KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Students at the Academy for Integrated Arts in Kansas City, Missouri opened their school day on with a sweet surprise.
On Tuesday, students attended a book fair held at their school and were able to pick out new books to add to their growing home libraries.
"They get very excited about new books, and it just helps to cultivate that love," Allison Doerr, a first grade teacher at the school, said.
As a first grade teacher, Doerr's job is to help build a child's love for reading. It's a tall task made easier with help from the book fair.
"I just feel really grateful that they're able to do this and to get to see their smiles and how excited they are is just a good reminder that we need to be putting books in students hands as often as we can, and I'm just so grateful to those who were able to provide this for them," Doerr said.
Last year, students at the Academy for Integrated Arts had two book fairs. Each student was able to pick out three books each at both events.
With the four new books picked out this week, students have a total of 10 free books at home. It was all made possible through our "If You Give a Child a Book.." campaign through the Scripps Howard Foundation.
"The fact that students get to pick their own books even just adds to that ownership of reading," Asha Moore, the assistant principal, said.
The campaign effort has raised over $19,000, and has given out more than 500,000 books to students.
"This just provides an opportunity for students to take home books, and also, it helps them develop their identity as a reader because it gets them excited to read and go home and share with their families," Moore said.
The primary focus of the campaign is to give books to students in kindergarten through third grade.
A $5 donation equals one book. If you'd like to make a donation, click here.
