Staff reports | Charleston County Public Library (CCPL) and Charleston County School District (CCSD) this summer are working together to help students and children read more than ever. A new joint initiative is part of the library’s annual Summer Reading programs, which provide incentives for reading during the summer months.
The programs for children, teens and adults run between June 1 and July 31 and feature hundreds of free events and fun prizes provided by our generous community sponsors. This summer for the first time, the school district and public library system have partnered to implement the programs. As part of the collaboration, every student has been automatically registered for the program that corresponds to their age. Students who choose to participate can begin logging their reading on June 1. It is as simple as this: Read. Log. Win.
“The school district and CCPL are determined to keep children engaged in reading through the summer. It only made sense for us to team up on our efforts in fighting the summer slide, which can diminish students’ literacy levels during their time away from the classroom,” said CCPL Executive Director Nicolle Davies. “By registering every student, we hope to remove any barriers that may exist and make it easier for them to participate.”
Studies show that students who don’t read during the summer will be less prepared when school resumes.
“Our district is extremely grateful for the energy and planning CCPL is putting into the Summer Reading Program,” said Cindy Ambrose, CCSD’s Deputy Superintendent of Learning Services. “Reading comprehension, as well as the joy of reading, is critical to the overall success of our students. I believe this partnership will benefit our children, and our families, immensely.”
Children: Kids ages 11 and younger earn prizes for reading or listening to stories. Rewards are distributed to kids who complete five, 15 and 30 hours of reading, and prizes include the S.C. Reading Medal, a RiverDogs game pass, vouchers for local attractions, and more. Click here to download the children’s Summer Reading program, which lists all of the fun events throughout the summer.
Teens: Students entering grades 6 to 12 win cool prizes for reading whatever they like. Teens are rewarded for reaching a reading goal through weekly prize drawings and branch grand prize drawings. Prizes include free food, passes to local attractions and gift cards.
Adults: Participants ages 18 and older are eligible for bi-monthly gift card prizes and a grand prize drawing.
In other Good News:
Best high schools. Charleston County School of the Arts was named the best high school in South Carolina in the new 2018 rankings by U.S. News and World Report. The annual survey said it was the only school in the state to win its gold medal. The school, which has a 97 percent graduation rate, ranked 292 in national rankings of more than 6,000 schools. Other top South Carolina high schools from the area:
- #2: Palmetto Scholars Academy, North Charleston
- #7: Wando High School, Mount Pleasant
- #20: Charleston Charter School for Math and Science.
It’s unclear why Academic Magnet High School, traditionally the top ranked school in the state, wasn’t ranked this year in the U.S. News survey.
New art festival. The popular Mount Pleasant shopping district will transform into an art-lover’s paradise May 26 to May 27 during the Charleston – Mount Pleasant Art Festival. In addition to local artists, 100 artists from across the nation are set to display works encompassing fine jewelry, works of art, and hand-crafted apparel and decor. The festival also includes a full craft market with handmade organic soaps, live plants, tasty edibles, affordable and practical artisan-created works and more. The free, two day artistic affair, which runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days, will be at 1218 Belk Drive in Mount Pleasant. Offered by Howard Alan Events of Florida, it is online at artfestival.com.
Bill and Debi. WCSC Live 5 anchors Bill Sharpe and Debi Chard will become the first television anchors inducted into the Silver Circle as a team in the Southeast Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The ceremony is set for Sept. 7 in Atlanta. Both have been with the station more than 40 years. Congrats!
Big grant. The Charleston Animal Society received a $10,000 grant for veterinary medical equipment from the Banfield Foundation. According to a release, the grant will “modernize the surgery department’s surgical table lighting and improve life on ‘the beach’ for post-surgery dogs and cats, where pets are taken to recover after receiving a spay or neuter. Banfield Foundation’s grant will also enable the purchase of warming beds—replacing the heated rice socks and blankets volunteers currently use to warm pets coming out of anesthesia.”
- Have a comment? Send to: editor@charlestoncurrents.com
We Can Do Better, South Carolina!
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Use our feed
Send us your comments
