DADE CITY, Fla. — Inside the Art Room at Lacoochee Elementary School you could feel the joy of reading as 300 students received a free book through the 'If You Give A Child A Book' Campaign.
Thanks to our viewers, in partnership with the Scripps Howard Fund and Feeding Tampa Bay, and funded through Bay Care more than 4200 students across nine Bay Area Title 1 schools got a new book to take home.
This was a result of a September campaign, and now we get to see the impact.
For 6 year old Jayella Pagan, she had to sing 'eenie meenie miney mo' to pick between two "Paw Patrol" Books. "It's so cute," she said. "Thank you for letting me pick a book."
3rd Grader Lluvia Jaiamillo had her hands full of big chapter books. "It's like a shopping spree for books," she said. "Reading helps you build your knowledge."
5th grader Kyara Perez Morales' eyes lit up when talking about the fantasy and mystery books she picked up. "You almost feel like you are in the book and you can see what's happening in it," she said.
4th grader Jared Natal picked up a book on Baseball Legend Jackie Robinson. "I really love books and I love reading because I love to learn new things," Natal said.
That's just a few of the dozens of kids with smiles as they raced past each other to find their perfect book to take home.
"Our school is about 96% free and reduced lunch," said Lacoochee Elementary School Principal, Latoya Jordan.
She knows the impact this generosity will have on these children's lives first hand, as she too grew up at this school and learned how to read within these very walls.
"Growing up a kid here that had little experiences, books took me places that my parents couldn't take me," she said. "One of my favorite quotes is your demographics don't determine your destination and I want them to look at me and see, this is where you can go in life as well."
