With the goal of helping keep kids’ minds engaged over the summer, the Oregon College Savings Plan has partnered with the Oregon State Library and the Oregon Library Association for the eighth straight year on an annual summer reading campaign. This year’s theme — Read a Book. Save for College. Build a Better World. — now through August 25.
The summer reading campaign encourages kids and teens to participate in summer reading at their local library to help them retain their reading skills over the summer break. As an added incentive, 15 summer reading participants statewide (three per congressional district) will be randomly selected as winners of a $529 Oregon College Savings Plan account, while each winner’s library will receive a $500 prize to use toward future programs.
“Summer is an important time for students to continue reading and improving their language skills,” explained Michael Parker, executive director of the Oregon 529 Savings Network. “Spending time in a local library during the summer vacation can capture the imagination, keep the mind sharp, and prevent a child from struggling academically during the school year.”
According to the Oregon State Library, 216,924 youth from birth through age 18 signed up for this year’s summer reading program at public libraries throughout Oregon; collectively, they read 207,462 books over 903,781 hours. At least 75,027 achieved their reading goal and completed the 2016 summer reading program.
To raise awareness of the summer reading program in smaller districts, the Oregon College Savings Plan is underwriting special performances in libraries around the state in communities with a population of 10,000 or less. Select libraries and their patrons will enjoy entertainment from award-winning storyteller Christopher Leebrick, Penny’s Puppets, Charlie Brown the Juggler, Rhys Thomas Jugglemania, and Rich Glauber’s Music in Action throughout the summer months.
To participate in this year’s summer reading campaign, Oregon parents/guardians/grandparents must first enroll their child or children in the 2017 summer reading program at their local public library, then complete a short postage-paid entry form (available at the library) and put it in the mail. All entries must be postmarked by August 25 and received by August 30, 2017. Visit OregonCollegeSavings.com for official rules and prize details. (No purchase required. Void where prohibited. Sponsored by the Oregon College Savings Plan.)
The Oregon College Savings Plan
The Oregon College Savings Plan, which is part of the Oregon 529 College Savings Network, launched in January 2001 and has grown to more than $1.5 billion in assets as of March 31, 2017. The plan is managed by TIAA‐CREF Tuition Financing, Inc. For more information about the Oregon College Savings Plan, its investment options and how to enroll, visit OregonCollegeSavings.com or call toll free 866‐772‐8464. Follow the Oregon College Savings Plan on Facebook.com/OregonCollegeSavings and Twitter.com/OregonCSP.
