“It was a pleasure discussing the Summer Reading Challenge with First Lady of Ohio Fran DeWine and sharing our love of reading with kids at the State Fair,” Vance said.
“I am grateful for her support of my Summer Reading Challenge and encourage everyone to pick up a new book today,” she said.
Summertime can lead to the summer slide when it comes to literacy as children can lose some of their school-year gains over the break.
Keeping children reading over the summer can help save some of those skills, according to Scholastic, a publisher of children’s books.
Children’s literacy has been a focus for DeWine during her time as Ohio’s first lady as she has previously promoted Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio where all children from birth to five years old can receive one free, age-appropriate book in the mail each month.
“Early literacy is so important to ensuring Ohio kids are ready to go when they reach kindergarten,” said DeWine.
Ohio also has the largest statewide Imagination Library program in the U.S. with more than 407,000 children signed up, according to the governor’s office. The program is currently reaching 70% of households in Ohio with children under the age of five.
Together, Vance and DeWine read “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” to young attendees at the Ohio State Fair on Monday.
“It was so special to be with Second Lady Usha Vance today at the Natural Resources Park at the Ohio State Fair to read to kids and challenge them to explore nature and encourage a love of reading,” DeWine said.
After the reading, children explored the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Park at the fairgrounds by participating in a scavenger hunt.
The scavenger hunt included spots that featured elements from the book reading, including the park’s Butterfly House. Younger children participated in a butterfly craft.
The Second Lady Summer Reading Challenge is open now until Sept. 5. To learn more about the Second Lady Summer Reading Challenge, visit whitehouse.gov/read.
To learn more about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Ohio, visit ohioimaginationlibrary.org.
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