For the fourth year in a row, the students at Elgin’s Highland Elementary School apparently stuck with the habit of reading more intently than their counterparts at Elgin School District U46’s 52 other schools. When the results of the Summer Reading Challenge sponsored by District U46 and its public library districts were announced during last weekend’s Elgin International Fest, Highland again had the highest percentage of students who had fulfilled the contest’s requirements.
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But a new school, Clinton Elementary of South Elgin, took home the trophy for the biggest increase in the number of students who finished.
Children of all ages, and even adults, were encouraged to read over the summer in a program that this year used the theme “Read to the Rhythm.”
Jennifer Bueche, the director of youth services at Gail Borden Public Library, said the Reading Challenge requirements were based on activities suggested by District U46’s Give Me Five Initiative and the Public Library Association’s Every Child Ready to Read project.
For children under age 2, for example, the Challenge asked parents to read to their child, draw with a crayon, dance together, sing together, say nursery rhymes, play pat-a-cake, etc. “All these activities are known to improve pre-literacy skills,” Bueche said.
For age 2 years through kindergarten, parents were asked to read to their children for a certain amount of time. Kids in grades 1-5 colored in musical notes for each 10 minutes or 20 minutes they read, depending on age. Kids in grades 6-8 were asked to read for 10 hours. High schoolers won a prize for every five compete books they read.
Prizes to individuals who performed the assignment varied by age group. They included passes to the Elgin city swimming pools and the Elgin Community Carnival, free books and comic books, and Target gift cards.
In the past, the schools with the largest percentage of participants and the biggest increase also have received a grand prize — a live performance by the Jesse White Tumblers.
And just this year, for every student from one of the South Elgin schools who finished the Challenge, the Gail Borden Public Library Foundation agreed to buy a book for use in Gail Borden’s new South Elgin branch, which is now under construction along McLean Boulevard south of Spring Street. It is expected to open next spring.
Highland led all schools with 220 children finishing the assignment, or about 42 percent of the school’s 517 students.
Asked how Highland does it every summer, Principal Steve Johnson said one key is that the school holds a “Highland Thursday” event at Gail Borden Public Library every Thursday during the summer beak. From 4 to 4:30 p.m. teachers, students and parents read to children in Spanish, and from 4:30 to 5 other teachers, students and parents read stories in English. Then teachers and librarians are available to help steer Highland children to books in their field of interest.
Johnson said the name of each Highland student who finished the program also will be posted on a billboard inside the school.
One new thing this year, Johnson said, was an effort to keep Highland children reading after they had finished the Reading Challenge requirements. Children were asked to submit their book-borrowing receipts from the library and some of those will be drawn for various prizes.
“I see families enjoy the benefits of lifelong learning together and that’s what it’s all about,” Johnson said.
Winning the trophy for most improved participation, Clinton Elementary of South Elgin nearly doubled the number of its participants to 117 this summer.
“The challenge and goal for all Clinton Elementary School students and staff members this summer was ‘READ, READ, READ!'” said Clinton Principal John Oliver. “It’s so important that children exercise their brains and continue reading during summer vacation. Clinton students and families responded to this wonderful opportunity provided by the Gail Borden Public Library Foundation.”
As a result of that foundation pledging to donate a book to the New Gail Borden Library branch for every participating student in the five South Elgin schools, participation in those schools — South Elgin High School, Kenyon Woods Middle School, Fox Meadow Elementary, Willard Elementary and Clinton — increased by 40 percent over last year, to 376.
Gail Borden spokeswoman Denise Raleigh said the foundation will purchase new books valued at $25,000 for the new Gail Borden branch.
“Their reading will help fill the shelves of our new South Elgin Branch,” said Gail Borden Executive Director Carole Medal.
In addition to Gail Borden, the Bartlett, Carol Stream and Poplar Creek public libraries all participate in the Summer Reading Challenge, because parts of District U46 extend into their districts. U46 spokeswoman Mary Fergus said 3,730 U46 students completed the program, an increase of nearly 200 over last summer.
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