Mountain View Elementary has begun a program that helps students receive free books.
Volunteers from throughout the community donate $25 to Mountain View to purchase books that are given to the students at no cost. The volunteer then reads that book to the class.
Assistant Principal April Smith said classrooms at Mountain View will have a surprise reader a few times each school year. When a parent volunteers for the program, they usually request to read to their child’s classroom.
Mechelle Champion, MVE’s family engagement partner, tries to assign volunteers to each grade level so that every child will receive a free book.
“We encourage teachers to find at least one reader per month for their classroom. We have several teachers that have had multiple readers,” said Champion.
“This is wonderful, because it helps our students build their home libraries and provides them with even more books that they can share with their families.”
Farm Bureau is a huge contributor to the Role Model Reader Program. They send volunteers each semester to read to the students.
Books such as Save Me a Seat and The Gruffalo are just a few examples of books that have recently been gifted to students, thanks to donations to the Role Model Reader Program.
“I love Role Model Readers because they are examples to readers who are having trouble (with reading),” said Lynzi, a fourth grader, at Mountain View.
Another fourth grader, Melanie said, “I love the Role Model Readers because I love to get books and to read!”
Ellijay Elementary School has a similar program called the Mystery Reader Program.
The Role Model Readers began at MVE last school year around January, after EES implemented their Mystery Reader Program.
The Mystery Reader Program at EES has volunteers from businesses in the community who come to read and donate books to the students, much like the Role Model Reader Program.
Abby’s Ice Cream and Frozen Yogurt and United Community Bank are just a few businesses in Ellijay that have participated in the Mystery Reader Program.