Kennedy Elementary (Rexburg) - Bucks for Books

This Donation will buy a book for Kennedy Elementary in Rexburg. Their Librarian says "As a Title 1 school the students have the obstacle of low income and lack of time parents/care givers spend with the students. The working parents/care givers usually don't have the opportunity to read with the student(s), Another obstacle is divorce households that the student is dealing with. They are with one parent for a certain amount of time and the other for a certain amount of time. That creates a concern with the consistency of time that is spent with reading. The students says that they left the book with one parent or they forgot the book at one house. I feel that with the quality and quantity of books that are purchased that we can create a library filled with books that interest the students and that they can be excited with their selection and share with their parents/care giver. With having family reading nights that bring the students and parents/care givers together with a night of reading and activities that help excite both the students and parents/care givers.'

In 2019, the Idaho Lottery learned 28 percent of Idaho elementary schools had a library budget of less than $100 per year for book procurement. In reality, it would take nearly $8,000 every year per school to maintain the library collection students need to succeed. With that in mind, the Idaho Lottery worked with the Idaho Commission for Libraries to start Bucks For Books. Literacy has been a focus of Idaho Governor Brad Little since he took office in 2019. Getting all Idaho students reading at grade level by the third grade is imperative as that is the point where students transition from learning-to-read to reading-to-learn. Having a well-stocked library and the ability for all students to take books home is crucial in getting all Idaho students where they need to be.