The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Every student gets book for holidays
Just in time for the holidays, every student in Painesville Schools received the gift of reading.
Cleveland Kids’ Book Bank partnered with Painesville Schools Family Resource Center to give students new or gently used books to take home and read over winter break.
The books were recently distributed at Elm Street Elementary School and the kindergartners were overjoyed. They eagerly sorted through dozens of books, made their final selections and began reading right away.
Kindergarten teacher Sarah Blasier said that the students can use the books to reinforce the reading strategies used in the classroom, including identifying site words.
“Getting more books in their homes is the most important thing,” she said.
Elm Street Principal Cynthia Urbic said this outreach really touched her heart.
“It is an amazing partnership,” she said. “The best way to be a better reader is to read.”
Family Resource Center Coordinator Amber Torres Gonzalez said books feed the imagination and change lives.
“This generous donation is a part of the center’s larger mission to empower families to read together and to build their own home libraries,” Gonzalez said. “By providing students with free books, it is our hope that families use them as a tool to come together and share a special moment this holiday season. We also want to remind parents that books make great gifts around the holiday season. Although there are many toys that teach, books go deeper by engaging the mind and imagination.”
Reading is critical to ensure success in school and in life, but two-thirds of low-income families don’t own a single children’s book, according to Cleveland Kids’ Book Bank’s website.
“By partnering with the Kids’ Book Bank, the Family Resource Center is able to put books in the hands of children in need in Painesville City,” Gonzalez said. “Together, we are creating a city of readers.”