After April vacation, all freshman and sophomore classes at Abington High School had a “field trip” to the Abington Public Library. The walk was refreshing. On April 29, the sun was shining and the breeze was cool when my period 2 class with Miss Pflaumer went along with Mrs. Clifford’s freshman class.  It was an enjoyable start to the day.

The reason for our visit to the library was to gain information through a library orientation. The orientation was to kick off the 2019 Summer Reading program. The trips for all freshmen and sophomores were organised by Mrs. Milloshi, the Abington Middle High School Librarian and Media Specialist and the public library.

Summer reading is important. It is a mandatory requirement for all students at AHS who will be in grades 9-12. The reason for summer reading is that without continuously activating your brain and thought processes, you actually become less intelligent than you were previously. It is said that for most students who do not read over the summer, they lose some information from the previous year, making the next year’s start harder. One freshman, Jared Hermanson, said that, “We read to retain reading comprehension and vocabulary.”

Another reason people read is for entertainment or emotional well-being. Reading “can help you escape reality,” said freshman Katelyn Mirick. Many people would agree. Najia McDonald said, “We read to use our imaginations and lessen stress.”

Overall, the Library Orientation was a nice opportunity for everyone who was in attendance. The librarians who walked us through and assisted us were Miss Roberts and Mrs. Grimmett. They were very welcoming and helpful. They took the time out of their day to allow us in even before the library opened, so it was a privilege. Gretchen Mueller, a freshman, liked that the orientation “gave us other resources to do summer reading,” such as e-books and apps to use.

Miss Roberts introduced us to tools like Overdrive and Hoopla which are apps in which you can locate eBooks if you don’t quite enjoy paper or can’t get to the library. Mrs. Grimmett then welcomed us into the young adult room and explain its basic function. We were reminded how the fiction books available are organized by the author’s last name. How the computers may be used, but that those using them should be considerate of time so that others who may like to use them can. The computers in that room are the only ones that don’t require a login.

The Abington Public Library, linked here, is a great resource and will be of great use for the summer reading program. “There is information written in words,” freshman Molly McLaughlin said. So open a book to see what you find.

NOTE: On May 30, Abington Middle School eighth graders, along with their ELA teachers, visited the classrooms of their ELA teacher for next year: Dr. G. or Ms. Slayton. Students were introduced to the Summer Reading Program.