Reading Camps Help Kids Read to Succeed

This summer, throughout South Carolina, reading camps help kids read to succeed as part of South Carolina’s 2014 Read to Succeed legislation.

In York County, South Carolina, over 250 children are attending summer camps which helpo them to read. They are mostly in the third grade, and were invited to attend since their tests showed they were below grade level in reading.

“It’s wonderful that the state is funding this,” said Harriet Jaworowski, Rock Hill schools associate superintendent. “This is something that we would not be able to fund locally.”

Students who do not demonstrate reading proficiency by the end of the 2018 summer reading camp will not be promoted by fourth grade under the law. The can be some exemptions made by district superintendents. According to Jaworski, students who are not on reading level by third grade have greater risks of failure and dropping out. Also, research shows that retention often does not have a positive impact.

“It’s not a good thing if they are not reading on grade level by the end of third grade,” Jaworowski said. “So we do everything we can to promote that. One of the best things that parents can do is just read with their children in the summer.”