GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — For many children, having books at home is not a given—but it can make all the difference. That’s why NBC 26’s "If You Give a Child a Book"campaign, with support from the Scripps Howard Fund, is working to provide books to kids who need them most.
This year, the campaign raised funds to bring a special surprise to students at Lincoln Elementary School—a free book fair where each child will get to take home ten brand-new books.
The excitement was evident as students explored the book fair, each thrilled to pick out books to call their own. "I didn't really know what was going to happen today," third-grader Dana Goheen said. "I just thought to myself, wow."
For Dana and many other students, the magic of a book is not just in the stories inside, but in the moment they realize the book belongs to them.
“It’s special to me. Since I get to keep this,” Parker, another 3rd-grade student at Lincoln, shared.
Erin Weiler, a 4th-grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary School, explained how meaningful the event was for many of the kids.
"Kids get so excited to be able to have this opportunity to have the ownership of having books that are their own, to be able to pick out books that they're excited about," Weiler said.
Thanks to $1.5 million in donations, kids in Scripps communities now have the chance to dive into Scholastic books and explore new worlds.
“When you give a child a book, they would read it, and they would be picturing adventures in their head, or going into a forest and finding a bunch of treasure,” Dana added, reflecting on the power of reading.
The importance of books extends beyond just entertainment.
“The more you read, you will notice that they make beautiful... try make beautiful art with their words,” Dana said, emphasizing how reading can inspire creativity.
The excitement doesn’t end here. In the spring, Lincoln students will enjoy a second book fair, taking home five more free books. All of this is made possible through the funds raised by NBC 26’s "If You Give a Child a Book" campaign.
If you’d like to support NBC 26's "If You Give A Child A Book campaign and make a difference for local children, click HERE.
