LEHMAN TWP. — A “ROSSome” Little Library came to Ross Elementary School this week, just in time for summer reading. The library will be available to the public and sits next to the school’s playground.
Jennifer Ferkel, Title I reading teacher at the school, said hopes are that during warm summer months, parents will bring children to enjoy some outdoor play and borrow a book.
This project, which took an entire school year to complete, was done by the school’s first-graders with the help of their teachers, Corin Frey and Janna Kabosky, who spent many hours organizing books that came in for the project.
The first-graders were involved in every aspect of the little library, even reviewing different construction concepts early in the year and collectively choosing the one they liked the best.
When the Little Library installation was complete, the youngsters went to work choosing colors and helping to paint it.
Teachers anticipate that next year some seating will be added to provide a comfortable spot for young readers.
Little Library kickoff
Kicking off the library, in the school’s courtyard, was a reading activity that brought out 31 first-graders, each with a book and a reading buddy.
Jake Janosky was reading “Clifford the Big Red Dog Spring Cleanup” with his friend Jacob Staub, both taking turns pulling the book close to them and sharing the story with the other.
Janosky said he liked the book because Clifford originally made a mistake, but then went right back to helping again.
He said it reminded him of a time when he got a “C” one week and then came right back with an “A” the next.
Maddy Holcomb said she loves reading and thinks the library was exciting.
Holcomb likes to read about animals and enjoyed time spent with her friends as they worked on the library.
Community resource
Teachers at Ross Elementary often hear students say they are unable to get to the Back Mountain Library as often as they would like to during the summer months.
The teachers hope the Little Library will fill the reading gap during summer months, so that area children can continue to sharpen their reading skills.
Principal Heather Wertman said the effort will provide a benefit to area students not just this year, but for years to come.
“We’re so proud of the students,” she said.
Unlike other Little Libraries, Ross Elementary School’s Little Library will not require participants to bring a book to take one, instead, Little Library patrons will borrow a book with the intention of returning it.
Borrowers are expected to take good care of the book and return it in the condition in which it was borrowed.
Installation of the Little Library was made possible by a grant from Williams and the generosity of members of the school community who donated books.