Claymont summer reading finale engages young readers in fun
Raven Stevenson, 2, of Uhrichsville can't keep her eyes off her temporary apple tattoo. Raven attended the event with her parents, Matthew and Tanna Stevenson.
After a successful Summer Reading Program, the Claymont Library gave out prizes, T-shirts and lunch to those participating at an event at Heritage Park in Dennison.
The children participated in many programs, but several stood out as favorites.
“We had a camping program that had Smokey Bear, and the Uhrichsville Fire Department came, and they gave tours of the firetruck and passed out fire-safety stuff,” said Mary Jo Sabetta, Claymont Public Library children’s coordinator, who also told the original story of Smokey the Bear at the program and at the finale.
For one program Sabetta brought in a real rocket scientist, recent University of Akron graduate Aaron Hoffman of Dover. While at the university, Hoffman was a member of the Akronauts Rocket Design Team, a student design team devoted to developing innovative designs to allow the students to excel at the collegiate rocketry level and prepare them for work in the space industry.
“That was really well attended; the kids had so much fun,” Sabetta said.
Hoffman brought a rocket the Akronauts had launched.
“When he put it up, it was as tall as the ceiling in the library,” Sabetta said.
The children in attendance made their own rockets and launched them. “That was very successful,” Sabetta said.
Incorporating kits from COSI into programs was popular too. That included a dinosaur-themed kit and another program called Sink or Float: Make a Boat.
“The kids made boats and saw how much weight they could put on them,” Sabetta said. “And then we had a contest, and it was just so much fun. The kids loved it.”
As part of the water program, they also got to play with making large bubbles.
“We got off to a slow start, but then it started picking up once kids started talking to other children, and I'm well pleased,” Sabetta said.
Now that the Summer Reading Program is over, Sabetta’s focus moves to fall.
“We will start a whole other round of programs. We'll be having preschool programs, I'll be going to Head Start into the preschools and we'll also have some young adult programming,” Sabetta said.
She can’t wait for summer reading next year though.
“I'm super excited because it was really fun this year,” Sabetta said.
Raven Stevenson, 2 ½, of Uhrichsville enjoyed the finale event, getting her first-ever temporary tattoo.
“She attended the summer reading programs and had a blast playing with all the other kids,” Tanna Stevenson said of her daughter.
Raven Stevenson also attended the Summer Reading Program finale with her father Matthew.
The activities at the end of summer celebration included a giant Lego set, giant Jenga, cornhole, face painting, balloon twisting, a bubble station, an ambulance and fire and rescue truck on display, and lunch and fruit fondue. Prizes and T-shirts also were given out.
Zoey Marino, 4, of Uhrichsville tried the fondue, and she attended many of the summer reading programs. Her favorites were listening to stories and the dinosaur and water box activities.
Carie Kline of Dover and her daughter Ruby filled in at story time for author Farrah Raines, who was out of town. The two read and acted out Raines’ latest book, “Farmer Farrah’s Rainbow of Foods,” a book about eating healthy food. Raines works with children on food therapy as part of her job and wants to encourage kids to try new foods.
Ruby Kline was featured in the book as Ruby Sue, a helper to Farmer Farrah. Together they go in search of colorful, healthy foods.
Carie and Ruby Kline also led movements throughout the reading of the book, encouraging children to participate in pretend throwing confetti, buttering and eating corn and more.
Sponsors of the Claymont Library Summer Reading Program and the finale event included Novelis, Kings Island, McKinley Presidential Museum, Blooms Printing and Design, Baylor Beach Park, MAPS Air Museum, Superior Clay Corp., Northside Auto Repair, First Federal Bank, American Italian Club, Rotary Club of Dennison, Dairy Queen, Rod's Donuts, Historic Roscoe Village, RTY Inc., Trumpet in the Land, the Pin Drop Shop, Warther Museum and Gardens, WTUZ Radio, Friends of the Claymont Public Library, Claymont Health and Rehabilitation, and the Uhrichsville Farmers Market.