SALISBURY – Rowan Public Library’s summer reading program encourages youth to explore new worlds through reading, and those literary excursions are rewarded with prizes and special programs.

Since 2015, these initiatives have also extended to include a reading contest among various schools in Rowan County. With the sponsorship of Salisbury-based First Bank, RPL awards Reader’s Cups to the elementary, middle and high schools whose students recorded the most hours of reading during the summer reading program.

The 2016 Reader’s Cups winners are Sacred Heart Academy (elementary), Erwin Middle School and Carson High School. Each school received a trophy cup that will be displayed in its media center until May 2017. The cups will then be returned to RPL to be awarded to the 2017 winners.

Over 2,400 children and teens registered for RPL’s 2016 summer reading program. Participants recorded their reading time in order to contribute hours towards the Readers’ Cup contest, as well as to receive individual incentive prizes. Children earned prizes at goals of one, five, 10, 15 and 20 hours of reading; teens were eligible to enter raffles based on the number of recorded reading hours.

The children’s reading campaign, “On your mark, get set… READ!” targeted youth from birth to fifth grade; the teen’s campaign “Get in the Game!” focused on those in sixth through 12th grades. Altogether, participants recorded over 25,000 hours of reading during the seven-week program, with children clocking 15,000 hours and teens 10,100.

Rowan Public Library’s summer reading program is an annual event. For more information, visit www.rowanpubliclibrary.org