Thanks to Books-A-Million, the Chapel Hill Elementary school community is celebrating a boost in reading. The Arbor Place Mall community staple officially wrapped up its summer book drive and selected CHES as the sole recipient of the seasonal campaign. Thanks to the overwhelming generosity of store patrons and local families, the store delivered $4,332.12 worth of brand-new books directly to the school.
Media Specialist Cameron Sheldon initiated the kind gesture with her tenacity and warm spirit as she searched for creative ways to show teacher appreciation during School Library Month. During a conversation with the Books-A-Million store representatives, Sheldon learned about the store’s annual summer book drive to support the community.
“Our team is splitting this incredible windfall between two of our absolute favorite literacy initiatives: expanding the collection in our media center and fully stocking our school's book vending machine, which rewards our hard-working students with free books for positive behavior and academic growth,” said Sheldon.
"When those boxes arrived, my heart did absolute backflips,” she added. “Reading opens up whole new universes for our children, and having over $4,300 worth of brand-new, glittering stories land right in our laps is nothing short of a miracle. Our kids are going to lose their minds when they see these shelves—it is pure, unadulterated magic!"
The donation gives students across grade levels and reading abilities access to high-interest books that make reading fun.
"Literacy is the bedrock of everything we do here, and a contribution of this magnitude directly fuels our mission to inspire lifelong learners," noted Principal Bianca Turner. "We are deeply grateful to the team at Books-A-Million in Arbor Place Mall and to every single community member who pitched in during the drive. Seeing our book vending machine loaded with brand-new options gives our students a tangible, exciting reason to reach their goals every single day."
With a variety of new books lining the shelves, Chapel Hill Elementary students will have the opportunity to discover the joy of reading. The school community is grateful for the support and excited to see the lasting impact these new books will have on its young readers.