Local high school students volunteer summer vacation to read to underprivileged children

Hugs Across the County hosts program to prevent summer slide

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According to a recent study, in St. Johns County there were 876 homeless students in the 2017-2018 school year.
In a county with some of the best schools in the state, some kids are coming to class on empty stomachs and going to a home without a single book inside it.
The nonprofit Hugs Across the County wants to ensure all students get a chance to learn and have their basic needs met. High school students Sami Meyers and Alex Schupler spent their vacation managing the SummerSOAR program, which not only gives books to underprivileged elementary students, but also teaches them the love of reading.
“In Ponte Vedra and in our area, you don't expect there to be kids like that,” said Schupler. “Even at Valley Ridge I would never expect because it’s a new school in Nocatee and it’s a big community, but the kids need us.”
The annual SummerSOAR program is aimed at helping prevent “summer slide,” which is the decline of reading ability that occurs over the months that students aren’t actively engaged at school. The program is in its second year and serves three locations across the county that are also State of Florida Summer Food Program sites. The program not only provides new books for the children to take home but Meyers, Schupler and their team of volunteers read a new book to the group after every meal.
Director of Hugs Across the County, Brette Reiman, says that “60% of kids from under-served communities do not have a book in their home.” A statistic that compounds summer slide in students that are already struggling to maintain their grades when some of their other necessities aren’t being adequately provided.
Since Meyers and Schupler joined the program, they have also helped create more diversity in reading material, a suggestion from their students that they took to heart.
“The kids said, ‘Can you bring more books where the kids who look like us?’” Reiman said. “We looked for books with more multicultural diversity. We were able to find books where the main characters were in the autism spectrum or where they might have physical disabilities. Also, (we found) books about a child in a single parent home. Sami and Alex made sure those kids had the books that they really wanted.”
In addition to helping the students, Meyers and Schupler found they enjoyed the reading as much as the children did.
“Certain books make them so excited, you can see their eyes light up,” said Schupler.
“It has really helped bring the joy of reading back to us as well.” Meyers added, “It has opened my eyes to life outside of our life.”
For anyone interested in donating any items to Hugs Across the County, the nonprofit is currently looking for girls clothing, no-show socks, new underwear and nonperishable food. For monetary donations or to learn more about Hugs Across the County, visit www.stjohnshugs.org.