NORTH OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — KMTV's If You Give a Child a Book, which started in 2017, is back in North Omaha at King Elementary.
- Because of record-setting community support, each of the school's 360 kids got to pick out five books this round. The books will help fill out their home libraries.
- "It warms my heart because I was once where these students are in being able to pick a book," Principal Glenn Mitchell shared - remembering his first 'book fair book' was about snakes, and led to a lifelong appreciation of reptiles.
- If You Give a Child a Book is an annual campaign supported by the Scripps Howard Fund, KMTV and its employees, and neighbors in Nebraska and Iowa.
Continue reading for the broadcast transcript of this story.
There's buzz in the air at King Elementary.
"It warms my heart because I was once where these students are in being able to pick a book," Principal Glen Mitchell smiled.
His book back then was about snakes. For Deondra? Her passion is comics.
"I like book fair day because we get a lot of books and there's not that many choices in the library. And like, there's so many good books," she told 3 News Now's Mary Nelson.
Even more this year - because KMTV's campaign saw record numbers: enough for five books this time for all 360 kids.
It's an average of $1,500 worth of books per class. These students are in Mrs. Radil and Ms. Brown's classes - including Gabe, who shared his interests.
"Graphic, realistic fiction. Kind of the stuff about dragons and stuff like that."
He says his mom and dad encourage reading. It's also part of Deondra's routine, who says she reads an hour each day. It's all music to Principal Mitchell's ears.
"With the alignment to the moonshot within our district, it provides our students with the ability to foster a love of reading even more than what they're getting in their classroom," he explained.
Omaha Public Schools announced that moonshot last year: a goal for all students to read at grade level by 2030.
In Gabe's case, what he reads now just might influence his tomorrow.
"Maybe I could be an author or something? Maybe I could also be an illustrator," he said.
Anything's possible. Those dreams just need a bit of fuel - often found in home libraries.
That impact is why we're proud that every dollar raised through If You Give a Child a Book stays right here at home.
Download our apps today for all of our latest coverage.
Get the latest news and weather delivered straight to your inbox.
