Youth programs, including art exhibtion contest, launch this month in Newport Beach

In the city of Newport Beach, October begins with humanities-driven youth activities as annual favorites such as the In-N-Out Cover to Cover Club and Student Art Exhibition begin and the city celebrates reading and the arts.

According to the Department of Education, 54% or 130 million people between the ages of 16 and 74 lack literary proficiency in the U.S. The In-N-Out Cover to Cover Club is just one of many ways that local libraries and major corporations are working together to encourage accelerated learning.

Located across the 10 states where the beloved fast-food chain now operates, the In-N-Out Cover to Cover Club begins on Oct. 3 and runs through Nov. 14. Children ages 4 to 12 are encouraged to participate in the annual program that dates back over 30 years. The reading program emphasizes the importance of reading outside of school for young children by offering an incentive to participants: up to three free hamburgers or cheeseburgers courtesy of the fast-food chain.

“I think we’ve seen a positive effect in that there’s a great turnout year after year,” said Rebecca Lightfoot, the library services manager of the Newport Beach Public Central Library. “It’s just a little incentive to read, and hopefully, by incentivizing reading, we encourage or we foster that love of lifelong learning in our smallest patrons.”

Children and their guardians may pick up a reading log from a number of libraries across Los Angeles and Orange counties, Newport Beach included, to begin their reading adventures. To earn their prizes, participants read up to five books or log 300 hours of reading in their logs, which will be returned to the library in exchange for their prize.

The Newport Beach Public Library system also offers additional reading events for children, including Songs and Stories at the Central Library, Books and Babies found at the Mariners branch, as well as special events, such as Fire Station Storytime at the Corona del Mar branch for children up to age 5.

According to the CDC, the U.S. is also actively facing a mental health crisis in today’s youth. However, they advise that a change in environment, such as where one lives, works, learns or plays, can positively impact mental health. The National Endowment for the Arts states that through arts education, students can “better cope with their feelings, bounce back from adversity, and show tolerance and compassion for others.”

In Newport, students from Pre-K through 12th grade are encouraged to participate in the annual Student Art Exhibition to help better express themselves through art.

The program began accepting entries on Thursday and will continue through the end of November, circling this year’s theme, “Newport Beach: Celebrate 120 years!” where students are to create physical artwork that expresses their love for their city.

The artwork titled “Harmony in Patterns” by Kyla Chen captured third place in the Newport Beach 2025 Student Art Exhibition. Entries are now being accepted for this year’s contest. (Susan Hoffman) “Any student around Orange County is welcome to participate,” Lightfoot said. “There are four different divisions for the different age groups and levels, and our young budding artists out there are encouraged to submit an original piece of artwork that will be on display here at the Central Library, starting on Jan. 4.”

Artwork will be on display to patrons through Feb. 24, with varying prizes available in each age group. Awards for first, second and third place, as well as honorable mention, will be distributed in a dedicated ceremony in early February, with prizes between $25 and $100 up for grabs for participants.

More information on art specifications and the submission process is available to participants on the library’s website.

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