News from Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb
Assembly Office:
933 Legislative Office Building • Albany, NY 12248 • (518) 455-3751
District Offices:
607 West Washington Street • Suite 2 • Geneva, NY 14456 • (315) 781-2030
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For Release: IMMEDIATELY, June 27, 2014
Contact: Emily Palumbos, (315) 781-2030
My Summer Reading Challenge, Preparing Kids For A Path To Success
Legislative column from Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,C,I-Canandaigua)

Summer has finally arrived and for local children that means one thing - vacation! Kids have just begun to enjoy a well-deserved break, but learning and growing never takes a day off. A great way to keep the summer recess interesting and exciting is to visit the local library, pick out a book and open up a world of information and imagination. The library has books about almost anything you can imagine, and provides the perfect way to discover new things or expand our knowledge on topics we enjoy.

THE SUMMER READING CHALLENGE IS FUN AND EASY TO START

I am happy to partner with the New York State Library and area school districts to host this year's Summer Reading Challenge, which encourages our young people to read, learn and grow. This year the Summer Reading Challenge celebrates books about science and features the "Fizz, Boom, Read!" theme for youngsters, and the "Spark a Reaction" theme for those a little older.

Participating in the program is easy. To join the Summer Reading Challenge, kids simply need to pledge to read for at least 15 minutes each day on at least 40 days during the months of July and August. You can print out the Summer Reading Challenge form for your children and check off each day they read alone, or even with a friend. If they complete the challenge, have your child send their calendar to my office and they will earn a "New York State Assembly Excellence in Reading Certificate" to display. Print out a copy of the Summer Reading Challenge form here http://ppl.ug/gmi0TBzy8Zc/ and they can get started.

LIBRARIES HELP KIDS NOW, AND PREPARE THEM FOR SUCCESS

Taking advantage of the programs and services local libraries have to offer is the perfect complement to the education kids receive during the school year. Information on summer programs at Wood Library can be found on the web at http://woodlibrary.org/children/ and summer programs at the Geneva Public Library can be found here: https://ny.evanced.info/geneva/sr/homepage.asp. Also, visit www.summerreadingnys.org for more information.

The wide world of books available in local public libraries give our children access to resources that can help them now and also prepare them for a successful future. I hope parents will encourage their children to take part in my Summer Reading Challenge. Your kids may learn and become interested in new topics that they may never have thought to explore- that's the beauty of reading.

What do you think? I want to hear from you. Send me your feedback, suggestions and ideas regarding this or any other issue facing New York State. You can always contact my district office at (315) 781-2030 or email me at kolbb@assembly.state.ny.us.