Area teens and tweens have the chance to win a trip to WWE®’s SummerSlam in Los Angeles this summer by taking part in the SummerSlam Reading Jam.

As part of a pilot project sponsored by World Wrestling Entertainment® and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) of the American Library Association, Heights Public Library will give out posters featuring WWE Superstars Rey Mysterio®, Evan Bourne™, Beth Phoenix™ and Eve™ to the first 25 patrons between ages 10 and 18 who check out two books.

Posters, each of which is numbered, are available until July 16 or as long as supplies last.

On July 17, WWEkids.com will post the winning and alternate numbers from the numbered posters.

Teens or tweens with posters with winning and alternate numbers must take their poster to their librarian at Heights Public Library to confirm they’ve won or are an alternate.

Two grand prize winners will win airfare to Los Angeles for two, two nights’ hotel stay, two tickets to the WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view event and $200 spending money. Ten first prize winners will win copies of the WWE Encyclopedia.

“Today’s teens and tweens have less and less free time, and there are increasingly more activities for them to take part in during what little leisure time they have,” said Sarah Debraski, YALSA president.

“It’s important to encourage teens to set aside some time to read for fun. Having an incentive, such as the SummerSlam Reading Jam, is a fun way to encourage them to do so."

WWE and YALSA designed the program to encourage youth to read for fun throughout the summer.

YALSA’s Teens’ Top Ten encourages teens to select their favorite ten books of the past year. The twenty-five nominees for the 2009 Teens’ Top Ten can be downloaded at www.ala.org/teenstopten and teens can vote for their favorites from the nomination list beginning Aug. 24.

WWE and YALSA also partner to offer the WrestleMania Reading Challenge each fall, in which teens are challenged to read a book a week for ten weeks and can win prizes as a reward.

Studies show that teens who read consistently for pleasure become better readers. 

Parents and caregivers of teens are encouraged to make time for their teens to read at home. Sam Lapides, the Heights Library Young Adult Services Librarian, offers these ideas for getting youth to read:

• Visit the public or school library with teens to attend a program or to check out books.
• Set aside time each night for the family to read.
• Give books or magazine subscriptions to teens as a gift or reward.
• Share favorite books with teens.
• Surf the Internet with teens to learn about new books or authors. A good place to start is www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists.
• Join a book discussion group at the school or public library.

YALSA and WWE’s SummerSlam Reading Jam takes place to July 16. To find out more about the SummerSlam Reading Jam, the Teens’ Top Ten, or the WrestleMania Reading Challenge contact Sam Lapides at Heights Public Library, 932-3600.

Judithe Soppel is the public relations coordinator for the Cleveland Height-University Heights Public Library