FORT PIERCE, Fla. — You can make a difference in a child's life and education by participating in the WPTV and Scripps Howard Fund's "If You Give a Child a Book" campaign.
For the third year, WPTV is supporting students at Weatherbee Elementary School in Fort Pierce, helping them grow their own home libraries.
SPECIAL COVERAGE: "If You Give a Child a Book" Campaign
In Rochelle Chatburn's fifth grade class, everything they do orbits around reading.
"Reading is cross curricular," Chatburn said. "It helps them not only in reading, but writing and math and science and social studies. We read all day in all content areas. So it's critical."
Chatburn remembers the smiles full of pride last year when her students got to take home three books free from the Scholastic Book Fair, thanks to the WPTV and Scripps Howard Fund's "If You Give a Child a Book" campaign.
Give A Child A Book
'Something they really cherish:' WPTV book campaign helps students thrive
"Oh my gosh! Their faces were so lit up. They were so excited. They wanted to devour those books. They were so proud of them. When they got back, we had sharpies for them. They all wrote their names in them. But then after they read them, they wanted to trade them," Chatburn said.
And that's what we want to continue: creating a love for learning and literacy for Weatherbee Elementary School students like Fenie Lubin.
"I love reading," Lubin said. "I even have a big library at home."
Lubin shares her passion with others who are less fortunate.
"In Haiti, there are kids who don't go to school. So when I get books, I read them," Lubin said. "And after, I send them to my sister so she can give to people."
Every student has their own story.
"I like reading interesting books like adventure books," student Martin Vasquez said. "I feel good. I feel happy to have books to read."
That only grows stronger with every read.
"It's so worth it," Chatburn said. "Our children are our future. We want them to be literate. We want our students to go on and be educated. And it all starts with those books."
To donate to the "If You Give a Child a Book" campaign, click here.
