The students of Higley Elementary and Middle School in Higley, Arizona conducted a week-long silent auction in May to benefit Kids Need to Read. The kids not only had fun bidding on terrific literary items, but they raised $100 to help KNTR send books to another less fortunate school. The PTO generously added to the total, bringing the donation to $350. PTO Treasurer Carolina Gardner said:
The PTO at Higley Elementary supports our staff and students, and we are excited to contribute to your organization. Therefore, we added to the donation with 250 more dollars.
Kids Need to Read will purchase books in Higley’s name for Gibson Middle School in Las Vegas, Nevada when school starts anew in the Fall. We’ll be sure to send word to Higley’s PTO when the donation is made.
Our sincere thanks go to Higley Media Specialist Kris Ramsey for bringing the Kids Need to Read project to the PTO, her staff for assisting in the silent auction, and to the wonderful students of Higley Elementary and Middle School. We extend our gratitude to the PTO. Gardner expressed the purpose of their donation:
We hope this will provide you with some funding to continue with your organization’s mission and goals.
It is amazing how much a donation such as this means to the teachers, librarians and most of all, the children, when they receive the new books it buys. Higley’s donation will fulfill the simple wish expressed in Melody Polson’s submission letter for Gibson Middle School:
My school is entitled to Title 1 funds, but there isn’t enough to go around, so we don’t receive that supplemental funding. We are 80% free lunch. We’re also 80% second language, with a rate of 30% of those new to the country every year. Whatever you can do to help me help students … I’m thrilled.
The Kids Need to Read books are appealing and structured to get kids interested in reading. They will “help”. We are excited to be able to provide books to Gibson Middle School on behalf of the students, librarian and PTO of Higley Elementary and Middle School.