You can read their faces like a book.
Mrs. Nayla Shakur's first-grade class at Stephanie Tubbs Jones School in Cleveland loves the Scholastic Book Fair. They couldn't wait to show each other what they'd picked out.
Better yet, they couldn't wait to get reading!
Zariyah Edwards, 6, started reading aloud a book about an old lady who eats everything she sees!
Her classmates sat alongside her, eagerly listening to their friends and happily helping when a tough-to-pronounce word popped up.
This is one of our favorite times of the year at News 5 because it's the culmination of donations that News 5 viewers helped make possible. It is the first of two free Scholastic Book Fairs happening at Stephanie Tubbs Jones.
Each summer, the Scripps Howard Fund, the Scripps family, and our News 5 staff and viewers donate money during our "If You Give a Child a Book" campaign.
We partner with two Title I schools in Cleveland to help students build up their libraries at home.
Our most recent campaign raised almost $44,000 to buy books for students at Stephanie Tubbs Jones and Wade Park Schools.
"First off, thank them," said Linda Simon, community college career coordinator at Stephanie Tubbs Jones, about the donations. "Very grateful."
This is News 5's fourth and biggest year yet partnering with Stephanie Tubbs Jones, and the school's 250 students in grades PreK through eighth get to pick five free books, with another six free books in the spring.
"I think that they can see the fruits of their donation paying off," said Simon.
She said the investment is impactful to the scholars and their dreams.
"I get to find out, 'What do you want to do beyond Stephanie Tubbs Jones,' and that's just everything to me," she said.
During the campaign this summer, News 5 anchor Katie Ussin visited Mrs. Parker's third-grade class. Parker told Katie how in kindergarten, kids are learning to read, and in third grade, they're reading to learn.
Katie caught back up with some of Mrs. Parker's students at Tuesday's book fair and could see their reading comprehension skills shining.
"It's a fun thing to do," said Chanci Wright about reading. "And then, when you read, you can sound out more stuff that you don't know."
They talked about their future goals and said they know reading well will help them reach them.
Xhania Holt said she wants to be a doctor or a policewoman.
"I like reading all sorts of books," said Xhania, and she said she knows she's becoming a stronger reader with every book. "Then, I can start reading more, and when I get books that are really hard, I can sound them out and start reading them too."
It is also clear that the students are developing a love of reading for fun, as well.
Like busy big sister, Shatia Finch, a third grader, said she enjoys reading in her alone time.
"It gives me peace and quiet," smiled Shatia.
You can see the students' growth over the years that News 5 has been partnering with the school.
It is cool to watch them embrace and overcome the challenges of reading, support one another, and know that their community supports them, too.
The total for Mrs. Shakur's class visit to the book fair on Tuesday was $563, but the cost was already paid in full for them and more students to come.
It is an investment in childhood literacy and an investment in the hope and promise that's written all over their faces.
