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When Dennis became Governor, I began a reading tour traveling to all corners of the state to read to third-, fourth- and fifth-graders. A few weeks ago I visited my 250^th school, and overall, I've read to around 23,600 elementary students across the state. 
 
My goal is to inspire young students to pick up a book, not only for educational purposes but for the sheer enjoyment of it. On my visits I've found that the children generally like to read, they've just been faced with other distractions. Though we're fortunate to live in an age of advanced technology, that technology is not without its

drawbacks. Most children have a stronger tendency to turn on the TV or the computer than to pick up a book. My reading tour serves as a reminder that reading can be just as fun, or even more fun, than a movie or a video game.
 
Though I hope my reading tour is making a difference, I know an even bigger difference can be made in the classroom and even more so in the home.
 
So along with enjoying the outdoors and spending some quality time with family, I hope you'll encourage the people in your life - whether they're you're children, grandchildren, younger siblings, or nieces or nephews - to read this summer. And even for those of us who have been out of the classroom for a while, picking up a book this summer is a great idea.