By Lynn Taylor Rick
Journal Staff Writer
At age 9, Seth Dahlke just finished the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. And we're not talking about the movies here.
The South Canyon fourth-grader plowed through the challenging books with only a little help from his parents.
His mother is not particularly surprised. "He can sit down and read a 'Goosebumps' book in one night," Renee Dahlke says.
Dahlke and her husband Craig made a point with all four of their children to make reading a pivotal part of their lives. "When we were very small, we started reading to them," she says. "We just knew it was a good thing to do."
Summers were no different.
The four Dahlke kids participated in most library summer reading programs and continued their twice-weekly library visits.
That's exactly what kids should do, Black Hawk Elementary principal Jackie Higlin says.
"If kids don't read over the summer, they regress," she says. "If they keep those reading levels high over the summer, they're much better prepared for the next grade level."
In an effort to encourage kids to read throughout the summer, the Rapid City Public Library offers a summer reading program each year. This year's program, Discover New Trails, honors the Lewis and Clark expedition.
Beginning May 24, youth are encouraged to read 15 minutes each day and then fill out their daily log, which can be picked up at the library or printed online at www.rapidcitylibrary.org. A parent or guardian must sign off on each day.
After 30 days of reading, the youngster can bring the log back to the library for a prize. After 60 and 90 days, they can claim other prizes.
The goal is clear cut, says youth services librarian Lorie Barnes. "We want to help children develop a lifelong love for reading."
The library has provided the program for eight years and gets from 800 to 1,000 participants each summer.
This year, the library will honor the national No Child Left Behind Summer Reading Achievers program as well.
The program, funded both federally and through the South Dakota Department of Education, encourages children to read 10 age-appropriate books over the summer. They will receive prizes and certificates for their effort.
South Dakota was one of only 11 sites chosen for the program. Barnes says the Rapid City Library will also offer prizes for children participating in that program. To find out more about the Achievers and to see book lists for all ages, log onto www.state.sd.us/deca/SRA/index.htm.
"You only get better at things you practice, whether you're an athlete or a writer," Barnes says of summer reading. "By the time they get back to school, they're kind of out of the groove."
The Rapid City Library's program doesn't require that youngsters read books. They can read magazines or cereal boxes, just as long as they're reading. "It just makes so much difference when you get back to school," Barnes said.
The library will kick off its program at 2 p.m. Friday, June 4, with a Lewis and Clark-type day. The event will feature some of the things the explorers would have seen and experienced on their journey, including a tipi, items from The Journey Museum and South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks Department, as well as a Newfoundland dog, the type of dog the explorers took on their trek.
Besides being fun, investing in a child's love of reading pays off in other ways, Dahlke said. Her children have developed a passion for reading that will last a lifetime. "They always run and get the paper in the morning," she says. "They're always looking for something to read."
She also encourages parents to take a little time to read to their children until they can read on their own. It's something the children never forget, but something parents benefit from as well. "I was just thinking about it the other day, just how much I miss reading to them," she says. |
