Our mission is to ignite a lifelong love of reading and learning in young elementary students. Partnering with educators and local libraries we use engaging and interactive activities, aimed at fostering a love of learning, improving literacy scores, and boosting reading confidence. Our trainers are dedicated to creating a supportive and inclusive environment where every child can discover the joy of reading and embark on a journey of endless possibilities.

Summer Reading Program Goal: Inspire a lifelong love of reading.

• Objective: To inspire and motivate K-5 students to develop a lifelong love for reading through an engaging summer reading program, fostering an environment where students can explore diverse literary genres, enhance their reading skills, encourage and empower them to explore book topics and share their reading experiences with peers.

• Strategies:

  • Provide a wide range of books that cater to different interests, reading levels, and cultural backgrounds to ensure every student finds something they love to read.

  • Create a reading log for each participant to track their progress, celebrate milestones, and points 

  • Host virtual or in-person "Reading Marathons" where students can read together in a fun and supportive environment and earn entry points for our end of summer raffle!

Summer Program Activity Schedule

This summer we are pleased to join the educators at the King's Trail Elementary School.

Kings Trail Elementary School in Jacksonville, Florida, serves a diverse student body of 311 from Pre-K to 5th grade. The school has an 85% minority enrollment: 50% Hispanic, 27% Black/African American, and smaller percentages of White, Asian, Mixed Race, Native American, and Pacific Islander students. With 57% economically disadvantaged students, 50% qualify for free lunch and 1% for reduced lunch. Only 22% of students scored at or above proficient in reading. Despite its inclusive environment, many children still struggle with reading comprehension.

Reading Performance Statistics

• Only 20-24% of students at Kings Trail Elementary School achieved proficiency in reading/language arts, which is lower than the Florida state average of 52%.

• Kings Trail Elementary School ranks within the bottom 50% of all schools in Florida for overall test scores, including reading proficiency.

We are confident our program will benefit the King's Trail students and increase their love of reading.

Reading Assessment

Tracy Mitlyng - Team Lead

Nina Blank - Program Design Expert 

Monte Latham - Technical Advisor

Ashely Grasinger - Education Advisor

References Duval County Public Schools. (n.d.). Home | Kings Trail Elementary. Retrieved from https://dcps.duvalschools.org/kingstrail.

Duval County Public Schools. (2024, July 30). District maintains high B; improves in all academic areas. Retrieved from https://www.duvalschools.org/o/kites/article/1691994