We need more reading programs
Every summer I was excited to begin my reading list. I had several books lined up in my head which would probably never be read because new books would take their places. This was my summer every year from kindergarten until last year, but this isn’t the same for everyone. Most students hope for the exact opposite of their summers. Summer is the opportunity to turn off the brain and forget nine month’s worth of material. It wasn’t until I moved to Chapel Hill, NC that I saw there could be a better way to inspire kids to read.
This summer I chose to spend my time in Chapel Hill, NC instead of returning to my hometown in the mountains of North Carolina. I spent most of my time working, but what free time I did have I spent at the Chapel Hill Public Library. The library had a reading program for all ages and I decided to sign up out of curiosity. My hometown had a few reading programs that I can remember, but nothing as engaging as this one.
The theme of the reading program was space and each time a new person joined the program they got to put a star on the main window. The view from outside was spectacular. The long window leading to the library door was cluttered with stars of every color, each one representing someone who decided to challenge themselves. I felt inspired myself. For every five hours spent reading you could return to the library for a prize. My favorite prize was the seedling that I planted on my balcony. Finally, after 20 hours of reading you could choose a new book to take home with you. It was my personal goal to get a free book and I read more in a week than I had in a month. This was a program that challenged me and produced results through a desirable reward.
Why do we wait until summer to implement programs like this one? Programs that encourage kids to read are few and far between where I'm from, and that only serves to hurt the children that will one day be in charge of our world. I think we can use technology to our advantage and create an app that gives kids access to literature while also rewarding hours spent reading.
I am a member of a reading service called Scribd that offers audiobooks and books for 8.99 dollars a month. This service is a great way to introduce literature into a busy schedule. You can listen to an audiobook while doing almost anything else and before you know it you're finishing a book a month. An application similar to this one could be the answer to a lack of reading in today's population.
I propose a free program for students at any level that can be downloaded on any device. The app would track how much the user reads and have different goals to be completed. Once a student reaches a certain goal they can choose a reward. Rewards could be a new book, postcards or a signed copy of a novel. A program like this would help go a little bit further in encouraging kids to read.
This summer I chose to spend my time in Chapel Hill, NC instead of returning to my hometown in the mountains of North Carolina. I spent most of my time working, but what free time I did have I spent at the Chapel Hill Public Library. The library had a reading program for all ages and I decided to sign up out of curiosity. My hometown had a few reading programs that I can remember, but nothing as engaging as this one.
The theme of the reading program was space and each time a new person joined the program they got to put a star on the main window. The view from outside was spectacular. The long window leading to the library door was cluttered with stars of every color, each one representing someone who decided to challenge themselves. I felt inspired myself. For every five hours spent reading you could return to the library for a prize. My favorite prize was the seedling that I planted on my balcony. Finally, after 20 hours of reading you could choose a new book to take home with you. It was my personal goal to get a free book and I read more in a week than I had in a month. This was a program that challenged me and produced results through a desirable reward.
Why do we wait until summer to implement programs like this one? Programs that encourage kids to read are few and far between where I'm from, and that only serves to hurt the children that will one day be in charge of our world. I think we can use technology to our advantage and create an app that gives kids access to literature while also rewarding hours spent reading.
I am a member of a reading service called Scribd that offers audiobooks and books for 8.99 dollars a month. This service is a great way to introduce literature into a busy schedule. You can listen to an audiobook while doing almost anything else and before you know it you're finishing a book a month. An application similar to this one could be the answer to a lack of reading in today's population.
I propose a free program for students at any level that can be downloaded on any device. The app would track how much the user reads and have different goals to be completed. Once a student reaches a certain goal they can choose a reward. Rewards could be a new book, postcards or a signed copy of a novel. A program like this would help go a little bit further in encouraging kids to read.
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