Music Compound is committed to educating all year long, including when school is out for the summer. Each year on June 1, Music Compound launches the Rock Your Summer Reading initiative. All participants who read 50 books or more are eligible to be entered into the grand prize drawing for a party for up to 20 people at Music Compound’s “Studio 32”; Jewel Love Jackson was recently announced as the grand prize winner.
The young reader won a party featuring pizza from Solarzano’s, bounce house donated by Let’s Jump Rentals, SRQ PhotoBooth, and sweet treats donated by Crumbl Cookie (a $2,000 value).
Jackson, 11, a sixth-grader, read over 60 books this summer. She loves reading mystery books and recently began reading the “Percy Jackson” series. Her favorite school activities are sports and writing; her hobbies include singing, writing music and stories, acting, and exercising. This was the third year she participated in the Rock Your Summer Reading program.
For this year’s effort, Music Compound again partnered with area businesses to provide special treats, one-of-a-kind experiences, and cool items as prizes; area youth receive prizes for every five books they read. As the number of books a child reads increases, the value of prizes they can earn grows.
The initiative has grown dramatically since it launched in 2020. Last year, 86 children participated, logging approximately 3,400 total books, and 43 children qualified for the grand prize drawing by reading at least 50 books. This year, 297 students participated, nearly 5,000 books were read, and 80 young readers qualified for the grand prize drawing.
“Watching the growth of this program since it launched four years ago has been such a thrill!” said Music Compound general studio manager Alyssa Martin. “Its success in motivating kids to read over the summer has just been incredible. We are grateful to our business partners, who have been so generous in providing prizes to excite and inspire our young readers – this program simply wouldn’t be possible without their support.”
While the children enjoy the reading and the prizes, parents also enjoy knowing that their kids are benefiting from the activity as well.
“I am so proud of Jewel,” said her mother, Melody Jackson. “The Rock Your Summer Reading Program has not only encouraged my daughter to read but has also sparked her imagination and given her the confidence to write her own book.”
Other parents thanked Music Compound “for encouraging my kids to read more” and recognized the value of the incentives in inspiring their kids to read over the summer.
This program is open to all area children. There is a Rock Your Summer Reading Facebook group in addition to a page devoted to the program on Music Compound’s website. For more information, contact Music Compound: [email protected] or 941-379-9100.
