Summary: A summer reading program that involves the community and is fun has instilled a love of reading in this district's young students.

Who doesn't love a "summer read"—the thick paperback that gets tossed in the beach bag or stowed in your carry-on luggage?

The Gates County School Board in Gatesville, N.C., wanted all of its elementary school students to enjoy a "summer read"—both to minimize the learning loss that occurs over summer break and to instill in the district's children a lifetime love of books.

The goals took shape in the form of "Miss Sandra's Super Story Time," a summer reading project aimed at grades K-5 but housed in the district's high school and involving high school students as storytellers, group leaders, and "really cool" role models.

"Imagine yourself as a second-grade student who is invited to "the big kids" school," says Superintendent Robert F. Hahne. "Imagine being led by really cool high school students who do everything possible to make reading fun. All of this makes the program unique and special in the eyes of every child served."

The program (named for the district's summer program coordinator Sandra Ellenor) definitely met the school board's directive to Hahne to find strategies that would make summer reading rich, exciting, and fun. "The school board's number one goal is to have all students reading on grade level by grade two," Hahne said.

Board members, parents, grandparents, and school administrators, all pitched in with the eight-week program, staging special activities and arranging for guests to attend, such as a wildlife expert (complete with boa constrictor) and a comedian.

The program costs about $6,000 to operate and continues to grow in popularity. The school board "expected only the best and made it happen," Hahne said.

The school district received a 2004 Magna Award from NSBA's American School Board Journal (ASBJ) for the program. The awards are sponsored by Sodexho School Services

For more information, contact Superintendent Robert F. Hahne at (252) 357-1113 or by email at hahnerf@gatescountyschools.net. Visit the Gates County Schools web site at http://coserver.gates.k12.nc.us.