PHOTO PROVIDED Bellefonte READS, BASD’s summer literacy program, handed out over 1,200 books to more than 300 local families. Stacks of this year’s titles, “Be a Maker,” “Many Points of Me” and “A Forgery of Roses,” sit on a table ready to be handed out at the Bellefonte Children’s Fair on June 7.

BELLEFONTE — This year, BASD’s Bellefonte READS summer literacy initiative distributed more than 1,200 books to over 300 local families, helping children stay connected to reading while school is out.

Bellefonte READS, which officially kicked off in June, continues through July with a series of events that educators hope will spark students’ creativity, strengthen their literacy skills and build curiosity about science.

The theme for this year, “IMAGINE. CREATE. INSPIRE.,” was selected to reflect the intersection of art and science, said Jackie Wynkoop, BASD’s director of curriculum and instruction.

“All our books dealt with that theme,” said Wynkoop.

The selected titles were tailored to different age groups: the picture book, “Be a Maker,” encouraged young readers to think creatively; the middle-grade novel, “Many Points of Me,” tied together the fields of art and astronomy; and the young adult/adult pick, “A Forgery of Roses,” was “a little bit of a murder mystery in a very appropriate way” that also weaved in thematic elements.

One of the featured authors, Caroline Gertler — author of “Many Points of Me” — even recorded a 90-second video message to help build excitement within the community.

“They made personalized videos just for us, which are really cool,” Wynkoop said.

“I’m thrilled to be part of a summer that’s all about making, creating and getting inspired, because, really, that’s what this book is about,” said Gertler in the video.

Families were also invited to engage in enrichment activities they could do together, including a BINGO board and a Self-Portrait Challenge.

To keep families engaged beyond the page, Bellefonte READS will also feature a variety of hands-on events tied to the program’s theme.

Upcoming activities include a storytime at the Bellefonte Library on Wednesday, July 23, at 11 a.m., and a stargazing night at Penn State’s Davey Lab on Friday, July 25, at 8:30 p.m. — an event Wynkoop said ties into the program’s astronomy theme.

“We’re also planning a book chat at Tiny Hollow for our adult and YA readers, if there’s enough interest,” she said. That event is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 4, at 5:30 p.m.

Activities are also continuing on social media, where the district’s art teachers have created video presentations on famous artists to keep the learning going. Part 1, focusing on Henri Matisse, premiered on their Facebook page on July 6.

“Bellefonte Reads takes a village,” said Wynkoop, who gave a big shout-out to Jen Brezler and Leslie Elder for their enthusiastic help with distributing books at the Bellefonte READS pickup event on June 2. Their energy and willingness to pitch in helped the event run smoothly and ensured hundreds of books reached local families.

A special thanks also went to Allison D’Ambrosia, who worked behind the scenes organizing and packing the book bags ahead of time.

“It was incredibly tiring, but seeing the looks on the faces of the families and the kids as they are so excited to get their books — there’s not much better than that,” Wynkoop said.