As Tifton strives for the title, library circulation and reading points for the Accelerated Reading Program soar.

     Last year, Mike Brumby, director of the Tift County Foundation for Educational Excellence, helped launch the Accelerated Reading Program in Tifton.  According to Sara Paulk, head librarian for the Tifton Public Library, it was Brumby’s vision and idea to start the program. 

     Brumby set a goal of earning over one million reader points by the year 2000 to get Tifton named the reading capital of the world.

     Reading points continue to mount, points for this summer have increased over over 3,000 points compared to last summer.

     Terri Nalls, coordinator of the summer accelerated reading program, said, “Last summer we had not quite 5,000 points.  As of July 20, we had 6,145 tests and we had 8,963.4 points.”

     The increase could be attributed to the new hours of the program, the addition of celebrity readers, the addition of several pilot programs or a growing interest in the community, said Nalls.

     The library is open more hours this summer.  Now, the library offers the program Monday through Saturday.  This is a big changed from last year when the program was only offered three days a week.

     New pilot programs were integrated into the program this summer as well.  The new programs include adult reading, migrant education, English as a second language, preschool reading and an illiterate reading program.

     There is no way to prove that people are reading more because of the program, but the library’s circulation numbers have increased.  According to Paulk, the children’s material for the public library has increased circulation in the month of June by 13 percent compared to last June.

     Nalls, media specialist for Charles Spencer Elementary School, believes all these factors are key to getting Tifton to read.

     She said, “We just want everybody in Tifton to read.”

     Nalls believes the million-point goal is attainable.  She said, “I think it’s in reach.  We have to just keep reading and have enough books. 

     The program runs at the public library during the summer.  During the school year, the program runs at each participating school.  This year, all of the Tift area schools will be taking part.

     The high school is the last school to join, but they will begin participating with the start of the new school year.

     The program’s purpose is to encourage everyone to read.  Although it is mainly geared at children, anyone can participate.

     Accelerated reading works by a reward system.  Points are earned for reading books.  The points can then purchase prizes.

     Points are earned by taking a comprehension test after the completion of a book.  The test must be successfully passed to get points for reading the book.  The test must be passed on the first try or no points are awarded for that book.

     Points are allotted differently for each book and for the amount of questions answered correctly.

     The program is not just focused on points and prizes though.  According to Brumby, there are four objectives for the program.  One objective is to increase national test scores for third and fifth graders by 25 percent.

     According to Paulk, “If a child learns to read now, they will be a more productive adult and member of society.”

     Nalls sees the benefit of the program with her own students.  She said, “This is a wonderful program for getting children motivated to read.”

     Kayla Potts, 10-years-old, is an example of how the program can work.

     Potts has earned 163 points this summer.  She said “It brought my grades up because in third grade I used to make bad grades, but when I joined the summer reading program it brought my grades up.”