Program encourages kids to borrow books, keep reading
By Michael S. Hoey
Correspondent
The Delavan-Darien School District will once again be offering local children the opportunity to borrow books this summer in an effort to prevent the summer slide that many students face when they’re off of school for the summer.
“A lot of work was done catching the kids up after COVID-19,” local teacher Kyle Larsen said.
Larsen, who serves as Bilingual Reading Specialist at Turtle Creek and Darien Elementary schools, is coordinating the Bookmobile program this year. He said that reading just 20 minutes a day can help children maintain the reading level they were at when they left school in early June – and might even help them reach a higher level over the summer.
Larsen has been with the district for four years and was a volunteer driver for the Bookmobile program last summer. He said the district’s reading specialists take turns coordinating the program and he volunteered to take the lead this summer.
According to Larsen, the program has been operating since 2017 and has grown into a well-oiled machine. Books are donated by teachers and other district staff members or were purchased with a grant. Books are available in English and Spanish.
“There are a lot of good reading programs in the community,” Larsen said, citing Aram Public Library as one. “A lot of them rely on transportation.”
He said the Bookmobile gets books out into the community within walking distance for as many children as possible in an effort to be far-reaching.
There are nine stops the Bookmobile makes each time it rolls out. It has already made two stops this year (on June 17 and July1) and has the following dates remaining: July 15, July 29 and August 12.
Stops along the Bookmobile’s route – and the approximate times they arrive at each – are as follows:
- Delavan-Darien High School (12:15 p.m.);
- The former roller rink at 548 Delavan Dr. in the Town of Delavan (1 p.m.);
- Woodfield Apartments at 562 Elmhurst Ave. (1:35 p.m.);
- The former Wileman Elementary School building (2 p.m.);
- Our Redeemer Lutheran Church with School (2:25 p.m.);
- Chestnut Ridge Apartments at 433 Autumn Dr. (2:50 p.m.);
Pioneer Estates (3:15 p.m.);
- Bruce Park in Darien (3:50 p.m.) and;
- Phoenix Park (4:30 p.m.)
Larsen said children are welcome to borrow up to 10 books and return them the next time they visit the Bookmobile.
The books and the children can be paired up through the use of district data to match them with books at the appropriate reading level, however, children do not have to be Delavan-Darien School District students to participate.
Students of the district had the opportunity to fill out a reading pledge before school let out for the summer. Larsen said children are welcome to come to any of the stops on any of the remaining days.
District staff members volunteer to drive and staff the Bookmobile, like Larsen is doing. He said being part of the program helps school staff stay in touch with students and maintain a relationship with them over the summer.
Larsen said the program features a community partnership with Our Redeemer and the Little Comets Learning Center at Wileman. He also said fliers were sent to St. Andrew Catholic Parish School and Delavan Christian School.
“We offer different education, but we all work together,” he said about including schools that are not in the district.
