LAPLACE — St. John the Baptist Parish Parents can take advantage of a free summer program that could help their children retain information from school while winning fun prizes.

The fun starts next week thanks to a St. John the Baptist Parish Library System-led program.

Melodie Franklin, youth services director, said the Summer Reading Program is an incentive based effort where children, up to 12 years old, win prizes for summer reading.

“We’ve been doing this program for years and years,” she said. “The program begins June 1 and ends July 31. Kids will be rewarded for reading by keeping track of how much time they read.”

Children can read whatever they like, Franklin said, adding they can get one set of prizes when they’ve reached 250 minutes of reading. After they’ve reached 500, they can get another set of prizes. They are also entered into a grand prize drawing at that point.

Parents who sign up their children for the program receive a reading record to keep track of minutes, along with a bookmark and shoelace charm for the children.

“The reason for having the time reading record is so that if younger kids want to try one of the larger novels, they can do that,” Franklin said. “If it takes them all summer, than they are definitely going to reach their 500 minutes of reading.”

Children can read regular books, novels, magazines, comic books or listen to audio books as long as they keep track of how long they’ve been reading.

“Last year we had about 700 kids sign up,” Franklin said. “This year I would love for 1,500 to sign up. That would be wonderful.”

Children who complete 250 minutes receive a sports ball necklace, a paint sheet and a pencil. For those that complete 500 minutes, they earn a sports bag and a jump rope.

Parents can register their children at any of the four library branches for the free program, beginning June 1, which is when the Summer Reading Program kicks off.

As part of the June 1 festivities, families can enjoy a show put on by Mitch the Magician at each of the library branches. Mitch employs magic as a tool to create positive lives through laughter, education and motivation.

Mitch is performing at 9:30 a.m. at the Edgard Library, 11:15 a.m. in Garyville, 2 p.m. at the Reserve Library and 3:45 p.m. at the Central Library in LaPlace. All shows are June 1.

Before Mitch makes his way to the Central Branch, festivities will already be underway with jump ropes and hula-hoops for children to enjoy, Franklin said, adding the first 100 receive a snowball.

Lynn Braud, children’s outreach librarian, is ready for this year’s Summer Reading Program to begin because it’s a wonderful way to promote literacy.

The former teacher knows students can digress if they don’t continue using the skills learned during the school year. Practice is important.

Summer reading, Braud feels, is a way for kids to continue their literacy and reading skills.

“We have a list here at (the Central Branch) for parents to look up required reading,” Braud said. “I believe that list went out with report cards, but we also have a list here. We’re so excited for the program. The summer reading program is a great way to get the community together because we do a lot of different activities for different age levels, which get kids to work cooperatively.”

Mother of three Becky Connor said her children would be participating in the Summer Reading program.

“This will probably be our fourth year doing the summer reading program,” Connor said. “They like to read. It gives us something fun to do over the summer.”

Connor said her children enjoy the prizes they get after reaching their reading goal.

“My oldest daughter has won some great prizes,” she said. “It excites my kids, which makes me happy. I would absolutely encourage parents to register their kids in the reading program. There is no downside to it.”

Connor is looking forward to attending the Summer Reading Program Kick Off festivities next week at the Central Library.

“I don’t think we’ve ever seen a magician,” she said. “We love our library; we go at least once a week. I think every librarian knows us by name because we are there so much.”