Victor Johnson

Studies show that children living at or below the poverty level typically lose about three months of reading ability during summer break. The goal of Johnson's "Summer of Success" project is to reverse this trend by establishing personal reading libraries for at-risk first and second-grade students attending McGregor Elementary School. The program is based on the notion that providing lower-income students with easy access to summer reading materials can significantly impact reading achievement. Each child will personally select up to eight books so that reading libraries will be tailored to meet that particular child's interests and ability. One book per week, along with a personalized message from the school, will be sent to the child's home. To maintain contact over the summer, the school also will host three literacy luncheons. Participating children will be invited to read to a volunteer and discuss their books with peers. A family literacy event at the local Barnes and Noble Bookstore will also be held. Johnson lives in Canton.