Imagine sitting in a classroom as a child, and your teachers tells you that it’s time for independent reading. You choose a book, but it takes you a little while longer because the type of book you are looking for isn’t in the classroom. All of the books characters didn’t resemble you. The childhood novels weren’t an accurate depiction of your life. You wanted a book about you! However, due to funding in your Title One school in the lowcountry of South Carolina, your school is unable to obtain those books without the support of donors or grants.
This story isn’t about a particular person or experience. However, the need for new reading books are real in Mrs. Temoney’s elementary school class at Minnie Hughes Elementary School in Hollywood, S.C. Minnie Hughes Elementary School is a Title One school just minutes away from Charleston, S.C. in a rural area.
“Title I, Part A (Title I) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended (ESEA) provides financial assistance to local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools with high numbers or high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards,” according to the U.S. Department of Education.
With her “Read for Success Project,” she wants to purchase “chapter books for Guided Reading to improve literacy and promote reading for success.”
Do you remember Marley Dias? She and her friends created an initiative called the #1000BlackGirlBooks with GrassROOTS Community Foundation where they set out on a mission to raise 1000 books with black girl characters to take to Jamaica for a book festival. There’s a similar need for these children attending this elementary school in South Carolina. The purpose of the Read for Success Project is to use the materials each day during their Guided Reading and Reader’s Workshop times in their small groups. Each student will have access to the books in their individual basket at their desk and the classroom library. The new books will appeal to the students’ interests and they will become excited about reading.
Library Media Specialist Terri Kirk in Kentucky said new books either classic or current books are likely to catch a students eye versus an older book.
It helps to build their excitement to read for success! In order to accomplish this goal, Mrs. Temoney established a Donors Choose page, which is similar to the other crowdfunding sites like GoFundMe, to request specific books and materials that will benefit each student in her classroom. Some of the books include the following:
Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life by Rachel Russell
The Model President by Brian Tacang
Judy Moody y la Declaracion de Independencia by Megan McDonald
A Traitor Among the Boys by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Fourth Grade Rats
The goal is to raise $545 for the books. If you aren’t able to give a monetary donation, you may donate a book to Minnie Hughes Elementary School at 8548 Willtown Road, Hollywood, SC 29449. If you are interested in learning more about Read For Success Project, visit the page at http://bit.ly/1TQneqt.
How can you help children get excited to read?
Being Starkey 