As students begin to prepare for summer and frantically throw dreaded school assignments away to celebrate the concluding year, literature no longer becomes a priority for enrolled students. However, practicing diligent reading will likely make the transition back into school more manageable.

The local Wilsonville library is an active contributor to the encouragement of summer reading by providing students with interactive ways to track their reading and earn prizes for their achievements. According to Scholar Within, an organization primarily prioritizing literature, revealed that indulging in reading will likely spark a passion for the hobby, and kids will begin to develop a strong relationship with literature.

Mr. Fitzgerald, one of Wilsonville High Schools’ AP Language and Composition teachers, believes that despite the fun adventures that accompany the summertime, he thinks “people should keep their minds active as well,” and ensure healthy reading habits. Mr. Fitzgerald also added that his role as a teacher benefits from literature-practicing students, so they can better “analyze writing,” and have an overall better experience in his English class.

In addition to the curricular benefits of reading over the summer, according to Scholar Within, it is evident that literature boosts students’ self-esteem, and “being part of a supportive community in a summer reading program will help you feel more confident about your abilities.”

Although reading may seem unpopular among opposing summer activities, according to Waterford.org, 49% of high school students read books on their own time. Despite the percentage being relatively high, summer in particular has shown that according to Educationnext.org, students lose roughly 4 weeks of their reading abilities.

In conclusion, there is a distinguished change seen in students who lack time set aside for reading, and the fact of the matter reminds students that their high school career will be slightly less difficult if they continue to practice reading over the long-awaited summer.