I'm Ready To Fly - But Where Are My Wings?

"Imagine what it feels like to have the desire to read, but not the books to learn.

I'm a reading specialist in a large elementary school in a fairly rural part of Virginia. I work with kids who are not reading on grade level, but share the desire to become strong, capable readers. We are a bran..." more»

"Imagine what it feels like to have the desire to read, but not the books to learn.

I'm a reading specialist in a large elementary school in a fairly rural part of Virginia. I work with kids who are not reading on grade level, but share the desire to become strong, capable readers. We are a brand new school and every student here was uprooted from another elementary school.

In planning our new school, there was no budget allowance for the establishment of a reading room. Every other elementary school in the county has such a room, filled with literally thousands of titles for the kids to select to read with the reading specialist. I've got a beautiful new room...with empty bookshelves.

My kids need books - it's that simple. Most of the time, we need to work in small groups of 3-5, reading aloud and discussing what we read. Right now I do not have the books to do this. I literally can not do my job.

With your donation, I can give these children what they deserve - what each of us deserves - the skills and tools needed to become a successful and literate individual. These children need high interest, low level literature that they realize they can master. In your hands is the potential for amazing success of children who need to know they can accomplish what may feel like the impossible. hide»