Beth Lee, Richard Byrd Youth Services librarian with the 2016 Summer Reading Challenge Coupon Book and “Badger Knight” by Kathryn Erskine, a book Lee highly recommends. Photos by Alexandra Tecco/The Connection
Children of all ages and their parents visited Springfield’s Richard Byrd Library Saturday, June 25 to join the Fairfax County Public Library’s 2016 Summer Reading Challenge.
“The secret to a child’s successes in school next year is reading,” says Chris Peterson, a volunteer and former president of the Friends of Richard Byrd Library. “I don’t think there’s anything more important … ”
To encourage reading, children from birth through 12th grade can receive a prize from the library upon providing their completed reading log. The prize itself is a coupon booklet, redeemable for free and discounted items from local businesses, nonprofits and county agencies. Among the many prizes redeemable through the coupons are free ice cream cones, comics, miniature golf and admission to area water parks.
The library’s Reading Challenge is a program tailored so children of all ages and abilities can participate. The Challenge’s specific reading goal vary based on grade level, which determines the number of books required as well as the book suggestions the library makes. “For those with difficulty reading, it can be discussed with a librarian… we can talk about book choice and how to facilitate,” says Beth Lee, Richard Byrd Youth Services Librarian. Working with the librarians is a particularly useful resource for readers that are English Language Learners or other readers with special needs and circumstances, said Lee.
Richard Byrd Library will also be hosting summer programs: events, performances and classes which span a broad array of interests. “The programs help kids get inspired and then they can check out a book on that topic,” said Peterson, describing the link between the Summer Challenge and the library’s programs that encourage children’s exploration.
The performance schedule at Richard Byrd includes programs ranging from topics on science, puppet shows and steampunk jewelry crafting to West African drumming, song and dance. A particularly popular event is the Wildlife Ambassadors’ visit to Richard Byrd, “they bring live animals,” Lee said. Event registration opens two weeks prior to the event with popular events booking quickly.
A new program Richard Byrd is piloting this summer is Coder Dojo, a free class based on the Coder Dojo model that started in Ireland 5 years ago and has spread globally since then. Children from 7-17 have “different coding projects to pick from like making websites, apps, games and if they’re really new they can make sprites, a character, do different things,” says Peterson. The only other Coder Dojo program currently in the area is at Northern Virginia’s Community College.
The summer program and Challenge at Richard Byrd Library attracts a variety of members in the community. “There’s been a lot of people we’ve never seen before,” said Ivelisse Figeuroa, assistant branch manager at Richard Byrd, “but I’ve seen a lot of the usual people too.” Some were regulars of the library, but their children had never participated in the program before, or just learned about it. Other parents recalled being part of the Challenge themselves.
“My mother encouraged my siblings and I to participate, we earned medals back then, and so I wanted to pass this on to my children.”
--Tabitha Temple
Tabitha Temple recalled her experience with the Reading Challenge, “My mother encouraged my siblings and I to participate, we earned medals back then, and so I wanted to pass this on to my children.”
This summer’s Reading Challenge, as well as the Summer Program at Richard Byrd, are available through Sept. 3.