Summer Reading Challenge is Back

The Summer Reading Challenge is back for a second summer! I have more terrific books with selections dedicated to athletes, international students and rising seniors. I am really excited to share these books with Upper School students!

The program will follow the same format as last year. Students will read four books of their choice from my list, and we will discuss each book for 45 minutes to an hour. I will be glad to meet with students at an off-campus location of their choice (usually Starbucks, Panera Bread Co. or Barnes & Noble) or by Skype or phone for those who live out of town.

Why do I offer the Summer Reading Challenge? It is well documented that children who don’t read regularly are weaker readers/students than those who do. The good news is, it is never too late to become a better reader, and summer is a prime time to do it. Summer reading is meant to be enjoyable! In the Summer Reading Challenge, students select books they are interested in, and if they don’t like a book, they trade it in for another one. It is my heartfelt wish that participants will discover that reading is actually relaxing and enjoyable. Additionally, reading during the summer will help them in school and on their SAT scores. Studies show that students who read books on a regular basis usually score significantly higher on the SAT verbal than students who don’t read other than school work.

In the coming weeks, I will visit the English classes of all rising 9th through rising 12th grades to further explain the Summer Reading Challenge, and books will be available for browsing in the Upper School’s Glenn Learning Center. I will be happy to discuss book choices/recommendations for each student when they visit or contact me.

The Summer Reading Challenge begins as soon as the school year ends in May. Last year, I met with my first student three days into summer break! The end date is the week before school begins in August. To sign up, simply click here. The cost is $100, the same as last year.

Additional benefits of this program include 1) an excellent extracurricular activity for a college resume; 2) a personal college recommendation written by me for any student who completes the program; and 3) a bonus invitation to discuss the required summer book in addition to the other four books.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me any time.