Highlights from Summer Reading Program at Robey Memorial Library

“Reading Colors Your World” was the theme of the Summer Reading Program (SRP) at Robey Memorial Library with activities spanning from June through August. The Kids and Teens 4-Week Reading Challenge ran from Monday, July 5-Saturday, July 31 and is the highlight of the program with participants tracking their reading and reading-related activities for prizes.

In the 4-Week Reading Challenge: Kids, Infant to 6th Grade, participants had the choice of completing 1-10 spaces, 11-20 spaces or blacking out the Activity Card to receive weekly prizes in addition to adding their name to three different prize drawings for an Eric Carle Magnet Set and board books, Chronicles of Narnia book set and DVD, or Ice Cream with the Librarian. A total of 76 children registered and 47 participated with a total of 1,267 activities completed. The top three readers in each category received a new book of their choice purchased by the Library Foundation. Those top readers are as follow:

Category 1 (Infant-Kindergarten) - 1. Karissa Hollar completed 78 activities; 2. Noah Hollar completed 76 activities; 3. Jocelyn Berges completed 54 activities.
Category 2 (First-Third Grades) - 1. Emma Berges completed 59 activities; 2. Adelyn Zezulka completed 50 activities; 3. Logan Knox completed 38 activities.
Category 3 (Fourth-Sixth Grades) - 1. Luka Hollar completed 77 activities; 2. Parker Knox completed 40 activities; 3. Denver Mezera and Sienna Helmuth (tie) each completed 25 activities.
Prize Drawing winners were Olive Bulman - Eric Carle Magnet Set and board books; Samantha Troester - Ice Cream with the Librarian; and Emery Wadsworth - Chronicles of Narnia book set and DVD. “Library Champion” signs were given to all participants to display at their homes and may have been seen around town.

“Messy” was a featured component in this year’s Summer Explorer Programs, held every other Wednesday morning from June 2 through August 11, with a total of 280 participants attending (some of which are pictured in the surrounding photos). Programs featured were Bugs, Insects & Itchy Things with Allamakee County Conservation Naturalist Ross Geerdes; Soil Explorers: Painting with Dirt with USDA Soil Conservationist Sara Berges; and Messy Art, Sharpie/Alcohol Suncatchers and Paper Mache Part 1 (create) and Part 2 (paint) with Children’s Librarian Ellie Krousie.

Teens also participated in the Reading Challenge, reading and completing reading-related activities for prizes and entries into a prize drawing. A total of 14 teens registered and five participated with 176 activities completed and 9,300 minutes read. Alyssa Connelly won the prize drawing of a book of her choice.

Business/organization sponsors who supported this year’s program included Hardee’s (food certificates), Casey’s (food certificates) and Builder’s First Source (lathe bundle), and the Robey Memorial Library Foundation (Waukon Bucks and prize books).

Robey Memorial Library Aides Ellie Krousie and Chris Kerndt attended State of Iowa Library-sponsored webinars in preparation for the Summer Reading Program.