FORT WORTH, Texas (June 26, 2019) – More than 3,000 students participating in the 2019 Summer Scholars Collaborative will receive more than 15,000 books from Read Fort Worth in conjunction with the Mayor’s Summer Reading Challenge through the Fort Worth Public Library.
Read Fort Worth delivered the first batch of more than 100 books Tuesday to students taking part in Read2Win, Inc.’s summer program at Westcliff Elementary and West Handley Elementary. Read2Win is one of 12 programs making up the Collaborative, which is working with kids at more than 60 sites across the city.
Read Fort Worth has encouraged the 12 programs to promote the Mayor’s Summer Reading Challenge as another avenue to curb “summer slide,” the loss of literacy levels over the summer. The Challenge encourages readers of all ages to earn rewards this summer by reading.
“Bringing together the resources of the Summer Scholars Collaborative and the Mayor’s Summer Reading Challenge is a natural fit that builds on the significant literacy work being done by the Collaborative program partners,” Read Fort Worth Executive Director Anel Mercado said. “Putting more books in the hands of students is a win-win as we tackle summer slide.”
The Read2Win students at Westcliff and West Handley received five books each. Read Forth Worth will continue to donate books to Collaborative programs throughout the summer.
“Having a library at home gives every child an advantage,” Read2Win Executive Director and CEO Sultan Cole said. “Reading at home prevents summer slide, but also consistently stimulates a child’s mind during the most critical and formidable years of their lives. I am convinced that the commitment towards eradicating illiteracy is not a moment, it’s a movement.”
About the Summer Scholars Collaborative
The Read Fort Worth Summer Scholars Collaborative is an opportunity for programs serving Fort Worth ISD students to align best practices and share data in an effort to ensure students gain or maintain literacy levels over the summer. It is a critical piece of the 100×25 initiative and collaborative work of Read Fort Worth and its partners.
About the Mayor’s Summer Reading Challenge
A program in the Fort Worth Public Library, in the Mayor’s Challenge readers of all ages can earn rewards this summer. Download a reading log with instructions today and start earning your way towards fun prizes. Be sure to check out the online Summer Calendar for something cool to do this week.