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Austintown library hosts end of summer reading party
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Neighbors | Tim Cleveland.A pair of children sang the ABC song during karaoke as part of the End of Summer Reading party at Austintown library.
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Neighbors | Tim Cleveland.Children and their parents dove right in making glitter Playdough during the End of Summer Reading party at Austintown library.
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Neighbors | Tim Cleveland.Children made throws during a game of cornhole at the End of Summer Reading party at Austintown library.
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Neighbors | Tim Cleveland.Children gathered around and listened as Austintown library juvenile librarian Kathe Orr read the book "First Day Jitters" during the End of Summer Reading party.
By TIM CLEVELAND
To celebrate the ending of the Summer Reading Program, Austintown library hosted its annual End of Summer Reading party on Aug. 18.
“This is the Summer Reading Wrap-Up program,” said juvenile librarian Kathe Orr, who along with fellow librarian Nikki Puhalla supervised the event. “It’s a celebration, a party, to have kids come and have a good time before they start back to school and have to study.”
The Summer Reading Program lasted from June 1 until Aug. 16. Orr said approximately 800 children participated at Austintown library alone.
More than a dozen children attended. The activities included Orr reading the book “First Day Jitters,” cornhole, glitter Playdough and making construction paper hats with stickers. There were refreshments of animal crackers and juice, plus the most popular event, karaoke. The songs included the “ABC” song, “Jingle Bells,” “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” “London Bridge” and “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.”
“This has always been the big thing,” Orr said. “We just use children’s songs from Youtube. It works real well.”
Joann Vendetti of Austintown brought her grandson Joey Sharpe. She said Joey completed 30 hours for the Summer Reading Program.
“I bring him here for the story telling,” she said. “For summer reading, I had him here for that.”
Orr said the party is a good event for families to come to.
“We always wrap up summer reading,” she said. “This is just kind of for everybody to come if they like.
“In the past we’ve had a lot of families come.”