Project Enlightenment Begins Fifth Annual Book Drive To Benefit Young Children
November 4, 2004 - Reading aloud to children has been identified as the single most important activity for developing skills essential for reading success. Yet many young children in Wake County enter kindergarten never having had stories read to them; many have no books in their homes. Project Enlightenment, part of the Wake County Public School System, has been working to change this with the "On the Road to Reading" Children's Book Drive.The book drive starts Nov. 1 and runs through Dec. 17. Thirteen elementary schools are holding book drives this year: Combs (11/8 - 11/19), Conn (12/6 - 12/17), Davis Drive (11/29 - 12/10), Douglas (11/8 - 11/19), Green Hope (11/1 - 11/12), Leesville Road (12/6 - 12/17), Lincoln Heights (12/6 - 12/17), Morrisville (11/8 - 11/23), Oak Grove (11/8 - 11/23), Olive Chapel (12/6 - 12/17), Penny Road (11/1 - 11/12), Pleasant Union (11/8 - 11/19), and Wildwood Forest (11/1 - 12/17). Some high school service clubs are anticipated to take part as well. Collection barrels are also located at Central Office, Webster Center, and Project Enlightenment.
The "On the Road to Reading Book Drive" staff and volunteers have set a goal to collect 20,000 books for young children of Wake County this year. Books most in need are baby, toddler, preschool, early reading books and Spanish children's books.
The book drive is a literacy initiative to collect new or used books to distribute to young children throughout Wake County who may not have had the early experience with books so critical for language development and reading success. The book drive began as a part of Project Enlightenment's involvement in the Accelerated Learning Program (ALP) II and now is part of the Early Reading First Grant from the U.S. Department of Education administered by Project Enlightenment called "The Literacy Connection."
Over the past four years, Project Enlightenment has collected and distributed over 49,000 books. Partnerships in this effort have included elementary schools, high school service clubs, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts, and several area churches and businesses. The Junior League of Raleigh has been instrumental in the success of the book drive each year. Many JLR volunteers work to plan the event, collect, sort, and distribute the donated books.
All books collected are distributed to pre-K Title I and special education programs; to children, teachers and families receiving services at Project Enlightenment; and to many other programs in the community serving children at-risk for school failure.
For more information contact Nancy Scherr, Materials Specialist, The Literacy Connection, Project Enlightenment at 831-3886 or email