Thanks to the generosity of the Rotary Club of Otsego and support from the Otsego Public Schools Foundation, more than $3,000 worth of books were distributed to Otsego Public Schools students over the past two weeks as part of the Summer Step Up Literacy Project. 

The initiative is designed to help students maintain and strengthen their reading skills during the summer months by putting high-quality books directly into their hands. This project is designed to encourage summer reading and help students sustain the academic gains they made throughout the school year. By staying engaged with reading, students can continue growing as learners and reduce the effects of the "summer slide," the learning loss that can occur during extended breaks from school. 

Summer learning loss can affect any child; like any muscle, academic skills can weaken without regular exercise. By providing students with access to books they can enjoy throughout the summer, the Summer Step Up Literacy Project helps ensure that all children have opportunities to continue flexing their learning muscles and growing outside the classroom. 

The project was inspired by No More Summer Reading Loss, a book written by school-based practitioners and researchers that explores strategies for preventing seasonal learning setbacks. After discussing the community's role in supporting the reading and writing development of local children, members of the Rotary Club of Otsego chose to invest in the literacy growth of Otsego students through this meaningful initiative. 

Otsego Public Schools is grateful for the continued partnership and generosity of the Rotary Club of Otsego and the Otsego Public Schools Foundation. Their commitment to supporting student success helps create opportunities for learning that extend well beyond the school year.