Books Read All Through Summer motivates children Published July 15, 2009 By Airman 1st Class Valerie Hosea 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- The Airmen and Family Readiness Center is sponsoring the Books Read All Through Summer program to promote reading over the summer break which runs from June 1 to July 31. The idea is to encourage interaction between kids and their parents through reading said Michelle Schroeder, a community readiness consultant at the AFRC. "As of July 15 more than 20 children from the Sheppard community have taken part and more than 200 books have been read," she said. The BRATS program has been motivating youth of the Sheppard community to read over the summer vacation by rewarding the participants with a small prize for every book they read. "Once books are finished, parents turn in a verification sheet indicating the name of the books read. For each book read the child receives a school supply item," she said. The grand prize is a backpack full of school supplies that is valued at $100, she said. Each participant that reads at least eight books will have their name put into a drawing for the grand prize. "I think this was a great idea because while most children love to read, others don't. This program provides those children with an incentive to read even when they're not in school," she said.