DAPHNE, Ala. — As area students head into summer break, Huntington Learning Center of Daphne is launching Reading Adventure, Huntington’s summer reading program.

Building on the themes of discovery and exploration, Reading Adventure encourages students to immerse themselves in the books they read.

Students choose books from reading lists provided by Huntington, which offers suggestions by grade level. Each student receives a reading “passport” in which they record book selections. Once the child finishes a book, he or she completes a journal entry and receives a postcard.

“We launched Reading Adventure in 2010 to get students excited about reading for enjoyment and to think of books as opportunities to take a journey into another world, culture or area of interest,” says Beth Dotson of the Daphne Huntington Learning Center. “We find that students who pick up books for fun are far more engaged in reading than they might be when they are forced to read. We’ve selected high-interest, fun books that will appeal to children with a variety of interests — and those at a variety of reading levels.”

At the end of the summer, Dotson says the Daphne Huntington Learning Center will host a celebration to honor students’ reading achievements.

Each participant will receive a certificate of accomplishment and a Reading Adventure trophy.

“Reading truly is a skill that improves with frequent practice,” says Dotson. “Studies continue to prove that the more students read, the more they want to read because their reading, comprehension and critical thinking skills improve. This is the purpose of Reading Adventure — to get children interested in stories and topics that are new to them, to encourage them to explore and to help children develop a regular reading habit. That way, when the new school year begins, students have maintained their reading skill level.”

For more information about Huntington Learning Center’s Reading Adventure program and to sign up your child, contact Huntington Learning Center of Daphne at 621-1057.