Classes will be dismissing this week for summer across Long Island, but New York State Sen. Monica R. Martinez is encouraging students to dig for adventure during the upcoming break by participating in the New York State Senate’s 2026 Summer Reading Program.  The annual event encourages parents and guardians statewide to keep their children engaged in learning, while fostering a love of reading that will boost literacy skills during the summer months and beyond.

During the roughly 10-week break, many students experience what is known as the "Summer Slide," during which they lose some of the achievement gains made during the previous school year.  However, just because classes are on recess doesn’t mean learning and intellectual enrichment should be too.

“Summer is the perfect time for students to find excitement and adventure all within the margins of a book,” said Sen. Martinez. “Summer reading allows students to explore their interests while strengthening the reading and comprehension skills that will fuel their success in September and beyond.  As an educator, I encourage families to participate in the New York State Senate's 2026 Summer Reading Program to keep their children engaged, intellectually stimulated, and ready to thrive when they return to school this fall.”

This year’s theme is “Unearth a Story,” which underscores the joy of discovery that reading brings.   The program also highlights the idea that every person and every community has stories waiting to be found and shared through books, programs, and local knowledge.  

To participate, parents and guardians are asked to submit their children’s summer reading activities, which include the names of three books read by their child this summer, to Sen. Martinez through the Summer Reading Program’s webpage until Aug. 21, 2026.  Children entered will receive a Certificate of Achievement from Sen. Martinez in recognition of their achievements. 

According to the New York State Library, summer reading programs like this one play a crucial role in advancing literacy and academic performance.  By engaging children and teens in voluntary reading, these programs promote successful reading experiences and support literacy development in communities across New York State.

For more information on the New York State Senate's 2026 Summer Reading Program, please visit: https://www.nysenate.gov/nyread.  Additional insights into the benefits of summer reading are available from New York's Libraries and Scholastic’s Kids and Families Reading Report.