DEADLINE TO SUBMIT READING RULES BOOK SUMMARIESIS FRIDAY, AUGUST 16TH

In declaring the week of August 12th as “Summer Reading Appreciation Week”, Mayor Brown encouraged City youth to finish up their reading and submit their book summaries by the Friday deadline.

Everyone who successfully completes the program will receive an invitation to a special awards ceremony with lots of great prizes.

Buffalo, New York - Mayor Byron W. Brown, joined by young readers who completed his 2024 summer reading challenge, proclaimed the week of August 12th as “Summer Reading Appreciation Week in Buffalo”, and encouraged City youth to wrap up their summer reading and submit their book summaries by the deadline of Friday, August 16th. Once they complete his Reading Rules! Kids Summer Reading Challenge, readers will receive an invitation to special awards ceremony in September, where all sorts of great prizes and scholarships will be awarded to participants.

Mayor Brown said, “During Summer Reading Appreciation Week in Buffalo, I want to commend all of the participants in my 2024 summer reading program and remind them to submit their book summaries by the Friday, August 16th deadline. Once we receive those summaries, we will issue an invitation to my Reading Rules awards ceremony in September, which we don’t want anyone to miss. There are so many great prizes, like laptops, bicycles and educational scholarships. Literacy is the foundation for all learning. Let us continue to encourage our children to complete their summer reading assignments and give them the support they need to become reading champions.”

“As the Superintendent of the Buffalo Public Schools, I am strongly encouraging all of our BPS students in all grades to complete Mayor Byron W. Brown’s Annual “Reading Rules Kids Summer Reading Challenge!” It’s very easy; parents just have your children each read 5 books of their choice and write a brief summary about the book. That’s it! The deadline is quickly approaching. It is this Friday, August 16th, so the time is now to do it,” Buffalo Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Tonja M. Williams Knight said. “There is no educational skill more critical than literacy and specifically reading. Students who read regularly enhance their vocabulary, math, science, writing, and communication skills. In addition, it allows them to be ready for school, which starts in a few short weeks. As a reward, students are able to win incredible rewards, including bicycles, cool electronics, and even scholarships. So BPS parents and students, let’s finish strong!”

2024 marks the 23rd year of Mayor Byron Brown’s Reading Rules! Kids Summer reading Challenge. To date, nearly 30,000 students have completed the challenge, first started when Mayor Brown was a New York State Senator and wanted to help increase literacy in the Buffalo and Western New York area. At today’s proclamation ceremony, Mayor Brown was also joined by Nekia Kemp, Executive Director of the Police Athletic League of Buffalo, Buffalo Public Schools Chief Academic Officer Anne Botticelli, and Tanya Staples, Director of Community School initiatives for Say Yes Buffalo.

Police Athletic League of Buffalo Executive Director, Nekia Kemp said: “Summer Reading Appreciation Week is a fantastic opportunity for Buffalo youth to finish their summer reading and book summaries to meet the Reading Rules! Kids Summer Reading Challenge deadline. The Police Athletic League of Buffalo is proud to partner with Mayor Brown and the many participating organizations in this city-wide literacy initiative, which helps improve student literacy. We encourage youth to finish the challenge so they can join us at the 2024 Reading Rules Awards ceremony in September.”

Tanya Staples, Director of Community School initiatives for Say Yes Buffalo, said, “Mayor Brown’s Summer Reading Challenge continues to curate the imagination, creativity and literacy skills of the students enrolled in summer camp.”

As part of “Summer Reading Appreciation Week” in Buffalo, Mayor Brown issued a proclamation. He will also make stops throughout the week at various camps and events to celebrate the books that are inspiring youth to dream big, the books that are helping them to explore diverse cultures and careers, and the books that are keeping them engaged so there’s no summer learning loss when they head back to school. In addition, Mayor Brown will highlight a few of this year’s Champion Readers in a video that will be released this week. He also thanked 93.7 WBLK for running a few public service announcements this week to encourage youth to wrap up their reading. Everyone who successfully completes the challenge will receive an invitation to his Reading Rules! Kids Summer Reading Challenge Awards Ceremony in September.