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Friday, February 03, 2012

You can help to prevent summer learning loss by helping kids to read during the summer months. To ensure that our nation's youth don't fall behind the learning curve, you can:

Read to kids
Organize a book drive
Organize a back to school supply drive

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Did you know?

Reading 5 books over the summer prevents learning loss
Young people can lose 2-3 months of progress in reading achievement over the summer

Kids engaged in summer reading activities are better prepared for the new academic year, show improvement in spelling, writing style, vocabulary and grammatical development. The number on books read during summer is consistently related to academic gains - 33% of kids who read during summer recess are more likely to read at grade level compared to 185 of non-active readers. Reading also offers opportunities to discover books that are not associated with classroom lessons; allowing kids to expand their horizons and discover new story genres.

Get involved. To get started, check out the toolkits. Join thousands of people across the country in building strong minds by expanding kid's horizons, imaginations and minds and preparing them for the next grade level through summer reading.

The Antidote to Summer Learning Loss? Reading and Outdoor Play

Strong Minds

Much ado has been made lately about summer learning loss—and many assume that the antidote is more school. Whether that takes the form of summer school, year-round school, or computer camp, we have come to believe that more indoor desk time is what our kids need to avoid the “summer slide.”

Posted on 8/17/2011

Ready, Set, Go: NFL Player Chris Draft Challenges Kids to Get Active in Reading and Exercise

Strong Minds

Do you remember when you fell in love with reading? Many of us can recall that defining moment when we realized that reading is fun. For veteran NFL player Chris Draft, it was the day his mother took him and his brother to get their library cards. He recalled how special he felt at that moment, later emphatically proclaiming to his friends saying, “Man, look I got my library card!”

Posted on 7/25/2011

Click here to read more Strong Minds stories.

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