More than 800 kids from the Rogers Park area participated in Chicago Public Library's 2013 Summer Learning Challenge. This year's theme was "Full STEAM Ahead," focusing on science, technology, engineering, art and math.
Kids were challenged to read at least 300 minutes and complete three learning activities over eight weeks. Kids could read fiction or nonfiction books, magazines or newspapers—anything they wanted. Those who completed that challenge received a prize for their efforts.
Many kids kept going once they'd earned their prize and got their names in a raffle for an eReader. Each CPL location had a winner of its own. Rogers Parks' winner was announced at our finale celebration on August 10. Needless to say, our young winner and his family were ecstatic to take home this awesome prize!
Mayor Emanuel issued his own challenge for Chicago's kids. He, Library Commissioner Brian Bannon and Israel Idonije vowed to jump in the lake with the annual Polar Bear Plunge if kids read more books this year than they did last summer. They did, reading more than 2 million books, so look for the mayor to take a cold dip into Lake Michigan in early 2014!
