Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R, I, C – Batavia) recently met with J.T. Turnbull, a Robert Morris student who participated in the State Assembly’s annual Summer Reading Challenge. The program, sponsored in our area by Hawley, encourages reading for children and young adults during the summer school break.

“I am very pleased that so many have participated in this worthwhile challenge and I congratulate everyone who attempted and completed the challenge. During the summer, it is sometimes hard to show this kind of dedication. But it is very important to keep learning and reading is a great way to keep discovering new things,” said Hawley.

Studies have shown that children who continue to read during the summer perform better when returning to school in the fall than children who do not read. Reading is universally acknowledged to help stimulate creativity and language development in children and young adults.

Specifically, the Summer Reading Challenge encourages youth, from pre-school through sixth grade, to read (either alone or with their parents) for at least 15 minutes a day, for 40 days, during July and August. Upon completing this pledge, the child will earn a New York State Assembly Excellence in Reading Certificate.

Assemblyman Hawley would like to congratulate the following youth who have already completed this challenge, including:

• Dani Baxter
• Amanda Boss
• Benjamin Chaback
• Emmy Chaback
• Hayden Gooding
• Maya Gooding
• Rachel Laesser
• Skylar Laesser
• Grace Ludington
• J.T. Turnbull
• Hannah Sarnov
• Lucia Sprague-Amalio