The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

More than 200 children registered for the 2015 summer reading program with the Bridge City Public Library and more than 90 attended the end of summer awards program. The Bridge City Public Library's 2016 Summer Reading Program will begin on June 15. Registration begins on June 6.

Summer vacation for local school children begins in just a few days and the return of an annual event is right around the corner.

The Bridge City Public Library, located at 101 Parkside Drive in Bridge City, will begin its registration period on Monday, June 6, through Friday, June 10, for its annual summer reading program, which is open to children ages pre-K through fifth grade. Each child which registers will receive a reading log. Reading logs which are returned following the last program on July 20 will receive recognition at the end of program awards event the following week. The library staff requests all children be accompanied by a parent or guardian at each weekly program.

Participation by local children has been increasing steadily each year and the library had a huge turnout in 2015, according to K'Lynn Ess, children's librarian.

"Last year was a really good year as we had about 200 kids register for the summer reading program," Ess said. "This program lets us reach out to the community and we have more than just children from Bridge City come to our programs."

Ess explained the programs are designed to be fun, as well as educational, and the group's which participate each week help fulfill those objectives.

"Each presenter does a different educational program each week," she continued. "Whether they are talking about oceans, like our first program will be about, or science, which is the second week, it is all geared toward reading but it is a lot of fun while learning about those things."

This summer's theme is "On Your Mark, Get Set, Read!" and will take place from 11 a.m. - noon, every Wednesday, except for the June 15 and June 29 programs which will start at 10 a.m., due to presenters request.

The June 15 program will be presented by the Houston Museum and is about the ocean. The Texas A&M Chemistry Road Show will entertain children on Wednesday, June 22. On June 29, the program will be about the Mobile Dairy Cows.

No program will be held on Wednesday, July 6, due to the Independence Day holiday on July 4.

Bridge City Crossfit will present a program on July 13 and the Bridge City Police Department will deliver an informative program on July 20.

The end of the summer reading program will be held on Wednesday, July 27, with an awards program.

Visit http://www.bridgecitypubliclibrary.com or call 409-735-4242 for information.