As the school year comes to a close and students start their summer break, I am excited to once again host the annual New York State Assembly Summer Reading Challenge for children of the 120th Assembly District. The purpose of this challenge is to encourage students to continue the progress they have made throughout the school year and challenge themselves by reading over the summer. Last year’s summer reading challenge was a great success with 90 participants. My hope is to continue the trend this year with even more students. Those who commit to reading at least 15 minutes a day for 40 days will receive a New York State Assembly Excellence in Reading certificate. Children and their families are invited to participate by completing the following instructions:

• Mark the calendar in the mailing you received from my office (or available for download here) for each day your child reads for at least 15 minutes; this can be done independently or with a reading partner throughout the months of July and August.
• Children who wish to receive a physical copy of the mailing can have their parents contact my district office at 315-598-5185 or via email at barclayw@nyassembly.gov.
• Once they have checked off 40 days or more, fill out the enclosed form and send it back to my district office.

Reading during the summer months has many benefits, one of the most important being it keeps our minds sharp and strong. Exercising our minds allows us to think critically and creatively. Plus, reading is fun! It transports us to different worlds through a variety of genres. Reading helps us learn about the past and offers endless opportunities to discover something new every day.

This summer, let the reading adventures begin at your local public library. The New York State Library website can assist you in finding information about your local library including various programs and activities. For families in Oswego County, the Oswego Bookmobile will be making stops again this year to provide reading resources for young minds. The Oswego Bookmobile will travel across the county beginning July 1 and continue through August 16. A full schedule of times can be found on its website with planned stops to include:

• Leighton Elementary, Fort Ontario, East Park, Kingsford Park School, Hamilton Homes, Breitbeck Park, West Park, Fitzhugh Park School, Hill Top Trailer Park, Hillcrest Trailer Park, Scriba Town Park, SUNY Oswego Children’s Center, Little Lukes, and Oak Hill Park.

Many local libraries are also hosting reading challenges. The Assembly reading challenge can be combined with any of them. To learn more about local libraries and their challenges, visit https://www.ncls.org/find-your-library/ or https://catalog.flls.org/polaris/default.aspx.

Taking a few minutes each day to read is a great way to learn and explore topics of interest. Reading is not just about flipping pages; it is about unlocking new worlds and increasing your knowledge. This summer, I encourage kids to dive into new adventures and enjoy the journey.