Middle Georgia libraries promote summer reading with Macon Bacon ticket incentive

Students can earn free baseball tickets by logging reading hours through the Middle Georgia Regional Library System’s summer reading program.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The Middle Georgia Regional Library System’s summer reading program is now underway, encouraging students to continue honing their skills over the summer.

“It involves families reading together and logging those minutes and also coming into any one of their favorite libraries to participate in programming throughout the summer,” said Jennifer Lautzenheiser, director of libraries for the Middle Georgia Regional Library System.

The program is designed to help students continue building their literacy skills and avoid the summer slide, when learning loss can happen during time away from school.

This year, there is an added incentive. Students who log 12 and a half hours of reading can earn a free ticket to a Macon Bacon game.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to give back but also get some people out to the games and be able to recognize these students in front of all their peers, in front of all our fans and the great work that they’re doing for the summer,” said Brandon Raphael, managing partner of the Macon Bacon.

The partnership aims to encourage more students to participate, including those who may need extra motivation to read.

“It’s been proven that children who participate in summer reading programs return to school having retained more of the information from the previous year. So they are on grade level and ready to go at that next grade,” Lautzenheiser said.

Students can track their reading through paper logs or the Beanstack app and visit any library branch in the system.