PORTSMOUTH, Va. — For Dennis Chalk, this school year is a first.
“It's a whole gamut of feelings,” Chalk told News 3.
After serving as assistant principal at Hodges Manor Elementary School, this school year will be his first year as the principal of the Portsmouth school.
“I want every kid to become excited about reading,” he said.
This past school year, books were all the buzz at Chalk's school.
Give A Child A Book
Portsmouth school holds book fair thanks to WTKR campaign
“When I'm reading, it feels like I'm in that world,” Hodges Manor student Justice Lesane told News 3 in February.
This was thanks in large part to you and WTKR employees with the "If You Give a Child a Book..." campaign.
“[At] a standard book fair, you see six or seven carts, and I think they walked in with 13 [or] 14 carts of books,” Chalk recalled.
The February 2023 book fair gave some students, like David Major, their first one ever.
“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.”
According to Chalk, about 450 of his students at Hodges Manor Elementary were able to take home five brand-new books for free.
Give A Child A Book
Millionth book distributed in "If You Give a Child a Book..." campaign
“Just the excitement on the children's faces when they have the opportunity to participate... and start building their own home library, it's a remarkable experience,” said Kaeli Erskine, the Philanthropic Development Manager with the Scripps Howard Fund.
Erskine said the campaign partners with Scholastic Books and Title I schools in Hampton Roads.
“Those are primarily schools that might have underserved or vulnerable children living in poverty,” Erskine said.
The campaign's goal is to give students the power of choice and help set them up for success.
“We've found a lot of research and data that shows the critical years in a child's life as it relates to reading is kindergarten through third-grade,” Erskine said. “After that third-grade mark, if children are under their reading scores [or] their testing scores, it is really, really hard to try and come back from that.”
Chalk also emphasized that the campaign gives students new opportunities to build their own home libraries.
“There are some students that, unfortunately, when we have book fairs, they don't get to purchase books,” he said. “This campaign allowed everybody to have a book.”
This is one reason why Chalk said it’s important to consider donating to the campaign to continue helping his students.
“It makes you really appreciate the community,” Chalk said. “I'm looking forward to seeing those carts.”
Every $6 donated will buy one book for a child in need in Hampton Roads.
The campaign runs from August 28 to September 8.
Donate to WTKR's "If You Give a Child a Book..." campaign here
