NEW YORK, April 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Concerns have
been growing in recent weeks as extended school closures are
announced, causing educators and families alike to consider what
the summer months mean for students in 2020. A new study by NWEA
projects that students who lack steady instruction during the
coronavirus school shutdowns might retain only 70% of their annual
reading gains as compared to a normal year. This compounds the
annual issue of reading skill loss known as the summer slide
experienced by school-aged kids. To continue to support literacy at
home during this pressing time, Scholastic has launched
Scholastic Summer
Read-a-Palooza, a free program designed to increase
book access and ensure engaging experiences to keep kids reading
this summer – two key pieces of the puzzle to stem learning loss
presented in a way that does not add additional burdens on families
or educators.
To learn more about Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza and access
free summer reading resources,
visit: http://www.scholastic.com/summer.
"With the unprecedented closing of U.S. schools, for many
through to summer break, supporting literacy at home has never been
more important. We know the power of reading and access to books is
irreplaceable, and a critical component of combating the summer
slide under normal circumstances. With the prospect of a greater
slide due to the impact of COVID-19 and a nation of families and
educators feeling emotional exhaustion, Scholastic is more
dedicated than ever to partner together in inspiring and
illuminating joyful, purposeful student learning. Scholastic
Summer Read-a-Palooza can serve as a an easy-to-use, engaging
bridge for kids to connect with books, both digitally and
through book donations this summer, in partnership with United Way
Worldwide," said Pam Allyn,
SVP, Innovation & Development, Scholastic.
Starting Monday, May 4, kids can
join the Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza in the newly created
summer zone on Scholastic Home Base, a free and safe digital
destination, where they will be encouraged to explore free
resources, read select ebooks, engage with fellow readers and
favorite authors, and keep Reading Streaks™, which also help
unlock a donation of 100,000 print books from
Scholastic, distributed by United Way Worldwide.
"United Way is proud to partner with Scholastic once again for a
dynamic summer program that will encourage children everywhere to
develop strong reading skills while improving the quality of
learning environments in communities everywhere," said
Suzanne McCormick, U.S.
President, United Way Worldwide. "United Way is dedicated to
building more resilient, inclusive and sustainable communities and
we believe it's critical all children, especially during this era
of distance learning, have the ability to develop essential
literacy skills through access to quality books."
Every child with a free Home Base account can create an avatar
and experience the Scholastic Summer Read-a-Palooza by:
- Reading free digital books. Exclusive to the summer
zone, kids will have access to select full ebooks in their
entirety.
- Unlocking book donations for home libraries: For every
two consecutive days a child checks into the zone they will create
a Reading Streak which will unlock a new free print book for a
child with limited or no access to books. Reading Streaks are
earned when kids check in to the Read-a-Palooza zone to confirm
they have read that day. With the goal of unlocking all 100,000
books by July, United Way Worldwide, the world's largest privately
funded nonprofit, will distribute the books across the country to
locations where access to more high-quality books is needed
most.
- Sharing reading progress. Kids will be able to create
and print individualized reading reports summarizing their reading
progress. These easy-to-download and printable reports can be
shared with teachers or parents to show reading
accomplishments.
- Earning personal reading milestones. Kids will be able
to earn accolades ranging from bronze, silver, gold and diamond
levels for their Reading Streak progress while collecting
summer-specific accessories to dress up their avatar.
- Joining a community of readers. The summer zone offers
kids a safe social platform to interact with friends and make new
companions along the way. Through this summer reading community
kids will share and discover the joy of stories and help provide
books to their peers with limited or no access.
For more information about Scholastic (NASDAQ: SCHL), the global
children's publishing, education and media company, visit the
Company's media room at http://mediaroom.scholastic.com.
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SOURCE Scholastic