Find Your Voice at the Library this Summer, Registration Open Now

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The Bellevue Public Library’s “Find Your Voice” Summer Program kicked off earlier this month! We featured our calendar for kids (birth-grade 6) last month—now it’s time for the teens. Going into grades 7-12? Or did you just graduate from high school? Have fun and win prizes all summer long when you read, do activity kits, attend events, join contests, volunteer, and more!

Get started by joining the “Find Your Voice” challenge anytime June 1-July 31 at: bellevue.beanstack.org! Download the Beanstack Tracker from your mobile app store for easy, on-the-go participation—and a book scanner for fast logging and reviews.

Earn prize points and special badges through a variety of activities, like reading and doing summer activities. Stack up those points to unlock Badge Prizes, Pop-Up Prizes, and virtual tickets you can enter into Grand Prize drawings! Grab the full teen “Find Your Voice” Summer Library Program booklet during your next library visit or view/download it here: bit.ly/bellyaslp23.

Sign up for all teen summer programs either through our calendar at bellevuelibrary.org or the “Find Your Voice” challenge’s activity badges on Beanstack!

New Programs this Summer:

• Jigsaw Puzzle Race: (Sunday, June 25 • 2:30-4:30 PM) Compete to claim the title of fastest puzzlers in Bellevue during this all-ages team competition! Choose a captain to sign up your team (2-3 players or 4-5 players) and check in on competition day. Fourteen teams will have two hours to put their puzzles together! Use the Beanstack Tracker app to participate in the library’s “Find Your Voice” summer challenge! Teams in each category will use the same (new and unopened) puzzle. You may bring baking sheets, trays, or bowls to assist with your puzzling. Each team must have at least one player age 12+. Registration is open NOW at: bit.ly/bpl_puzzle (Last day to sign up is June 16!).
• Tiny Art Show: (June 10-July 9) Find your voice through a TEEN-y tiny art show! Sign up for a mini canvas kit (includes rules and prize info), the use any 2D/3D supplies at home to create your entry. See your art on display in the library for a community showcase! Sign up starting June 1 at: bit.ly/tinyartshow01.
• Take To The Sky!: (June 10-July 9) Decorate and customize a paper lantern shaped like a hot air balloon! Sign up for a contest kit (includes rules and prize info), then use any 2D/3D supplies at home to make your entry. We’ll suspend your hot air balloons from the library ceiling for a summer aerial display! Sign up starting June 1 at: bit.ly/hotairballooncontest.
• Fluffy Cloud Slime: (Friday, June 23 • 2:30-4:00 PM) Make a fluffy, puffy slime to squish your stress away! Drop by for this quick craft anytime during the event. Sign up starting June 1 at: bit.ly/cloud_slime.
• Virtual Reality 101 Experience: (Friday, July 21 • 2:00-4:00 PM) Get the VR 101 experience with Oculus Quest 2 headsets! Understand the basics and real-life uses before entering new, virtual worlds—learn the headset, then play the games! Headsets provided on loan by the Nebraska Library Commission. Sign up starting July 1 at: bit.ly/virtualreality101.
• June Kits: Insect Museum Pack, Lime Sugar Scrub, Beaded Rainbow, Strawberry Peach Boba Tea, Glitter Tornado, Minty Fresh Balm, & Enamel Pin Banner! Put these summer activity kits together at home; all kits come with secret codes you can redeem for prize points on Beanstack. See the “Find Your Voice” booklet for all the July kits!

Returning Popular Programs:

• Babysitting Certification Clinics:  Become a safe and reliable sitter! The Nebraska Extension Services will provide babysitting certification to 15 students (age 11-18) per course. Learn the basics of child development, safety, & more through their Building Better Babysitters program!
  • Student fee: FREE
  • Friday, June 9 (10:00 AM-3:00 PM): FULL
  • Saturday, June 24 (10:00 AM-3:00 PM):
    Registration opens June 1 at
    bit.ly/bellyababysitting02
  • Saturday, July 22 (10:00 AM-3:00 PM):
    Registration opens July 1 at
    bit.ly/bellyababysitting03
• Teen “Nailed It!” Contest: Join our fourth annual virtual baking contest–complete at recreating a (semi-)difficult recipe from the comfort of your own kitchen! Register for the contest starting June 1 at: bit.ly/nailedit04.
• Virtual Trivia: Fire up your mind this summer! Sign up to receive an access code, then complete the round when it’s live. Win the round, win a prize! See the “Find Your Voice” booklet for more information.
• Break-In Bag (Skyship Launch!): Crack the puzzles, get the loot! You’ve just inherited a majestic flying machine from a distant relative–no instructions included. Can you figure out the ignition sequence? Solve the puzzle packet to learn the three numbers that will unlock the loot bag (full of goodies)– and send your ship into the great azure! Sign up starting July 1 at: bit.ly/skyshiplaunch.
• Chopped @ Home: Create a delicious meal or treat with our mystery ingredient kits! Choose the recipe based on the themes and whip up something yummy using the kit—and anything from your kitchen at home! Contestants have the week following kit pick-up to make and submit their entry. Each contest winner will get a cool kitchen gadget and major bragging rights! Sign up starting June 1 for: Astounding Asian Noodles (bit.ly/chopped01) and Spectacular Soups (bit.ly/chopped02).

Questions about the teen “Find Your Voice” Summer Library Program (SLP)? Contact Crystal Anderson at
[email protected] or at (402) 682-6673. Questions about the children’s SLP? Contact Michelle Bullock at [email protected] or (402) 293-3158.