Students end Summer Reading Program with a special party at Saugus Iron Works

By Laura Eisner

About 350 Saugus students participated in the Saugus Public Library’s 2023 Summer Reading Program, which wrapped up on Thursday, August 24, with a party and a performance by the Toe Jam Puppet Band on the upper lawn at the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site. Amy Melton, head of the Children’s Department, organized this festive event, funded in part by the Saugus Cultural Council. Participating families danced, “hula-hooped,” tossed laundry in the air and in general had a fun and festive time to mark the point between summer vacation and getting ready to return to school. Students were encouraged to keep up their habit of reading during the summer vacation time, and earn prizes based on their reading this summer.

The back-to-school events at the Iron Works featured a StoryWalk^® where visitors could stroll around the upper level of the Iron Works site and follow signs with pages from the book “All Are Welcome” (Todo el mundo cabe aqui) by Alexandra Penfold. StoryWalk^® was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vt., and further developed with the help of Rachel Senechal, formerly of the Kellogg-Hubbard Library in Montpelier, Vt.

Marissa Lehrman staffed a table Thursday afternoon with information about the Power of Parenting program available for parents of children between three and six years old living in Saugus, Lynn and Nahant. It is run by the Coordinated Family and Community Engagement program – funded by a grant from the Department of Early Education and Care – and includes free multilingual parenting workshops and discussion meetings, eligibility to earn grocery gift cards, and more. An info session will be held October 17. Anyone wanting more information on this program can contact Melissa Lehrman through her email at mlehrman@families-first.org.