Corky to appear at kickoff rally for Library’s "Prudential Foundation Summer Reading Challenge"
Press Release May 31, 2002

The Newark Public Library’s annual “Summer Reading Challenge” will kickoff at 10:00am on Thursday, June 27, with a fun-filled rally in Washington Park. Entertainment, refreshments and a free gift make the rally a favorite with children. In addition, Corky, the library’s Kids’ Place website mascot, will stop by to “meet and greet” the children. The theme for this year’s program is Corky’s Summer Splash . . . Ride the Reading Wave!

The Prudential Foundation again has provided the funding to sponsor this premier reading and literacy program for Newark’s school children in grades pre-K through 8. The “challenge” encourages children to include the adventure of reading in their summer activities. It rewards their efforts with popular fun events and a step system of prizes. During the last several summers, a total of 12,000 Newark children have participated in the program and have read more than 90,000 books. 

Children interested in signing up for the Prudential Foundation Summer Reading Challenge, which runs from June 24 to August 10, may do so in the Children’s Room of the main library or any of the branch libraries. Each child will receive a Ride the Reading Wave theme poster, bookmark, and reading log. All participants who read and report on at least five books will receive prizes and achievement certificates. Special prizes also will be awarded to the winners in each of the three divisions—pre-K through K, grades 1 through 3, and grades 4 through 8—who do the best job of coloring their Ride the Reading Wave posters. 

“In addition to the Prudential Foundation Summer Reading Challenge,” notes Michele Cappetta, youth services coordinator, “the library’s other Summer Fun programs include daily activities—such as movies, story hours, arts and crafts, games—in each of the library’s Children’s Rooms. Activities and times vary with each location.” 

For more information about the Prudential Foundation Summer Reading Challenge and all of the Summer Fun programs, visit the Kids’ Place site on the library’s home page (www.npl.org). Patrons may also call any of the Children’s Rooms for addition information:

Branch Brook	235 Clifton Ave.	733-6388
Clinton	739 Bergen St.	733-7754
First Avenue	282 First Ave.	733-8091
Madison	791 Clinton Ave.	733-8090
Main Library	5 Washington St.	733-7797
North End	722 Summer Ave.	733-7766
Roseville	99 Fifth St.	733-7770
Springfield	50 Hayes St.	733-7736
Vailsburg	Temporary site: 926 So. Orange Ave.	733-7749
Van Buren	140 Van Buren St.	733-3897
Weequahic	355 Osborne Terr.	733-7751

Following are the rules for the “challenge.”

1. The Summer Reading Challenge will run from June 24 to August, 10, 2002.
2. There are three (3) levels of participation: grades PreK-K; 1-3; 4-8. High school (Grades 9-12) participants are welcome.
3. Children need to check out the books they read and report on according to their grade and/or reading level. Parents, caregivers and preschool teachers may read to preschool children. The children should then report (oral or written) to the librarian.
4. Each child may report on a maximum of six (6) books (any combination of hard cover and/or paperback) per day.
5. Reports can either be oral or written with a maximum of three (3) oral. The number of oral reports may vary based on the availability of staff and time. Written reports may be accepted in the form of picture, poem, one page report, an art and craft, or artifact. 
6. Only titles reported on and accepted by the librarian or designated staff will be entered in the child’s reading log.
7. Every child who reads and reports on at least five (5) books will receive a Summer Reading Challenge certificate at the Awards Ceremony.
8. There will be a scale of reading levels and incentives.
9. A maximum of two hundred (200) books per child will be accepted.
10. When a child reads and reports on a book from the list of “bonus books” that book will count as two (2) titles in the child’s reading log.