Huntington Learning Center (HLC), located at 22833 Bothell-Everett Highway, Suite 156 in Bothell, will be launching Reading Adventure, a summer reading program to encourage students to immerse themselves in the books they read.

Students choose books from reading lists provided by Huntington, which offer suggestions by grade level. Each student receives a reading “passport” in which they record their book selections. Once the child finishes a book, he or she completes a journal entry and receives a postcard.

“We launched Reading Adventure in 2010 to get students excited about reading for enjoyment and to think of books as opportunities to take a journey into another world, culture or area of interest,” says Andrew Bowen of the Bothell HLC. “We find that students who pick up books for fun are far more engaged in reading than they might be when they are forced to read. We’ve selected high-interest, fun booksthat will appeal to children with a variety of interests—and those at a variety of reading levels.”

At the end of the summer, Bowen says the Bothell HLC will host a celebration to honor students’ reading achievements. Each participant will receive a certificate of accomplishment and a Reading Adventure trophy.

“Reading truly is a skill that improves with frequent practice,” says Bowen. “Studies continue to prove that the more students read, the more they want to read because their reading, comprehension and critical thinking skills improve. This is the purpose of Reading Adventure—to get children interested in stories and topics that are new to them, to encourage them to explore and to help children develop a regular reading habit. That way, when the new school year begins, students have maintained their reading skill level.”

For more information about Huntington Learning Center’s Reading Adventure program and to sign up your child, contact Bowen at (425) 368-2300.