Dr. LaKisha Wright just started her first year as principal of Dunbar Elementary School in Atlanta.
"The media center is my favorite place in any building I go into," she said. "You can never have too many books."
While she is still getting to know many of her students, Wright knows access to books outside of school can be a challenge for many Dunbar families.
"Yes, we do have public libraries. Yes, we do have community programming," she said, "but it's not always easy to access those programs or access that library."
Dunbar Elementary is considered a Title I school. In fact, about 63% of traditional public schools are Title I eligible across the country, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. That means they are eligible for federal funds to help children from lower-income families.
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The Scripps Howard Fund, a public charity established by Scripps News, also partners with Title I schools for its annual "If You Give a Child a Book..." campaign. The campaign, in partnership with Scholastic, brings book fairs to students who select books for their own home libraries at no cost.
"I just think about myself and how I felt about owning my own books, and it just built this sense of responsibility," Wright said. "I felt accountable for my own learning because I now have my own book that I'm responsible for."
When Dunbar students take home their own books, Wright said she hopes they feel that same excitement and sense of responsibility for their own learning.
According to Wright, if you give a child a book, "You open up a world of endless possibilities. You spark curiosity and build academic excellence all at the same time."
The "If You Give a Child a Book..." campaign is 100% donor funded. The goal is to provide 10 free books per child per year to partner schools.
Just $12 provides two books. The campaign has distributed more than 1 million books and counting.
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