"When you read a great book, you don't escape from life; you plunge deeper into it." This quote from author Julian Barnes sums up the library at CCST. Our school is the last step for high school students before they enter the "real world." It's also the last opportunity to foster a love for reading.
Our students are career-minded young adults who come to CCST for half of their school day to learn specific skills and certifications.
We offer programs such as cosmetology, welding, HVAC, nursing, firefighting, TV and radio communications and more.
Most of our students are not avid readers. They are often struggling students who are more focused on getting their high school diploma than on reading for pleasure. As a result, they need access to high-interest fiction and nonfiction titles that will get them excited about reading.
My Project
The books in this project have been hand-picked by teenagers. They include the 2014-2015 Virginia Readers' Choice high school titles as well as the 2014 Teens' Top Ten Nominees from the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA).
These titles feature subjects and stories that teens want to read about. They are also written in a way that sparks readers' interest and keeps them turning the pages. These are the types of books that belong in our library.
With these books, our students will be encouraged to visit the library and check out the latest titles. This will hopefully inspire them to read more, both in and out of school.
Donations to this project will make a huge difference in our library.
In fact, we could not have these titles without this project. The CCST library is one of the smallest in the district, so our budget is very small.
What's more, many of the titles we need are industry books for classes such as nursing and firefighting, and these books can cost hundreds of dollars apiece. Unfortunately, that means that we are not always able to purchase high-interest fiction books.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. L. and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.