LiteraCYCLE, a new summer literacy program, brings fun to summer reading | Community

Students always look forward to a break during the summer. But this year, they will be able to have fun while continuing to improve their reading skills. CYCLE will launch its first Summer LiteraCYCLE Challenge, which will take place from June 1 to August 31.

“We are firmly committed to our mission of improving second-grade literacy in Title One schools in the greater Houston area,” said Rebecca Roberts, executive director of CYCLE. “Although the 2022-2023 reports suggest that 46% of second and third graders are reading at their current grade level, this does not match what we hear from educators or see firsthand in our schools partners. to find a Title I school where even 40 percent read at an average or above average level for their grade level. This is exactly why we are creating a public literacy challenge. We want to encourage as many Houston area families as possible to foster a school. the love of reading in a fun and accessible way.

Students who participate in the challenge are encouraged to read one new book, read one book per month, and visit local Little Free Libraries. Students then have the opportunity to win prizes, such as family tickets to Dig World and Color Factory.

The mission of CYCLE, which stands for Changing the Lives of Young Children Through Education, is to improving second-grade literacy in Title One schools in the Greater Houston area. They envision every student in the Greater Houston area reaching a reading level or higher by the end of third grade, putting them on a path to success and allowing them to reach their full potential in school and in life. CYCLE rewards students with new bikes for achieving better academic results in class.

The idea for CYCLE began in 2000, when David L. Moore founded Elves & More as a Christmas gift initiative for children in need. The organization became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2004, when it began working with school districts in the greater Houston area to award bikes for academic achievement, focusing on literacy from kindergarten to 3rd grade. In 2015, CYCLE was officially launched and had already allocated 150,000 bikes to students.

The annual Bike Builds events take place from late November to early December, where participants unload and build bikes, load them onto trucks and deliver them to schools. A full list of fundraising events and volunteer opportunities can be found on their website.

Two of the Little Free Library’s partners in the Heights area are the Dena Honeycutt Library, located at 1150 Allston St. next to a park, and the Bonem Family Library, located at 725 East 17th Street. To find more locations, visit the Little Free Library website at littlefreelibrary.org/ or type “Little Free Library” into Google Maps.

For more information about the challenge, visit the CYCLE website at www.cyclehouston.org/, or their Instagram and Facebook pages – @cyclehouston.