Staci Marich and Toni Cox

In a school district encompassing over 500 square miles, it can be difficult to facilitate partnerships between schools and the surrounding communities. At Walker-Hackensack-Akeley Elementary School, Marich and Cox have sought to bridge this gap and provide students a chance to build relationships through reading. The "Community Read and Share" program will offer books for children to borrow at various local businesses, and return for other students to use. The service learning component of the project will give students an ownership stake in the process. They will choose the books, fill the book boxes, and monitor the boxes every month. Nearly 900 fourth and fifth-graders will have access to the books. This is important considering the challenges that many of the students face in getting books in their homes. The program will strengthen ties between students, teachers, parents and the community by offering books to the children anytime, anywhere.