FORT FAIRFIELD, Maine — Twenty-six students in Nicole McPherson’s first-grade classroom at Fort Fairfield Elementary School got a special surprise on June 1 when they received three books each to take home during their upcoming summer vacation.
Representatives of United Way of Aroostook and Katahdin Trust Company stopped by the classroom to give away backpacks filled with reading and writing materials as part of United Way’s Summer Slide program. The program ensures that all first graders in Aroostook County’s public and private schools, as well as homeschooled students, receive backpacks that contain three books, pencils and a sharpener and activity sheets to fill out after reading the books.
United Way piloted Summer Slide in 2016 with Pine Street Elementary School and last year partnered with employees at Katahdin Trust Company to expand the program to all County first graders.
This year, the two organizations will spend much of early June giving away hundreds of backpacks to 681 students. The books are provided to students free of charge and all are allowed to keep the books at home. Each backpack contains books that are tailored toward each child’s specific reading level.
“Some children can lose the strides they’ve made in their reading skills during the summer when school is not in session, so by giving them extra books we encourage them to keep reading,” Athena Hallowell, program and volunteer coordinator for United Way, said. “Just a few minutes each day is all it takes to help children curb that ‘slide’ that can happen by the end of the summer.”
In Fort Fairfield, Hallowell asked McPherson’s students what activities they most enjoy during summer vacation. Though many children mentioned swimming, riding their bicycles and playing sports as some favorite pastimes, Hallowell reminded them of the importance of keeping their reading skills sharp.
Many students already thought about how they’ll spend their summer reading time once they take their books home on the last day of school.
“I like reading with my parents and with my friends when they come over,” said Hannah Cummings, 7. “At home I have a chapter book that goes all the way to chapter 22.”
Soloman Griffeth, 7, said that he looks forward to taking the books with him during his own summer adventures.
“I like reading in the car during trips,” Griffeth said. “My favorite books are nonfiction because of all the interesting stuff I learn.”
Hallowell encouraged the children to fill out activity sheets that ask them questions about each book and to send the completed sheets to her at the United Way office in Presque Isle.
Throughout the summer, children will become eligible for prize giveaways with every activity sheet they turn in. Those who wish to also read books they already have at home can complete separate reading assignments on their own sheets of paper and send them to United Way.
United Way will host three Summer Reading Celebrations in August that will feature prize giveaways, games and activities to celebrate the end of summer and beginning of the new school year. The first celebration will be held on Aug. 2 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Fort Kent Elementary School while subsequent events will be held on Aug. 3 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Caribou Recreation Center and Aug. 10 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Houlton Recreation Center.
Diane Green, vice president, branch manager and retail services officer at Katahdin Trust Company, said that 80 staff members will serve as volunteers throughout Aroostook County during this year’s Summer Slide and that they’ve all been enthusiastic supporters of the program’s mission.
“For me the best part is seeing how excited the students are when they receive the books,” Green said. “We’re glad to be part of a program that instills in them a love of reading.”
