Governor's Summer Reading Challenge Distribution Sites Open Monday, 
Additional Books to be Available to Students Reading more than Five Books

Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr. is pleased to announce new book distribution locations open Monday for Virgin Islands students participating in the 2010 Governor's Summer Reading Challenge. The challenge encourages students to read five or more books this summer.

Participating students received their first set of books at their schools in May, along with tracking sheets to record their progress. Starting Monday, students that have finished that first set can go to the following distribution sites between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to return the tracking sheets, get additional books and continue with the challenge: The Athalie Petersen Public Library in Frederiksted and the Florence Williams Public Library in Christiansted on St. Croix; the Tutu Park Mall, Cancryn Junior High School and the Enid Baa Library on St. Thomas; and the Elaine Ione Sprauve Library on St. John.

All distribution sites are open Monday through Friday, except the Tutu Park Mall which is only open Thursdays and Fridays.

The Governor’s Summer Reading Challenge promotes reading and literacy Territory-wide and is open to all public, private, and parochial students between Kindergarten and 8th grade. Participating students keep track of their reading over the summer and are recognized for the number of books they complete.

“I know there are many eager students who can't wait to pick up that next set of books and continue experiencing the joy of reading they have discovered through the Summer Reading Challenge. I encourage all students from Kindergarten through eighth grade to join the challenge and participate in this exciting program,” said Governor de Jongh.

The Challenge is a partnership between the Office of the Governor, the Department of Education, the USVI public libraries, and Learn-It Systems Corporation. In addition to encouraging reading, the summer challenge helps students build their own personal libraries by letting them keep the books from the program. Learn-It donated 100,000 books to the initiative, which will be distributed to participating students for free.

Later this year, closing ceremonies will be held in both districts to recognize children who read five or more books. Those children’s names will also be printed as a special recognition in the Virgin Islands Daily News, Avis, and Tradewinds newspapers. The ceremonies will include a special prize for the winning schools on each island in a school-by-school competition.

Last year's reading challenge was a great success and Governor de Jongh is delighted to bring the important program back to Virgin Islands students this year. 

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