Summer is the time for children to take a break from the classroom setting.

Thanks to a variety of good summertime programs, it doesn't have to be a break from learning.

Efforts of dedicated teachers and mentors mean youngsters continue to receive valuable lessons delivered in an interesting way.

Reading programs have become staples in communities that understand the need to provide positive, educational experiences for children during summer. The Pierceville-Plymell Summer Library Program, for example, treats youngsters to art and reading activities that are fun and educational.

One beauty of that program is in giving pre-kindergarten children a chance to spend time at school, meet teachers and experience what it's like to go to kindergarten -- a smart way to help those youngsters transition to their first classroom setting.

Books on the Bus, otherwise known as B.O.B., is another popular school district program. Local students have come to anticipate neighborhood visits by B.O.B., the mobile library that ensures all youngsters have access to reading during summer break.

Other good opportunities for summer learning exist through the efforts of public libraries and organizations that address children's needs. Families can add to that effort by taking books along on vacations. Children who see their parents read are more likely to do the same.

All such efforts help to combat what's known as brain drain, the learning losses that occur when students don't engage in educational activities during the summer.

Studies show low-income youth often experience even more of a loss. Good summer programs promise to close the achievement gap between lower- and upper-income students.

Another challenge is in keeping kids interested in learning in a world in which iPods, video games and social networking sites like Facebook steal their attention. Educators have to be creative in encouraging students to stay on track -- to include incorporating those technologies into the learning process.

Such innovative strategies already are evolving, which is good. Educators must stay on the cutting edge of technology available to their pupils.

Even as society changes, the hope is the importance of reading a book -- for entertainment and as part of the learning process -- continues to receive the high priority worthy of a fundamental tool all students need to succeed in life.