OKC Public Schools Foundation celebrates Read Across America Day by giving away 10,000th book

Children with Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County celebrated more than 10,000 books being given away from the ReadOKC On the Go! Book Bus during a special event marking National Read Across America Day at Adelaide Lee Elementary last week. 

Each child in attendance had the opportunity to get on the bus and choose a book to take home and build their home library. Officials with the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation, Oklahoma City Public Schools and the Boys & Girls Clubs also participated in the event.

Alison Taylor, Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation/ReadOKC On the Go! program coordinator, shared some of her experiences and observations from the past seven months of overseeing the book bus’s operations.

“Reading is all about finding a book that YOU love, and that’s exactly what students are able to do while visiting the book bus,” Taylor said. “I’ve seen the way the ReadOKC On the Go! Book Bus creates and fosters a love of and excitement for reading while it also opens the imaginations of the students who come aboard. I’ve overheard best friends making plans to swap their books with each other once they finish their selected book. And I’ve experienced the joy from another student who FINALLY got that graphic novel he'd been wanting to have at his house.”

Related: Foundation for OKC Public Schools unveils ReadOKC On the Go! Book Bus

Taylor said the students’ book selections are as diverse as the OKCPS student population. Selections range from picture books; chapter books about fantasy, mystery and adventure; non-fiction books about animals, science and technology; the classics; graphic novels; and biographies. Developing the love of reading is the mission of ReadOKC and allowing students to select books of their own fosters that love and gives them the ability to choose what interests them, no matter their age or reading level.

As part of the ReadOKC goal to improve access to reading materials, the ReadOKC On the Go! Book Bus travels to OKCPS elementary, middle and high school sites as well as community centers and events. While the book bus is visiting a site, each student has the opportunity to pick out and take home a book of their choice to keep as their own. Since its launch in July 2021, the book bus has visited 31 OKCPS school sites and put more than 10,000 books into the hands of Oklahoma City students. Two school buses were provided by Oklahoma City Public Schools and the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation raised private funds to retrofit one bus into a mobile book bus. Plans are underway to retrofit a second bus.

“Building a home library is directly tied to building reading skills,” said OKCPS Superintendent Sean McDaniel. “We appreciate the work ReadOKC is doing in our schools and we’re thrilled to be celebrating this milestone today. More than 10,000 of our students have had the chance to select a book of their own to take home, put their name in it and read to themselves and their siblings. This is great for our kids!”

National Read Across America Day is the largest national celebration of reading in the United States. The day, created by the National Education Association, is dedicated to showing the importance of reading and creating an inclusive and recognizable environment for readers of all ages, skill levels and interests.

Related: ReadOKC celebrates top summer readers with ReadOKC On the Go! Book Bus visit

“We are grateful to join the celebration of such an important milestone for the students in our community,” said Teena Belcik, Boys & Girls Clubs of Oklahoma County President & CEO. “These books build home libraries while also growing students’ reading skills. Those skills help them toward future academic success for next school year and beyond.”

There are ongoing efforts to raise funds for books to keep the bus stocked and a second bus is planned to increase visits to schools, community programs and events. To learn more about ReadOKC, visit okckids.com/readokc.