticked down slightly with 443 readers from birth through adult participating in the program: 258 youth in grades 1-12 and 104 adults.

Additionally, 81 children from birth to kindergarten signed up for the library’s year-round 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten initiative since mid-May, earning special summer-only prizes based on the number of books they read.

Children already enrolled in the program prior to mid-May also continued progressing toward their goals during the summer months.

Children completing this year’s reading challenge of reading for at least 20 minutes on at least 20 days this summer, as of Aug. 9, are:

Grades 1-6: Leo Ackley, Kinley Auffert, Henry Barber, Lucy Barber, Jackson Beatty, Allison Beatty, Julian Bix, Crosby Bix, Breck Bostwick, Alyssa Bowe, Regan Braymen, Emma Braymen, Brielle Budden, Bianca Budden, Jackson Campbell, Alexander Campbell, Andrew Campbell, Samuel Campbell, Kennedy Catterson, Clayton Catterton, Brock Catterton, JJ Cerrone, Hudsen Cline, Elliott Conn, Dash Conn, Charlotte Cronk, Brayden Cully, Gracelyn Davidson, Brentlyn Davis, Henry Dimmitt, Aurora Dodd, Izzy Dodd, Kinley Emery, Kash Emery, Addison Falke, Lennox Fisher, Kamryn Gockel, Jaxson Gockel, Nathan Gockel, Kathleen Goldizen, Layla Greeley, Leo Greeley, Rowyn Guthrie, Holden Guthrie, Zoey Jane Hager, Coralyn Hager, Hatcher Hamilton, Hinton Hamilton, Evelyn Hanes, Brynlee Hanna, Kreyton Hanna, Jax Heinen, Ashton Heinen, Maddie Henggeler, Max Herrera, Melanie Herrera, Whitaker Hill, Watson Hill, Seager Jackson, Avery Jenkins, Lincoln Jeter, Truman Jeter, Vincent Kern, Spencer Kern, Sydney Kern, August Kuhlemeyer, Carsyn Kurz, Kamryn Lager, Zabriella Lager, Xander Lager, Gavin Layman, Addie Long, Jasper Mayes, Hadlee Mayfield, Chael McDermott, Mary Claire Meyer, Dwayne Mitchell, Abigayle Mitchell, Julia Mitchell, Blaque Montenguise, Hanini Msellek, Liam Murphy, Thatcher Murphy, Chase Nielson, Hattie Nielson, Isaiah Nielson, Sylvia Offutt, Beau Pankau, Jameson Pankau, Rylee Pariseau, Jack Parman, Molly Pierson, CJ Pierson, Amberly Powell, Brevin Prosser, Camden Prosser, Kyla Pulley, Caroline Rampton, Cameron Rampton, Nevaeh Saighman, Zander Saighman, Everly Sander, Aubrey Sanders, McKenna Schieber, Oren Schimming, Alaina Schlapia, Keaton Schultz, Wesley Scofield, Hudson Scofield, Oliver Shepherd, Ellie Spire, Abigail Stickelman, Fayeley Stoll, Liam Strickland, Brynn Sturdivan, Graham Sturdivan, Carter Summers, Shuhei Tada, Wyatt Taylor, Rosie Tengelsen, Joshua Tengelsen, Maggie Tobin, Isaiah Tucker, Everett Tucker, Autumn Vogel, Jude Walker, Ezra Walker, Isaac Walker, Boaz Walker, Rose Wehmeyer, Pearl Wehmeyer, Meredith Weichinger, Vincent White, Jane Wistrom, Lilly Wixom, Grace Wixom, Charlotte Wray, Nellie Wray

Grades 7-12: Cylas Bolin, Geordynn Bostwick, Ryleigh Bostwick, Beckett Budden, Elley Cline, Charlie Dimmitt, Kody Gockel, Harper Hamilton, Gage Heinen, Izzy Henggeler, Phoebe Hornickel, Olivia Jackson, Haleigh Jackson, Wilson Kuhlemeyer, Paisley Logan, Katherine Long, Sophia Mitchell, Ahmed Msellek, Colton Prosser, Ashtyn Schlapia, Kyra Schultz, Aseneth Seipel, Torri Tobin, Marleigh Weichinger, Chelsee Wood.