BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — Books can open a whole new world for children and that's the idea behind the annual Scripps Howard Fund "If You Give a Child a Book” campaign. It's a program run by our parent company, EW Scripps.
A fundraising event where money donated purchases books for students at the Stanley Makowski Early Childhood School on Jefferson Avenue in Buffalo.
More than 2,300 books were delivered on Friday and Tuesday each child received three books to help discover the joys of reading.
“Ready? One, two, three — READ!” shouted students and members of the 7 News team.
It is our chance at 7 News to get children at Makowski School in Buffalo extra excited about reading.
“What do you like about reading?” Buckley asked. “I like about reading — is that it makes my brain smarter, and it helps me read a lot,” responded September, 2nd grader.
650 students in pre-k through 4th grade were given a chance to select three books to keep.
“Made me so excited – I got to pick one of these books for my baby cousin and I picked out this book because it had this in it — a bracelet,” September reflected.
“And I’m so excited to come to the book fair because I picked out cool books,” remarked Niaja, 2nd grader.
“I picked out Sisters. The Baby-Sitter Club and I picked up the Dork Diary," listed Winter, 2nd grader.
"All children love to receive things that are new and things that are just for them,” explained Nyeema Quinniey, assistant principal.
Assistant Principal Quinniey told me the Buffalo Public School District has a strong focus on increasing reading skills.
Students are being taught the more they read, the better they will read, and that reading will support their future success.
“Our children are accomplishing the goals that they’re setting for themselves and that we're helping them to understand, decide for themselves — our reading scores are continuously improving. They’re the highest that they've ever been,” noted Quinniey.
"What do you like about reading?” Buckley questioned. “I like that it takes me to this reading magical, cool place. It’s called reading world,” replied Winter, 2nd grader.
More than 2,000 books were donated to take these children into their own reading world.
“Everyone should get free books, even the parents. Everyone in the world because reading makes your mind — poof go amazing,” declared Winter.
One of the students told me he picked out of the books titled “Pete the Cat” because it comes with three books inside and then he could move on to pick out his other two books, so he walked away with five books.
