Summer Learning Challenge

Make this summer one to remember! Keep your mind active, earn cool rewards, and explore exciting activities!

All ages are invited to participate! Here's how to get started:

1. Sign up or log in. Create or sign in to your account on PLS Connect or below.

2. Log your learning. All ages are encouraged to participate! Log reading time and fun learning activities to earn 1,000 points.

3. Crush the Challenge & give back! Visit the library to collect your summer prizes for every point badge you earn!

When we reach our community goal of 18 million points, PLS will donate books provided by the Pioneer Library System Foundation to children enrolled in WIC programs across our service area.

Let the Challenge begin!

Why join the Summer Learning Challenge?

The Summer Learning Challenge works to prevent the “summer slide" by prompting kids to read 20 minutes per day. This helps kids from falling behind and to build skills steadily over summer months to start the school year back on track!

Elementary school students with high levels of attendance (at least five weeks) in voluntary summer learning programs experience benefits in math and reading. 

High-quality summer programs improve math and reading skills and also build critical social and emotional skills of students. These are skills that will help them not only in school, but also in their careers and life. 

Research shows that high-quality summer programs can make a difference in reducing learning loss and closing the country’s educational and opportunity gaps. 

9 in 10 teachers spend at least three weeks re-teaching lessons at the start of the school year. 

Without summer counseling and support, one-third of first-generation college attendees are susceptible to the “summer melt” and fail to enroll in the fall, even after being accepted. 

Waiting lists for summer youth jobs are in the thousands in most major cities, despite promising findings around reduced crime and mortality rates for participants. 

Summer Learning Challenge FAQs

Is the Challenge just for kids?

• The Challenge is for all ages, yes, even adults! There are specialized learning tracks and prizes designed for early literacy (0-5), children (6-11), teens (12-17), and adults (18+).

How do I earn points?

• You earn one point for every minute of learning or reading. You can collect multiple points by completing activities on your learning track, too!

What is my goal? 

• Everyone’s goal is automatically set to 1,000 points. But learning never stops! You can keep learning beyond 1,000 points all summer long!