Studies have shown that summertime can be perilous for kids—and not because they’re more likely to get poison ivy or have a nasty encounter with a yellow jacket. No, we are talking about summer learning loss. And young people from low-income neighborhoods are more likely to lose academic ground than their peers in more affluent areas.

That’s why reading is a staple of the Children’s Aid summer camp experience. Each of the nearly 3,000 kids in our camps reads anywhere from 90 to 180 minutes a week each day. Our biggest celebration of that activity occurs every August at Goodhue Center on Staten Island.

Reading Leaders Day is enjoyed as much by the elected officials and public servants who lead the readings as it is by the kids. This year, we were joined by New York State Assembly Member Matthew Titone, Deputy Borough President Ed Burke, and several other representatives from City Hall, City Council, and elsewhere. They treated kids to some classic tales including Teddy the Dog, The Power of Henry’s Imagination, Max the Brave, and When Penny Met POTUS. 

Many thanks to the leaders for their dedication.