Grand Finale a Big Hit!

Our REACH FOR THE STARS...READ! Awards Ceremony and Concert were attended by 300 proud readers and their parents and grandparents. Library Director Barbara Hathaway thanked the parents for taking the time to make repeated trips to the library and log the minutes. Mayor Pro Tem Jack McCool congratulated the children on reading a whopping 405,411 minutes. Winners of special prize drawings were announced, and Joe McDermott took over, and soon had the kids in the audience dancing, singing, and screaming with delight.

Nearly 800 children registered for the program this year, and 382 read at least 400 minutes to become eligible for awards. Study after study has shown that children who participate in summer reading programs at public libraries return to school in the fall ready to learn, and with improved reading skill and greater confidence.  We chose a Star Wars theme this year in order to appeal to boys, who are typically under-represented in our programs. Judging by the popularity of this year’s programs, we succeeded!  Prizes included a tee shirt made possible by the sponsors’ donations, and a personal poster of each star reader hanging in the library.

The Library would like to thank its sponsors Art Attack, Broadway Bank, and the Shops at the Galleria, and partners Aqua-Tots Swim School, Dogadillo, Eyecare Essentials, Hill Country Kids, and Learning Express. Other supporters donating items for the prizes or offering special support included A+ Federal Credit Union, Austin Astronomical Society, Backwoods, Barnes & Noble, Billy Butler, C&C Dentistry, The Cotton Cupboard, Karen Cook, Jessica Dieterle, Dillard’s, Cheryl Dore, fab’rik, Freedom Silk Screening, James Avery Craftsman, Lakeway TaeKwonDo, Milk + Honey Spa, Dr. Pamela Owen, PostNet, Amanda Reed, Jeanetta Sanders, SportClips, Rebecca Wright, the 501st Legion of the Star Garrison-Central Texas, and the Department of Astronomy at the University of Texas, Austin.