First Lady Ann Scott visited Highly Inquisitive and Versatile Education (HIVE) Preparatory School in Miami-Dade County to congratulate them on winning the 2017 First Lady’s Summer Literacy Adventure reading challenge. Each student and school employee received family passes to a Florida state park and the school received 100 books for its library. The school previously won the Summer Literacy Adventure in 2013.
The Summer Literacy Adventure is an annual partnership between the Florida Department of Education, Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Florida Lottery that is designed to encourage Florida students to strengthen their reading skills during the summer break.
“I am extremely proud of HIVE Preparatory Academy and their students for making literacy a priority,” said First Lady Ann Scott. “This is the second time HIVE Preparatory Academy has won the Summer Literacy Adventure, and they should be very proud of their accomplishments. HIVE Preparatory Academy sets a great example for the rest of the state, and I enjoyed visiting the students and educators to celebrate this outstanding accomplishment.”
“Congratulations to the students at HIVE Preparatory Academy for winning the Summer Literacy Adventure!” said Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart. “Reading during the summer is vital to lifelong learning and success. I am grateful to First Lady Ann Scott for her commitment to reading and literacy, and I applaud HIVE Preparatory Academy’s students, teachers and leaders their hard work.”
The First Lady’s Summer Literacy Adventure challenged students to read as many books as possible during the summer break. First Lady Ann Scott visited state parks and emphasized to students the value of reading. Statewide, more than 27,000 students participated and pledged to read books this summer.
“The Florida Literacy Adventure is a great event that DEP is proud to be a part of each year,” said DEP Secretary Noah Valenstein. “It’s an honor to partner with First Lady Ann Scott, DOE and the Florida Lottery to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards – congratulations to HIVE Preparatory School and all who participated in the adventure.”
Research shows that children who do not continue reading through the summer can lose a month or more of progress made during the school year. By reminding their children to read over breaks from school, parents play an important role in ensuring every child reads at or above grade level.
The Florida Lottery donated books to students throughout the summer as part of the 2017 Summer Literacy Adventure.
“The Florida Lottery was proud to once again partner with First Lady Ann Scott by sponsoring and donating books to the 2017 Summer Literacy Adventure,” said Secretary Jim Poppell. “Reading is the foundation of learning and success, and we congratulate this year’s winners for their commitment toward advancing their reading skills.”
For more information about the First Lady’s Summer Literacy Adventure, CLICK HERE.
For more information about the Florida Department of Education, visit www.fldoe.org.
Summer Reading
FDOE and CVI Central Florida to Promote Summer Reading for Local Students with Visual Impairments
The Florida Department of Education teamed up with the Center for the Visually Impaired of Central Florida to help local blind and visually impaired students experience the joys of summer reading and learn about the upcoming solar eclipse.
“It is critical that all Florida students read throughout the summer to maintain and enhance the skills they gained during the school year,” said Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart. “The timing of this partnership is particularly important as it enabled these students to take part in the excitement surrounding the solar eclipse. This is a great example of state and local entities working together to benefit Florida students, and we are thrilled to join in the fun.”
Participants, ages 6-12, were provided embossed braille excerpts of children’s books and teaching tools from the National Library Service (NLS). NASA also presented participants with a braille tactile map, to learn about the upcoming solar eclipse, which will take place August 21.
Using the national 2017 Collaborative Summer Library Program’s theme, “Build a Better World,” the reading program kept the traditional goal of encouraging reading during summer vacation, while concurrently building a community among visually impaired children. “Build a Better World” exposed the students to engineering, architecture and astronomy in the reading materials and crafts. The students also enjoyed the merits of volunteering in their community by donating a project to a cause – creating dog toys for the local animal shelter.
“The ‘Build a Better World’ summer reading program offered students an enhanced learning environment and provided them with the opportunity to engage with their peers, participate in hands-on activities and learn more about STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields,” said Division of Blind Services Director Robert Doyle. “This collaboration brought together the expertise and resources of organizations that are committed to the betterment of the blind and visually impaired community.”
The NLS Braille and Talking Book Library has more than 2.4 million items (audio books, braille, large print, etc.) available. The NLS Braille and Audio Download (BARD) collection contains 97,324 books, 17,086 braille and 80,238 digital. There are nearly 32,000 patrons, individuals and institutions, around the state enrolled in the Florida Talking Books network. For more information about the Division of Blind Services, visit dbs.myflorida.com.
For more information about the Florida Department of Education, visit www.fldoe.org.
