SALISBURY — Rowan-Salisbury students are gearing up and ready for the Summer Reading Challenge.

When students return to school in the fall, after they have enjoyed a fun-filled summer, there is typically a period of “catch-up time” that teachers and students must work through. This is due to students having a lack of opportunities over the summer to continue practicing their learning skills that are part of their routine during the school year.

With literacy as the district’s main focus for student success, Superintendent Dr. Lynn Moody, her team, principals and community sponsors and partners are pulling their creative forces together to offer a challenge for students to encourage their growth.

“I’m super excited about the Summer Reading Challenge,” Moody said in a news release. “We have sponsors from all over our community who will be encouraging our students to read! We know the foundation to learning is reading. If you can read, you have the ability and information available to teach yourself about all the things that interest you.”

So, here is the challenge:

For every 10 Achieve3000 articles with activities completed at 75 percent, or for every grade-level book a student reads with a summary and parent signature, they will be able to enter their name into a drawing for prizes when they return to school in August. For every 20 Achieve3000 articles with activities completed at 75 percent or for every two books a student reads with a summary and parent signature, they can enter their name twice in the drawing.

The prizes are donated by community partners and supporters of education in the community. Two winners from every school will be able to select a prize from the following list per grade-level:

Elementary:

• Kindle Fire
• Bicycle and Helmet
• Tent and Camping Gear
• American Girl Doll
• Lego Set

Middle:

• Drone
• Fitbit
• Tinsel Town Movie Gift Card – $150
• Old Navy Gift Card – $150
• Golf Clubs

High:

• Koco Java Gift Card – $150
• Cook-Out Gift Card – $150
• Gas Gift Card – $150
• Visa Gift Card – $150
• Dicks Sporting Goods Gift Card – $150

If you would like to participate by becoming a sponsor for the Summer Reading Challenge, contact the superintendent’s office at 704-630-6102.

Achieve3000 is the district’s reading program that was implemented during the previous school year. Many students have already made great jumps in their lexile reading levels in addition to many students receiving national recognitions for their accomplishments.

School system officials encourage every citizen, parent, educator, business partner and elected official to join them in encouraging children to read.

Go to the district’s website for more information: www.rss.k12.nc.us

(This is not the Summer Reading Challenge for adults co-sponsored by the Salisbury Post.)