Reading with the Rays

Since 2006 the Rays Baseball Foundation has teamed up with Tampa Bay Times Newspaper in Education for the summer reading program, "Reading with the Rays—Read Your Way to the Ballpark." The program continues to expand and increase in popularity. In 2012, more than 16,000 bay area students participated in the six county program. Reading with the Rays encourages kids to avoid summer reading loss by reading 24 hours over the summer months. Participating libraries track their progress and award prizes for reaching certain goals, including free tickets to a Rays game. The program is made possible through a partnership with the public library systems in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Manatee, Citrus, Pasco and Hernando counties. This summer, Reading with the Rays spokesman Matt Joyce visited the St. Petersburg Main Library and John F. Germany Library in downtown Tampa to kick-off the program. Joyce talked to the kids about the importance of reading over the summer to stay ahead. He read a few stories and then asked the kids to share their favorite books. The program was supported by Advantica and Transitions who provided funding and valuable resources for the program.