Submitted by: Christina Nelson, Librarian at T.A. Brown Elementary
Personal Background
Reading has always been my escape. Ever since I can remember, I have always loved to read. Some of my favorite childhood memories were when my mother would take my sister and me to the local public library. In the library I was able to choose any book I wanted and with a new story I could create my own new world. Through reading a story, I was able to imagine something so different than my own reality; that of [being raised by] a struggling single parent with limited financial means trying to make ends meet.
Although my family valued education and the power of knowledge, extracurricular activities and extraneous items like books were seldom purchased. Therefore, when my class was shown a large table of books that we could choose from, I was ecstatic at the thought of being able to have a brand new FREE book all to myself!
Influence on Life and Learning
Those early stories provided by RIF brought me comfort and the practice I needed to become a strong reader. My love of learning is what led me to pursue a career as a classroom teacher and most recently a school librarian. Throughout my educational career, I have had the wonderful opportunity to work at campuses with populations similar to my own upbringing. I strongly believe through reading and education, all students can be successful and contribute to their community.
Current Impact
Upon arriving at my campus three years ago, I was disappointed to find out we were not participating in the RIF program. I was eager to reapply for the program and in my second year, we were able to provide one of the best opportunities for our students, brand new FREE books from RIF! I have been delighted to see how the programming has evolved since my elementary days and am thrilled to be able to present the fun themes for my students. They have sincerely enjoyed seeing me dress-up as a chef, airline pilot, and soon to come a forest ranger.
The influence and power of RIF could be limitless, but only with the continued generous support of our sponsors.
Please donate today for the future readers of tomorrow.
