Have you ever heard of the term summer loss? This is not a seasonal diet or exercise program, but a troubling trend in which students lose valuable literacy skills when they stop reading during their break from school. Low-income children are especially susceptible to this problem because they often go home to an environment where there are very few books or other reading resources. As a result, by the end of 5th grade, these students are approximately 2 ½ years behind their more affluent peers in terms of reading ability, primarily because of summer loss.
Enter the “Give Five – Read Five” campaign. As a part of this initiative started by the NCDPI, we are asking parents, business leaders, and members of our communities to donate 5 new or gently-used books to Carolina Beach Elementary School. In lieu of books, financial donations can also be made so we can help the school’s Librarian, Celesta Woodard, purchase age-appropriate books at a reduced price. Donations of books, as well as financial gifts, can be taken to our office at 300 Harper Avenue during regular office hours, Monday – Friday from 9am to 1pm. Please mark your gift for “CBES Books.” You can also give online by visiting the “Giving” link on our web page at www.stpaulscb.org, or gifts can be mailed to us at PO Box 356, Carolina Beach, NC 28428.
With your help, we can encourage students to keep reading during the critical summer months so they will be ready to learn and succeed when they return to school this fall. Thank you for your partnership and support!