Elementary Readers Honored at Lejeune High School Football Game
By Michael O'Day
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools team up to celebrate the power of reading at the first Lejeune High School (LHS) home football game this season. Young students who participated in a new summer reading program received a deserved applause for their hard work and achievements.
Over 40 Tarawa Terrace Elementary School (TTES) students, grades K-5 registered for Lil' Timmy's Lil' Bookworm Bunch, a summer reading program designed to prevent the "summer slide" and foster a love for reading outside the classroom. Participants who logged their reading over the break received recognition before the crowd at the game for their efforts.
The program offered three levels of membership: Rookie for emerging readers, Team Player with a reading bingo challenge, and All-Star for more advanced readers. The program encouraged students to track the books they read throughout the summer, with different goals depending on their membership level. By the end of the summer, ten students had submitted their reading logs, with All-Star readers logging 40 books and a total of 8,870 pages. In the Rookie group, younger readers logged more than 350 books collectively.
Before kick-off, each participating student, joined by an LHS football player or cheerleader, walked onto the field as their accomplishments echoed out of the loudspeakers. Dr. Carver, LHS Principal, presented them with certificates and bookmarks as the crowd cheered. Additionally, the MVP readers in grades 3-5 received customized book bags as a special reward for their dedication.
"During collaboration at a literacy-focused professional development session, 'Starbooks,' the topic of summer reading and the 'summer slide' came up," said Lorien Gustafson, TTES Information Specialist and creator of the summer reading program. "One teacher mentioned how his former school district would recognize summer readers at a local high school football game. I reached out to Dr. Carver, and he loved the idea. That's how this program came to life."
Dr. Carver, Principal of Lejeune High School, shared his enthusiasm for the initiative. "This was a great opportunity to highlight the importance of community across our Camp Lejeune Schools. All students win when schools work together!"
Fourth-grade student Bentley A. echoed the sentiment of many young readers: "I liked the summer reading program because it was something we did at home because we were not in school."
Programs like TTES's summer reading initiative play a vital role in preventing the "summer slide," a well-documented phenomenon where students lose progress in reading and other academic skills over the summer break. According to the National Summer Learning Association, students can lose up to two months' worth of reading skills during the summer. Reading programs help students maintain their literacy levels and foster a lifelong love of books.
Lejeune High School's home football opener provided the perfect stage for celebrating these young readers. TTES students like Bentley A., who read ten books totaling 2,252 pages, and Kalie H., who logged 1,836 pages, received well-deserved applause for their hard work.
The night highlighted a community-wide commitment to fostering academic success and encouraging students to embrace reading beyond the classroom. As the young readers returned to the stands, one thing was clear: TTES's Lil' Bookworm Bunch had inspired these students to keep turning the pages, with next summer already in sight.
