Base wraps up summer reading program

Rickey Pittman, storyteller, author and folksinger, sings Celtic folk songs to the children at the youth center for the finale of the Summer Reading Program on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., July 19. This year, the Summer Reading Program had 174 participants who read to receive prizes such as bikes and teddy bears. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Kristin High)(RELEASED)

Base wraps up summer reading program

Rickey Pittman, storyteller, author and folksinger, performs for the children at the youth center for the finale of the Summer Reading Program on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., July 19. This year, the Summer Reading Program had 174 participants who read to receive prizes such as bikes and teddy bears. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Kristin High)(RELEASED)

Base wraps up summer reading program

Rickey Pittman, storyteller, author and folksinger, recites stories to children at the youth center for the finale of the Summer Reading Program on Barksdale Air Force Base, La., July 19. Pittman presents his stories, music and programs at schools, libraries, organizations, museums, Civil War Reenactments and Celtic festivals throughout the South. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Kristin High)(RELEASED)

Base wraps up summer reading program

Published July 22, 2011
By Senior Airman Kristin High
2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La., -- The annual summer reading program at the Barksdale Library wrapped up July 19.

More than 75 Barksdale youth attended the culminating event, which was held at the Youth Center here, and featured entertainment by famed author, musician and storyteller Mr. Rickey Pittman.

The summer reading program has been an ongoing effort to keep Barksdale youth actively engaged in reading throughout the summer.

"The purpose of this program is to encourage children to read during the summer while they are out of school, "said Christian Rhodes, Barksdale librarian.

More than 170 children participated in this year's program, which was themed a 'Midsummer Knight's Read.'

The two month long reading program is aimed at children pre-school to 12 years of age. While there was no specific requirement for which books to read or how many, the children who read the most books were awarded with prizes at the culminating ceremony.

In addition to games and prizes, the children in attendance of the event were privy to numerous songs and stories from guest speaker Pittman, who hopes to spark enough interest in his audience to encourage more reading.

"It's my job to make the children curious enough to want to look up some of the things that I touch on ... to research and just to have fun," he said. "In the long run, I hope that some of them become children's authors and perhaps storytellers themselves one day."

For more information on future library events, contact the base library at 318-456-4101.