CLAY COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — The Scripps Howard Fund and Scholastic recognized a serious need in one of our Kentucky communities... and they're doing something about it.
More than 1,700 students will benefit from this chance to take home a handful of new books, free of charge.
Maybe one child out of five at Goose Rock Elementary School in Clay County can read on his/her appropriate grade level. It's one of seven elementary schools in the district, all of which are dealing with a literacy rate that ranks near the bottom in the entire country.
That's why the county was chosen for a free book fair thanks to the Scripps Howard Fund's "If You Give a Child a Book" campaign. Over this month, each student will get to take up to five books home, free of charge.
And the same problem can be found inside all seven of the elementary schools here. It's why educators at Burning Springs Elementary could barely contain themselves when learning of this free book fair.
"We were in shock because this is a big opportunity for our kids," said Leann Burchfield, a librarian at Burning Springs. "I run a book fair and a lot of the kids don't have money for books."
And it could mean successfully bridging a wide literacy gap.
If you'd like to donate and help other kids get books, click here or text LEXGIVE to 50155.
