From Maine to Hawaii and everywhere in between, students at Wantagh Middle School are immersed in learning about the 50 states. The library’s Read and Play Across the USA initiative features interactive activities that connect to each state and commonwealth.

Beginning in early November and running until the holiday break in December, students can come to the library during their lunch periods to play the games. It was spearheaded by library assistant Mary DeGregorio.

Ms. DeGregorio said that last year featured around-the-world activities, so she decided to do a United States-themed event this year with the presidential election taking place. Students can travel to different tables draped in red, white and blue coverings to do the activities.

At the Minnesota station, they can play a game of air hockey. There’s a break-the-ice game for Alaska, a witch hat ring toss for Massachusetts, a “Wizard of Oz” matching game for Kansas and a Mount Rushmore puzzle for South Dakota. New York features a game of Pit, which is based on trading on the New York Stock Exchange, and to capture the other coast, there was a national parks memory game for California. Students make a Mardi Gras mask craft at the Louisiana table.

There is also a fun facts card for each state to make the experience both fun and educational. Students can log the states they visit each day, and those who complete all 50 will be entered into a raffle drawing. 

“It gets a lot of students into the library,” Ms. DeGregorio said, noting a typical lunch period has upwards of 50 visitors, “and they are getting to know that this is a fun place.”