Swimming into a Successful Summer Learning

June through August, all are invited to take on our annual reading and learning challenges, with a focus on kids and preventing a decline in academic skills during summer break. This summer, participants were encouraged to wade into wonder as branches were decked out with creatures of the Puget Sound, including a jellyfish, crab, starfish, and heron.

Even before June 1, Youth Services Librarians had been working since December with school partners to equip Kitsap County kids for Summer Learning 2024, ensuring they could read deeply and explore widely. 

Manchester Youth Services Librarian Nell R. shares, “I usually kick off scheduling in January for school assemblies, but I will happily schedule earlier if a school wants to. Typically, I have a presentation featuring Summer Learning graphics, pictures, and reward examples, such as the prize books and journals, the 50-hour crab bag, and the 100-hour T-shirt to wave around. I love that everyone is excited to hear what’s happening this summer and the prizes, especially the Nintendo Switch Lite. This year, there was extra excitement over the super cute jellyfish 100-Hour Reader T-shirt!  

It’s a great connection to the kids who recognize us from the library! I hear, “I know you!” or “I’ve seen you at the library before. Do you remember me?” For students who aren’t sure what they’re doing this summer, this school visit provides information about opportunities in their neighborhood—free and accessible for all. For teachers and school librarians, it’s an opportunity for us to say, “We’re supporting you and all the hard work you’ve done over the school year by helping prevent the summer slide through a rewarding learning program.” 

Silverdale Youth Services Librarian Aleah J. experiences something similar. “We start planning programs in January and February. I coordinate with teacher librarians to schedule each grade level to meet in the school library or gym. We then provide six to seven presentations to class groups using a PowerPoint and props to aid in explanations of the reading and learning challenges. This year, we connected with almost 3,000 Central Kitsap students, teachers, and caregivers in three weeks. 

Each school was gracious and welcoming. Office staff and librarians were happy to promote the program. It was fun to see students and teachers wearing their 100-Hour Reader T-shirts from previous years, as well as hear so many students in each group excitedly sharing that they knew where our new library was and that they’d participated in Summer Learning before.” 

She adds, “Being recognizable as their library person, I think it’s important for kids to see that we want to take the time to visit them and invite them to join us. For them to know that we design programs for them and choose materials with them in mind. I’ve had several children exclaim, “I saw you at my school!” or “I know you,” and it feels nice to know our efforts are effective. It feels even better knowing they’re excited about reading or library resources. Several kids bring their parents in and emphatically tell them they must participate. We made so many new library card accounts in June!” 

Kingston Youth Services Librarian Tori O. shares she starts planning in “December or January to give me enough time to book performers and special guests.” When it comes to the tailored presentations she provides elementary, middle, and high school students, she says, “For some kids and teens, it is the only interaction with the library and our resources they will ever get. Many don’t have transportation or easy access to our physical space and don’t know about our programs, online resources, or services unless we go to them at school. So, to get to meet students and talk about the library helps them learn and recognize that it is a real place, that there is something for them there, that it is free, and that it could be a fun place to go.  

It’s also exciting for kids to put a face to the library, to make the connection and recognition that they had a special guest and now they get to see them outside of school. It helps solidify and build a more impactful relationship with the kids. They get so excited when they come in and say, “I remember you! You came to my school!” 

Isla S., Bainbridge Island Youth Services Librarian, adds, “A school visit tends to be about 20-30 minutes of walking through kids and their teachers or school librarian how Summer Learning works. There was so much excitement around the program this year! Teachers were eager to have us come in and share details—some even brought students to the library as a special trip to talk up the program. Kids were really receptive to talking about their reading goals and prizes, especially the Seattle Storm tickets. We saw about 14 different groups in person!” 

“I think it’s important for kids to see us; it gives them a face they’ll recognize when they come to the library. I’ve had so many pop in and exclaim, “I saw you at school when you came to talk about summer!”  

Be sure to keep an eye out for Summer Learning 2025!