Summer reading program not just for kids

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Marion Heard
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Command Post
ROYAL AIR FORCE MILDENHALL, England (USAFENS) --  Memorial Day has passed and the Department of Defense Dependent Schools will begin summer break soon. With the upcoming break, parents are reminded to ensure their children maintain some level of academic proficiency by reading throughout the summer. There is even a new summer reading program at USAFE libraries called Dragons, Dreams and Daring Deeds. The program encourages children to read and offers rewards based on the number of books they read.

I’m here to remind everyone that reading is not just for kids and I propose the following adult summer reading program. The rules are simple. Step one, select a book you would like to read. Step two, read it, and step three, Repeat steps one and two. For extra credit, once you finish a good book, pass it on to a friend or co-worker to read.

I don’t have T-shirts or medals to hand out as prizes, but I can guarantee everyone the following rewards.

You can improve your mental performance. Reading is good exercise for your brain in much the same way as running is exercise for your body. Through regular and consistent reading, you can increase your reading speed, improve reading comprehension, and expand your vocabulary. Sorry, you can’t log it on FitLinxx.

It gives you more power. If knowledge is power, reading is a power booster. Through the marvels of mail order, the World Wide Web and public libraries, we have relatively easy access to almost any book, anywhere in the world. Access to books means access to knowledge.

It’s a relaxing getaway. Sorry, I don’t have an all expenses paid vacation as a prize. But, reading about another place, another time or someone else’s life can be a nice break. If you think you don’t have time to read a book, try taking your book with you wherever you go. When you find yourself waiting in line somewhere, waiting for a meeting or appointment, waiting in the airport for your flight, etc., use the time to read. Rather than getting mad about the wait, you might even find yourself looking forward to a long line. Are you planning a road trip this summer? Long drives are a great time to read when you aren’t the driver, of course. Or, set aside some time before bed to read. It’s a great way to wind down.

As an added incentive, if you have children and you get them in the habit of reading on long road trips, you can significantly reduce the number of times you have to answer the question, “Are we there yet?”

If you choose to complete the extra credit, you will be eligible for the bonus prizes: lively discussions, camaraderie and mentoring opportunities. If you pass a good book on to friends and co-workers, you have the opportunity to discuss the book with them once they have read it. Even fiction books whose stories have nothing to do with the military can have themes and scenarios which can be topics for discussion and mentoring. For example, I recently read “Atlas Shrugged,” by Ayn Rand. I won’t give away the plot, but part of the theme has to do with work ethic and the importance of personal excellence. These are certainly good topics of discussion in any office.

That’s all there is to it. There is no registration required and no password to remember. You don’t even have to log how many books you’ve read or take a test to prove you read them. You also don’t have to read an entire library worth of books. You can receive these rewards with every book you read.