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The Summer Reading Camp held at Coe College began in 2007. About a dozen third- and fourth-graders attend the week-long day sessions. Up to 15 volunteers have participated.
The camp is held from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. four days a week. Children gather with volunteers and everyone gets to know each other. They make their own name tags and hold a scavenger hunt across the Coe campus. Children read with their reading mentors and swim in the Coe pool or use the climbing wall. They have lunch in the Coe cafeteria and have classes with biology, physics or chemistry professors.
In 2008 children’s author Jackie Briggs Martin of Mt. Vernon visited. She is the author of Snowflake Bentley, which was the theme book for the week. Each child received the book and read it with their mentor. Jackie signed each book when she visited.
Volunteers for the Summer Reading Camp range in age from eighth grade, through high school and college, to adults. To volunteer, contact Leslee.
Leslee Sandberg, Summer Reading Camp coordinator, says, “Children grow in self-confidence and reading skills. They increase vocabulary. They experience science programs at a new level. Many have told us that they want to go to college! These are kids that probably would not normally be visiting college campuses.” |
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