TULSA, Okla. — Third graders at Springdale Elementary got a surprise on Wednesday when they got two new books and the chance to learn about the weather.
It is all a part of the Read 2 lead campaign in partnership with Equity Bank to give kids the joy of reading.
As students filed into the school auditorium, many surprised faces filled the room and they gasped after learning the plan for the morning event.
"I didn't know that,” exclaimed Bella Castro, a third grader.
Meteorologist Michael Seger explained how he forecasts on the green screen and gave students a tour of the 2 News storm truck. Anchor Justin Fischer helped students get a chance to use the green screen.
Equity Bank also donated a big check to help stock the library.
“This is a donation to your school for $250 so you all can get some new books today," a representative with Equity Bank said.
All the excitement is designed to get kids excited about reading.
“We try to implement it throughout the day,” Theron Paul, a counselor at Springdale Elementary, said. The kids will have different times in the day when they can read by themselves."
Paul said reading at grade level, especially in the third grade, is crucial, which is why he's thrilled to see students engage with a book each day. He adds at his school, more than half of the students are bilingual, which is why adding more diverse books to the library is a big help.
“Adding books in Spanish and helping them feel welcome… we've seen a lot of growth in our children,” Paul said.
Castro said reading is an escape for her.
“Reading calms me down a lot,” Castro said. "Whenever I get frustrated, I grab a book and start reading."
Castro offered advice for her classmates, too.
“Just read, and you'll feel it,” she said.
Castro is talking about the joy a good book can bring, which is something all the kids were able to experience by visiting the Gaining Ground bus, where books of all kinds were eager to be pulled from shelves.
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