The final bells for the 2022-2023 school year in Haines have rung and kids have closed their textbooks for the summer. But the Haines Public Library is intent on keeping kids reading over the summer break with their annual Summer Reading Program which kicked off Friday with a familiar magical face.
A full house of eager children and their parents greeted magician Jeff Evans as he made his return to the Haines Borough Public Library. This marks the third year the Seattle based performer has returned to Haines for the commencement of the Summer Reading Program. Evans regularly does shows at libraries as part of summer programs, as that’s where he says his career began.
Evans: “My career did start from a book at the library. So I mentioned that to kids. And there are also a bunch of magic books in the library. One of the first public shows I did were for libraries in Lacey where I live growing up. And then as soon as I got hooked up with the libraries, they’re part of a system. So a bunch of the libraries in the nearby communities booked me and then I’ve been doing libraries ever since.”
The Summer Reading program is intended by its creator, Haines’ local children’s librarian Holly Davis, to combat what’s known as the “summer slide.” That refers to the loss of reading and math achievements over the summer break, when children take an extended break from learning. While numbers vary, one recent study stated that, over the break, grade schoolers can lose about 20% of their school-year gains in reading and 27% of their math progress. This requires students to play catch up when they return to class in the fall. The Summer Reading Program rewards kids who continue reading over the summer with donated prizes from a colorful treasure chest. Evans is glad that his show can help kids keep reading year ‘round.
Evans: “Reading is a great way to improve your knowledge about whatever you’re interested in, whether it’s sports or other hobbies. And I think that even I go into libraries and I’m amazed at how many books are about whatever subject it is, it’s just a huge amount of information. And it’s free.”
The magic show was a hit with kids and parents alike,like Nate Miller, who attended with his wife and son Joe.
Miller: “It was wonderful. Yeah, I come every year. This is my third year attending and I think it’s the real kickoff the summer in Haines and the kids love it.”
Following the show, the crowd of children followed librarian Holly Davis on a short parade around the library before gathering on the front steps for a group photo to celebrate the start of the summer reading season.
