"We build strong MINDS, bodies and spirits!"...........
School's out and summer vacation is once again upon us. The much-anticipated break from school, at least where the kids are concerned, marks the annual season of travel, camps, outdoor recreation and the lazy, hazy days of summer. Summer vacation also marks a time of intellectual expansion for many kids in grades 1 - 3, as the
YMCA of the Treasure Coast kicks off their annual vacation reading program ~
YMCA Reads! a
free service to families enrolled in full-day summer camps at the Bayshore, Tiffany, Ft. Pierce and SportsWorld Branch locations.
This year, the
YMCA
Reads! Program of St. Lucie County will celebrate the theme
".....because you never know where Reading might take you!........", and will offer a portion of their proven-effective
YMCA
Reads! Literacy/Mentoring Program to the four [4] Summer Camp Branches. The universal theme of:
"Use your Imagination" will be expanded upon with programs, guest speakers and events for children as well as families.
KidzLit K - 5:
http://www.devstu.org/afterschool/askl/videos/index.shtml
Utilizing the KIDZLIT portion of the regular enrichment literacy program, helps children acquire an appreciation for good literature by being read to; or reading to a tutor. The characters of the stories are like themselves: they grapple with important "growing up" issues: what does it mean to be a friend? What happens when adults and kids don't see eye-to-eye? What does it take to persevere through hard times? Each story is chosen to compliment the
YMCA of the Treasure Coast Summer Camp Theme. "Cool Words" are displayed throughout the room, and along with KidzLit materials, additional books, videos, and coloring pages are provided.
This program has several steps:
Story Introduction, Reading Aloud, Facilitated Talk, "
Cool Words" for vocabulary building. Connections: activities that help children make connections between the story and their own experiences. Ex: an art project like drawing your favorite part of the story, or if the story was about something scary, drawing or writing about something scary, and The Students Journal: The students have been provided a Reading Log to record each Book Title, Author, and Illustrator that have been introduced, and are encouraged to participate in local public Library Reading Programs as well as Barnes & Noble, Scholastic, Reading Is Fundamental and the Build-a-Bear summer reading incentives.
Each family is also supplied with a Weekly List of "Suggested Reading" at no additional charge.
Applications for Volunteer Mentors are being accepted now! [Volunteer hours comply with "Bright Futures" Scholarship guidelines].
Mentor/Volunteer Training the first Thursday of the month from 9a - 10:30a
NO FEE! - pre-registration is required.
Applications for Fall 2007 students at
Bayshore Elementary School [ONLY] are being accepted as well.
http://www.stlucie.k12.fl.us/bay/
For more information, please contact -
YMCA of the TreasureCoast
Miss Jeannie
YMCA Reads! ~ St. Lucie County Director
Summer Programming
2700 SE Willoughby Blvd.
Stuart, FL 34994
phone: 772-223-1606
Bayshore Blvd. Program Center
1301 SW Bayshore Blvd.
Port St. Lucie, Florida34983
cell: 772-260-7191
Phone (772) 878-7337
(772) 878-9981 Fax
http://www.floridaymcas.org/yreads.html