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Community Corner

Summer Library Program Gets Teens Reading

Cool high tech prize helped drive kids to hit the books.

With television, video games, and the Internet consuming most of the free time of local children getting kids to read has turned into a tough job. But that has become one of the top goals of the Massapequa Public Library.

The solution? The Summer Reading Program, which recently held a party celebrating the end of another season.

"The program is open to anyone grades 6 to 12," said Peter Cirona, the Young Adult Services librarian, who has run the program for the past eight years. "This year we had the most registrants ever—80 teens. And 55 turned in at least two book reports, which was the criteria to come to the party."

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The program lasted seven weeks, from July 6 to August 21. Books were not assigned; teens were free to read anything they chose.

"We do it to keep the kids reading when they're not in school," Cirona said. "We want them to keep their skills up."

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In addition to gift card giveaways, this year Cirona introduced special reading incentives: any child who had read 10 books and turned in book reports was entered into a drawing for a Sony E-Book reader.

Out of the 31 kids who showed up for the party, 16 had met the requirements for the E-Book drawing, slated for the end of the evening. To say these 16 children were overcome with anticipation would be an understatement.

Justine Matzen, 13, made no bones about it: she was there to win the E-Book reader.

"The E-Book reader is my goal," she said. "That's why I read 13 books this summer."

But John Valerie, 17, insisted he didn't need an E-Book reader dangled in front of him to get him to read.

"I usually read more than 10 books on my own," he said. "The reading program is great; it really kept me occupied."

The party started at Massapequa's Central Avenue branch with pizza and refreshments, followed by a raffle where teens were awarded prizes such as T-shirts, mugs, and books.

But the main reason many kids were there that evening —the drawing for the almighty Sony E-Book reader—was held off until after the performance of Robert McEntee, a magician and entertainer.

McEntee had been fascinated by magic as a child. Upon turning 40, he finally decided to follow his dream.

"I left my job as an engineer six years ago, and I've been doing magic full-time ever since," he said. "That's my message to kids- believe in your dreams, and don't let anyone discourage you."

After McEntee concluded his act, the children could no longer stand the wait. Gathered around Cirona the students stood impatiently as the winning name was pulled...

...and the E-Book reader was claimed by an overjoyed Samantha DeNinno, 12.

Cirona, a man who seemed to be having a great time even though he wasn't in the running to win the digital gadget, has gotten a great deal of satisfaction working with youngsters at the library for the past eight years.

"I've already seen a whole generation of kids come through," he said. "The kids that were here my first year are now already through college. Now I have a whole new generation coming through."

 

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