Books and Buses: Chattanooga’s Route to a Fun and Educational Summer for Students
Beginning this summer, students in Chattanooga, Tennessee will have the opportunity to combine literacy with mobility thanks to a partnership between the city’s public transportation system and its public library. The Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) and the Chattanooga Public Library have unveiled their new initiative called Read and Ride, aimed at providing free transportation for students who sign up for the library’s summer reading program, titled Make. Play. Read. Learn. (MPRL).
The Read and Ride Program
Under the Read and Ride program, all students who register for the MPRL program will receive free bus passes for the summer. These will not only provide a means of transportation to the library but also encourage the utilization of public transportation. It is hoped that through these combined experiences of enhanced mobility and exposure to literature, kids will enrich their summer holidays with both adventures and knowledge.
The Impact on Students
With such a program, the spectrum of possibilities opens up for students to explore various parts of the city, develop a regular reading habit, and participate in intellectual and recreational activities at the library. This initiative can increase the accessibility of diverse resources, books, programs, and services that the public library offers to the Chattanooga community, reaching even those students who might not have had easy access to the library due to transportation barriers.
Emphasis on Summer Reading
The program places a significant focus on summer reading to combat the “summer slide” largely experienced by students. The term “summer slide” refers to the academic regression in reading skills that some students experience over the summer break. By involving students in reading activities during the summer months, the program aims to prevent this slide, maintaining and enhancing literacy skills until the start of the next academic year.
Participation and Operation
Parents or guardians can sign their kids up for the MPRL program online or in-person at any Chattanooga Public Library branch. Once the registration is complete, the student will receive their Read and Ride bus pass, giving them access to a world of learning and exploration outside their neighborhood.
Interaction with the Chattanooga Community
The Read and Ride program brings together local institutions and encourages the community to support their initiative. The partnership between CARTA and the Chattanooga Public Library not only enhances the summer experience for local students but also strengthens the ties within the community, fostering a sense of unity and common purpose.
This innovative literacy and transportation project, combined with the community’s active participation, underlines the city’s commitment to nurturing intellectual growth and accessibility for all students, regardless of their circumstances.
Conclusion
The CARTA and Chattanooga Public Library’s Read and Ride program represents an innovative step towards enhanced access to education and transport for students. Offering a fun, educational, and adventurous alternative to a sedentary summer, this initiative promises a memorable and enlightening vacation for Chattanooga’s young minds, thus laying the foundation for a brighter educational future for the students of Chattanooga.
Source: HERE News Network
