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Young Chicago Students Make Reading A Summer Sport

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Students who stop reading over summer break can fall behind when school resumes. It is called the summer slide.

By The Hand Club sponsored a challenge is to read The Clubhouse Mysteries Space Mission Adventure to digest the words and get to know the characters, CBS 2's Vince Gerasole reports.

Then win some cool stuff if your team answers the most plot questions.

"I read the whole story, so it's not going to be tough really."

But that's not the real prize here.

"That book makes you want to be an astronaut."

It's about identifying with people you read about, sticking with something even if it's a chore, letting a book take you somewhere, develop skills that will last you a lifetime; All while having some fun along the way.

The program involved one-hundred students, first through sixth-graders, mostly from inner-city neighborhoods who were identified as students who needed to improve their reading skills. Almost every student was excited to share what they were reading about.

Chicago Public Schools elementary school students will start classes on Sept. 6.

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