With the "Governor's Summer Reading Challenge" wrapping up as school begins, Gov. John deJongh Jr. reminded the young readers who participated to turn in their tracking sheets Friday so those who met the challenge can get the recognition they deserve.
Hundreds of public, private and parochial students between kindergarten and 8th grade took up the governor's challenge this year. The territory-wide program encouraged children to enjoy reading throughout the summer months and to track the books they completed, according to a statement from Government House.
The hope is to inspire reading as a hobby, outside of regular homework assignments, thereby increasing the overall learning experience and literacy efforts for the territory’s youngsters, deJongh said in the statement.
“Reading is the perfect way to learn more about the world around us, offering new insights and perspectives that are oftentimes driven by our own unique imagination," he said. "This program enables V.I. boys and girls to discover and rediscover the joy of reading and encourages children to continue reading for entertainment and pleasure through the academic year.”
In the closing weeks of summer break, deJongh distributed thousands of books to students on St. Thomas and St. Croix, where eager youngsters who accepted the challenge received an infusion of literature to cap off their summer reading. Many students who accepted the challenge read above and beyond the five titles necessary to complete the program, according to deJongh.

A special “Fun Day” of closing ceremonies will be held in both districts in October to recognize those children who read five or more books for the challenge. As an additional, public recognition, those students’ names will also be featured in the territory's newspapers. The ceremonies will include special awards for children who read above and beyond the parameters of the Challenge, as well as a special prize for the winning schools on each island in a school-by-school competition.
The Governor’s Summer Reading Challenge is a partnership between the Office of the Governor, the Department of Education, and Learn-It Systems Corporation. In addition to encouraging reading, the Summer Reading Challenge helps students build their own personal libraries by letting them keep their books. Learn-It donated 100,000 books to the program, which were distributed to participating students for free.