PORTSMOUTH, Va. — This week at Hodges Manor Elementary School in Portsmouth, the buzz is all about the books.
“I was amazed, because there’s a lot of books,” 5th grader Miley Bernier said.
For Miley Bernier and fellow 5th grader Justice Lesane, this week is their first book fair in three years.
“When I’m reading it, it feels like I’m in that world,” Lesane said.
Meanwhile, this is 5th grader David Major's first ever book fair.
“Sometimes, when I’m mad, I read a book and it calms me down,” Major said. “When I’m sad, I read a happy book and it makes me happy.”
The library has thousands of books for the more than 500 students at Hodges Manor Elementary this week.
Each of them can pick five free books.
“It makes me feel calm [and] relaxed, and usually before bed I like to read a book so it makes me a little bit tired and calm,” 5th grader Layla Kubala said.
The book fair is a result of money raised by Hampton Roads residents and WTKR/WGNT employees, thanks to News 3's "If You Give a Child a Book..." campaign and the Scripps Howard Fund.
The campaign partners with Scholastic Books and Title I schools in Hampton Roads to help students get books to build up their success.
“For some of these kids, to have 5 brand new books, this is a big deal,” Hodges Manor Elementary Assistant Principal Dennis Chalk told News 3.
Chalk said the fair is an exciting opportunity for students.
“In every subject they take, you have to be able to read,” Chalk said. “It gives them the opportunity outside of this building to have a chance to read. For some kids, the reality is they may not have the opportunity to get five books at any given time.”
Chalk and other educators are thankful for your support.
“This is just an opportunity that went from being unbelievable to here it is,” Chalk said. “To have sponsors like WTKR, and Scripps, that are coming in and helping out, providing these opportunities for our students, you wish that we can do this every year. But we’re just excited, here at Hodges Manor, that we had this opportunity this year.”
The book fair at Hodges Manor Elementary School runs through Friday, Feb. 24.
