Summer reading program on the way for P.C. students
April 11, 2024 at 12:57 a.m.
For many students, summer is a welcome break from school. After months of consistent classroom time, many take the opportunity to step away from their academics.
However, it’s also a period when some may experience learning loss, also known as the “Summer Slide,” due to that lack of consistent education programming. It can lead to a decline in reading skills, causing students to require more review time at the start of the next school year.
For the last decade, the Family Service Society of Yonkers (FSSY) has combated this trend through their Summer Reading Buddies programs. The initiative has spread across Westchester and will now be offered to Port Chester families at the end of the school year.
According to Anietra Guzman-Santana, the senior director of youth and family programs for the nonprofit organization, the initiative saw success in the group’s home city.
“We accomplished a lot here in Yonkers,” she said during a phone interview on Monday, Apr. 4. “And expanded to other areas over time. We’ve grown to have (the program) in Ossining and Tarrytown.”
Apart from receiving funds from private donors, FSSY gets funding from Westchester County. Guzman-Santana said they’ve been able to expand into Port Chester because of increased county funding. “This wouldn’t be possible without them. Nancy Barr was a big advocate for us,” she said, referring to the county legislator representing Port Chester, Rye Brook and Harrison.
Starting July 8, parents of students in kindergarten through fifth grade can bring their children to John F. Kennedy Elementary School every Monday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. to reduce the effects of summer learning loss—at no cost to families or advance notice.
“Our goal is to ensure kids keep reading through the year,” Guzman-Santana said.
The program has students spending an hour reading a book with a volunteer they’re paired with based on their reading level. “They also partake in reading comprehension activities during their time together,” the director said.
Anyone over the age of 17 can volunteer as a reading buddy, with the only requirement being a love of reading, according to Guzman-Santana. “They don’t need anything else,” she said. “We train them to be able to work one-on-one, which is what we prefer, or in small groups if they need to.”
As Port Chester has a large Spanish-speaking population, FSSY is encouraging those who are bilingual to apply.
“All the reading will be done in English, but we feel that our staff should reflect the community we’re serving,” she said.
The program provides an additional social-emotional benefit for children through interaction with their reading buddies.
“We get a lot of seniors, retired teachers and people who just want to be engaged in their community,” Guzman-Santana said. “And we’ve seen them build relationships with these kids. The students experience people of different generations and backgrounds. It wasn’t the focus of the program, but it’s a healthy byproduct.”
Anyone interested in serving as a reading buddy should email [email protected] or call 914-200-3886.
Though children are the primary beneficiaries of Summer Reading Buddies, FSSY aims to look out for the adults in their lives as well.
“We host workshops for parents and guardians,” Guzman-Santana said. “They can range from financial literacy to home reading strategies and critical thinking skills.” As of Apr. 4, the topic for the seminar Port Chester families can expect had not yet been determined.
According to Guzman-Santana, the three-week-long program culminates in a celebration. “In the past, we’ve had magic shows or a puppet performance of a book,” she said. “Our hope is that kids go home and continue reading because it’s something fun for them to do.”
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