Avert the summer slide.

That's the idea behind the Black Knight Bookmobile.

Volunteers gathered at Amos Herr Park on Mondays in July to distribute free books to Hempfield School District students, thanks to a $2,500 grant from the Hempfield Foundation.

The Black Knight Bookmobile is an effort spearheaded by reading specialists Amy Saporetti and Kim Rineer and elementary curriculum supervisor Jason Hoffman. A similar program is held in Saporetti's home district of Cocalico.

"Jason, Kim, and I partnered with them and had a meeting to share ideas, and then we took their idea, and made it our own - the Black Knight Bookmobile," Saporetti said.

The next step was requesting a grant from the foundation. "When we write the grant, we specify what it is we would like to purchase and how we'd like to use the money," Rineer explained. "Part of the grant was that we wanted to be able to use a certain amount of money to buy new books to give out that would fit the theme that we wanted, which was to celebrate the 250th anniversary of our country. We used that money to buy new books that followed that theme." Bookmobile organizers also acquired some gently used books to be given out.

It has been a big success. "It's gone very well," said Hoffman. "The first week, we had approximately 50 kids and their families who were here between A. Herr Park and the outside classroom at Mountville. And then our second week, we had over 80 students and their families here."

The trio hopes to do it again next year and could add other locations. "I would love for the Black Knight Bookmobile to be a yearly thing," said Saporetti. "We've had great teamwork here from school board members, Hempfield School District employees, great support from parents, and I could definitely see us doing this next summer, for sure."

Hoffman said the students will reap the benefits. "I think the great piece about it (is that) we often send kids home with books at the beginning of June, so they read those books by the end of June, they're done (and think), 'Well, now what do I do?' So by coming every week, they continuously get new books, so that keeps them reading throughout the whole summer."

The experience is more meaningful than picking up some reading material. "(The students) also love to interact," said Rineer. "They'll see friends here, from their schools or from other schools, and some of them see familiar faces like their teachers or their principals that are volunteering, and so that also helps us stay connected with them over the summer."

Although many of the books are for elementary-age students, the events also attract entire families. "Something else special I will add is when the families come, certainly there's elementary age kids that they bring, but then there are littles, too, preschool students, or in some cases, toddlers, babies," Saporetti said. "That's a great connection. We can start early with those families, introduce them to Hempfield, and we do have books for little kids here, too. So that's been great, connecting with our youngest Black Knights."

Vivienne Heisey, who will be a third-grader at Centerville Elementary this fall, enjoys the fact she has many options from which to choose. "I like that I can pick books," she said. "I like that I can give them back, and I can keep them and that I can pick out books and see which ones are for me."

She utilizes a tried-and-true process while making her selections. "This is how I see if I like a book," said Vivienne. "I read the back, I read the front page, and if I like it, I keep it. If I don't like it, I just put it back. I like books that are, let's just say, not too long, not too short. I like some books that have lots of pictures, some that just have words. I like a lot."

Mia Deascenti, a rising second-grader at Landisville Primary Center, attended the July 20 event with her father, Chris. "I like lots of books," she said. Chris added, "It's important to practice reading over the summer."

And it's why the bookmobile events exist. "Research tells us that kids need to read over the summer to prevent what's called the summer slide," said Saporetti. "By us organizing this Black Knight Bookmobile, kids have easy and free access to books to hopefully read over the summer and keep their skills going."