ClassroomsCare Donates A Million Books Each Year
Scholastic Book Club Program Promotes Kids’ Literacy
Sep 30, 2009
It’s no secret that reading educates and entertains kids. But thanks to Scholastic Book Clubs’ ClassroomsCare program, millions of students have found that their reading not only improves student literacy but also helps kids across their country.
By pledging to read a hundred books during the fall, classes in ClassroomsCare enable Scholastic Book Clubs to donate a million books a year to literacy partners that then distribute the books to kids in hospitals, literacy programs, and low-income libraries and schools.
“We’re trying to empower the kids to do something that’s within their power to help another person,” states Lorraine Langdon, Scholastic’s Manager of Special Marketing Programs. “And at the same time we’re motivating reading.”
Student Literacy Encourages Donating Books
Students become part of ClassroomsCare when teachers sign up their classes via Scholastic Book Clubs’ Website and pledge to read 100 books. Teachers in Scholastic Book Club can then place book orders and receive posters, stickers, and other resources to help students keep track of books read. The ClassroomsCare website also lets classes share experiences with others, watch motivational videos, and find classroom activities.
Any books students read with their class, parents, or on their own count toward the hundred book goal. Depending on whether students participate in the Scholastic Canada, Scholastic Australia, or U.S. ClassroomsCare program, the deadline to read a hundred books may be in October, December, or January.
Once a class has reached its goal, it can inform ClassroomsCare by updating its status online, making a note on a Scholastic Book Club order form, or by calling Scholastic. Scholastic will then donate books to participating charities, including Save the Children, Reach Out and Read, and Mercy Health Partners, that will distribute the books to hospitals, literacy programs, schools, and libraries in their networks.
Program Increases School Literacy and Helps Classes Donate Books Locally
While classes only need to read 100 books to participate in ClassroomsCare, many teachers report that the program not only stimulates a love of reading but also creates a desire to set additional personal and class goals.
“We love to read!!” writes Martha Barnett in the 2006 online ClassroomsCare Memory Book of her 2nd grade Rock Quarry Elementary class in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. “Our library is the most active place in our school, with students coming and going with books during the day. My students use any free time to pick up a book and read!! It is great to see this each day.”
“My classroom is very excited about ClassroomsCare,” states 2nd grade teacher Alissa Farmer from Riverdale Elementary in Mt. Blanchard, Ohio. “We have finished reading our 100 books, and the class of seven kids has set a goal to read 1000 books by the end of school. Thanks for helping us get really excited about reading great books!”
Participating classes also get to enter ClassroomsCare’s “Care Where You Are” Sweepstakes, which awards 200 classes with packages of 500 additional books that the classes can donate to any local institutions in need. In the past, winning schools have donated to pediatric hospitals, school libraries, and daycares.
Superbowl MVPs Promote ClassroomsCare
In 2009, ClassroomsCare’s U.S. program welcomed its first Ambassadors of Reading in Superbowl MVPs Eli Manning and Peyton Manning. The football quarterback brothers, who recently published their children’s book Family Huddle with Scholastic, asked to be included in the program by making promotional videos for ClassroomsCare and letting classrooms choose to read for “Team Eli” or “Team Peyton” via a double-sided ClassroomsCare poster.
Both Eli and Peyton Manning also coordinated their own charities with Scholastic Book Clubs’ other literacy partners to help distribute the books. Their partnership with Scholastic will also continue during the holiday season when Scholastic will work with the Peyback Foundation to donate additional books to kids during several charity events the Mannings will hold in Indianapolis.
“My brother, my dad, and I are very excited to be working with Scholastic, and to be able to put so many books into the hands of young readers across America who might not otherwise have that opportunity,” said Eli Manning.
Donating books is an important service many organizations provide to encourage student literacy. Learn how other organizations contribute at BookPALS Bring SAG Actors Into Classrooms, Kids Need to Read Donates Books for Libraries, and Nonprofit Organization Promotes Kids Comic Books.
Sources:
Langdon, Lorraine. Phone Interview. 24 September 2009
Andriani, Lynn. “NFL Stars Peyton and Eli Manning Sign with Scholastic.” Publishers Weekly. 2009.
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