United Way of Aroostook is excited to announce it will once again partner with Katahdin Trust Company to offer every first grader throughout Aroostook County a backpack with free books to read over the summer.

Known as “The Summer Slide”, the program encourages early readers to continue reading throughout the summer to keep their reading skills sharp and to strengthen their reading fluency.

“We are excited to be working with Katahdin Trust again this year to bring this literacy program to all Aroostook County first graders,” said Sherry Locke, Executive Director at United Way. “Our partnership makes it possible to share quality literature with so many children.”

This is the third year United Way of Aroostook has coordinated the program, which is a natural extension of their Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library early literacy program.  That program provides a free book each month to Aroostook County preschoolers who are enrolled in the program until the child turns five.  Summer Slide works with schools to provide first graders with some tools to prevent the loss of reading skills over the summer months.

“We are very pleased to continue our partnership with United Way on Summer Slide,” says Krista Putnam, Katahdin Trust Vice President, Marketing. “Our employees throughout The County are looking forward to volunteering their time in preparing the backpacks, visiting the schools and helping at the summer parties. We are honored to be part of an effort that helps ensure that the literacy gains made by children during the school year continue into the summer months.”

School administrators throughout Aroostook will soon receive a letter of invitation to participate in the program. Once the total number of students has been determined, Katahdin Trust volunteers will help United Way to deliver the books to each participating school in early June.  Backpacks will be provided to the children at no cost to them or their family.  Each pack will contain three books, some activities, and other goodies.  Activities enclosed in the backpack will help children to engage with the books they were given.  Children will be given an opportunity to win one of several prizes such as a bike, puzzles, and games if they return the completed activity sheets.

At the end of the summer, United Way and Katahdin Trust will hold Summer Reading Celebration events in all three regions of the County so children can come celebrate the end of summer and the start of a new school year. The goals of the Summer Slide Program and Reading Celebrations are for the children to learn learn the love of reading, enjoy some fun activities geared around the books they have received, and maintain skills learned throughout the school year.

If you’d like more information about Summer Slide or the United Way, please contact their office at 764-5197.

This information was submitted to us as part of a press release. If you would like to share your community news or event with our audience, please email newspi@townsquaremedia.com.

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