Weatherbee Elementary School Receives 3,000 Books to Enhance Literacy
FORT PIERCE, Fla. — In a heartening initiative aimed at fostering literacy among young learners, WPTV has partnered with the Scripps Howard Fund to deliver free books to students at Weatherbee Elementary School. This week, children at the school enthusiastically received a total of 3,000 books, demonstrating the positive impact that access to literature can have on educational enrichment.
The program, known as “If You Give a Child a Book,” focuses on enhancing student literacy while making educational resources more accessible to families in low-income communities across South Florida. This year’s initiative allowed every student at Weatherbee Elementary to select five books to take home, significantly increasing their personal reading collections.
Principal Heather Ricksecker expressed her optimism regarding the program’s impact, stating, “They’re going to be overwhelmed with just gratitude and joy.” Her sentiments were echoed by first grader Zayden Kelly, who noted that reading allows him to imagine himself within the stories. “That you get to imagine yourself inside that book,” he explained, highlighting the importance of engaging children’s imaginations through literature.
The funding for this year’s book fair, which totaled over ,000, was amassed through generous donations from WPTV viewers and additional matching funds provided by the Scripps Howard Fund. This collaboration has been ongoing for four years, creating invaluable opportunities for students and fostering a profound love for reading.
This initiative at Weatherbee Elementary goes beyond providing books; it aims to alleviate financial burdens that families face in obtaining educational materials. Principal Ricksecker articulated the broader goal of the program: “Giving the kids the books gives them the opportunity to make sure that they’re not falling behind… They get that sense of ownership and they get to take the adventure home with them.” This sentiment was palpable as students erupted in cheers upon learning they could keep the books they had chosen.
As part of a continuing commitment to educational improvement, WPTV and the Scripps Howard Fund are clearly making significant strides in not only addressing immediate literacy needs but also nurturing a long-term love for reading. Maya Wiseman, another first grader who participated in the program, summed up the excitement many students felt: “I was very excited, because I love books.”
In conclusion, the delivery of 3,000 books to Weatherbee Elementary School serves as a testament to the profound role that community support plays in education. Initiatives like this remind us that when children are given the tools for learning, they are also given the opportunity to succeed.
