Books from the Heart
Adopt a School Program…
Bringing Books to a Gulf Coast School
Dear Jennings School Parents, Students and Staff,
Last week New Orleans hosted their first Mardi Gras
celebration since Hurricane Katrina’s widespread destruction of over
six months ago. For many people it felt like a return to normalcy after
months of uncertainty. However, the sad situation down in the Gulf
Coast continues for hundreds of thousands of people who are
desperately trying to rebuild their lives. Also, it has been learned that
two thirds of the Katrina donations that were collected have been
exhausted.
At the heart of this tragedy are the small children who have lost
the unthinkable…the security of their families and homes. Many
children have also lost their schools. The statistics are troubling. In
Louisiana, about 90 schools are a total loss. New Orleans Parish lost
63 percent of its 126 schools. Some schools are just beginning to
resume classes in makeshift trailers which sit outside their devastated
schools. Other schools are faced with an influx of student evacuees
due to the storm. It will cost millions of dollars to replace just the
books that were lost from the school libraries. One school in
Mississippi lost its entire library collection, a total of 13,000 volumes.
Despite so much bad news, many wonderful organizations
such as Heart of America are focusing their efforts by bringing the
children impacted by Hurricane Katrina over 40 tons of backpacks,
school supplies, and books. Working with the National Education
Association, Heart of America has initiated an effort to help Gulf
Coast public schools and libraries. The project called “Books from the
Heart Adopt a School Program” is encouraging public schools
throughout the country to “adopt” a school affected by Hurricane
Katrina. Jennings has decided to get involved with this wonderful
project and we are happy to report that we have been matched with a
school that needs our help. Our adopted school is the Laurel
Christian Public School (K-6) in Laurel, Mississippi. This school has
received hurricane evacuees and requires books for their library,
classrooms and students.
With the Scholastic Book Fair just around the corner we feel this
provides the perfect opportunity for our Jennings School community
to lend a hand to our new friends in need. It’s important to note that
these Gulf Coast schools need new books or books that look new (no
writing in them or torn pages). Unfortunately many schools, right
after the hurricane, received items including books that they could
not use. We encourage anyone who wishes to donate books that are
in wonderful condition only, to please do so. Also, if you’d like to
purchase a new book from either the book fair or a bookstore that too
would be greatly appreciated. We have been informed that our
adopted school is hoping for a variety of books including picture
books, chapter, poetry, historical fiction, non-fiction…anything you’d
find in your standard children’s library is desperately needed. This
makes it fairly simple when selecting a book to donate.
We are anxious to get this effort underway! If you’d care to
donate a new book or a used book that “looks new”, please send
directly to the Jennings Library where donations will be inventoried
and prepared for shipping to our friends in Mississippi. If you have
any questions regarding this project, please feel free to contact Mrs.
Michaud in the library at 584-7804 ext.122.
Thank you in advance for your support. Laurel Christian Public
School is certain to be overwhelmed with the generosity and
compassion it will soon be receiving from Jennings School.
Sincerely,
Judy Michaud
Jennings School Library 3/7/06