Assemblyman Scott Gray (R-Watertown) spoke at Sackets Harbor Central School today to announce his summer reading challenge in cooperation with the Summer Reading at New York Libraries program to inspire kids to read regularly throughout the summer break. This year’s program theme is “All Together Now,” celebrating kindness and friendship. Students who complete 40 or more days of reading during July and August will be awarded a New York State Assembly Excellence in Reading certificate.

“The Center for Public Education got it right by saying ‘learn to read, and you can read to learn just about anything.’ With so many distractions in today’s world, it’s more important than ever to instill good reading habits in our kids. Today’s youth are the leaders of tomorrow, and inspiring our kids to read is one of the greatest pathways to success in education, problem-solving, critical thinking and professional endeavors. My summer reading challenge will ensure kids stay curious and think independently during the months off from school, and it will help them build upon their current skills while picking up new ones to use in the upcoming school year. I encourage every parent in the 116th Assembly district to share this reading challenge with your kids as I know it will have a powerful impact on their development and academic success,” Gray said.