Encouraging a Page-Turning Summer Break

As schools across Long Island dismiss for the summer, New York State Senator Monica R. Martinez reminds students, parents and guardians that intellectual enrichment doesn't need to end just because classes have.  To combat the "summer slide," during which students lose some of the achievement gains made during the previous school year, the New York State Senate is launching its 2024 Summer Reading Program.  The annual event encourages parents and guardians statewide to keep their children engaged in learning, fostering a love of reading that will boost literacy skills during the summer months and beyond.

To participate parents and guardians are asked to submit their children’s summer reading activities, which includes the names of three books read by their child this summer to Senator Martinez on the Summer Reading Program’s webpage through September 1, 2024.  Children entered will receive a Certificate of Achievement from Senator Martinez in recognition of their achievements. 

“Summer is a time for new adventures, which makes it a perfect time to explore fresh ideas and uncharted worlds that are so often found within the pages of a good book,” said Senator Martinez.  “Drawing from my experience as an educator, I've seen firsthand the transformative power of summer reading in preparing students for ongoing success, as well as the consequences of letting a child’s mind go idle for two months.  That is why I encourage families to participate in the New York State Senate's 2024 Summer Reading Program; it will keep your child engaged, intellectually stimulated, and ready to thrive when they return to school this fall.”

According to the New York State Library, summer reading programs like this one play a crucial role in advancing literacy and academic performance. By engaging children and teens in voluntary reading, these programs promote successful reading experiences and support literacy development in communities across New York State.

For more information on the New York State Senate's 2024 Summer Reading Program and to submit your child's reading list, please visit https://www.nysenate.gov/nyread.  Additional resources and insights into the benefits of summer reading are available from New York's Libraries: http://www.summerreadingnys.org and Scholastic’s Kids and Families Reading Report: www.scholastic.com.