As the school year ends for area students, local organizations come together with schools to provide books for students to keep and read over the summer. 

Multiple book distributions over the past few weeks have connected students to grade appropriate books to support summer reading. 

Park University students supplied five books to each student at Garfield Elementary in Kansas City Public Schools. Mid-Continent Public Library-Blue Ridge Branch staff connected with students at Truman Elementary in Hickman Mills School District to talk about fun summer reading activities and to pass out books. 

Truman Elementary was part of a mass 27,000 book distribution through LINC and Turn the Page KC with support from local libraries and First Book. 

Mid-Continent Public Library staff engage with students

A gym full students raised their hands when Blue Ridge branch assistant manager Graham Fox asked if they loved to read. 

Fox spoke to Truman Elementary students Tuesday, May 20 during an assembly to distribute a brand new, grade appropriate book to each student. Fox engaged students in a discussion of the fun possibilities of reading and the free reading opportunities being held at the library this summer.

Park University students in KCPS

Garfield Elementary students now have five more books to enjoy this summer.

Community and schools came together Tuesday, May 20 when Park University students handed out sacks of books to Garfield students in KCPS. The books were donated to the students that Park students had collected from a student-driven book drive.

Read more from the Park University newsletter:

A trio of Park University student organizations recently held a book drive to promote literacy among underprivileged youth. Alpha Chi, Sigma Alpha Pi and Communication Connection collected approximately 1,000 books that were donated to LINC (Local Investment Commission), a citizen-driven community collaborative that helps improve the lives of children and families in the Kansas City region. On May 20, the books were presented to students in the LINC program at Garfield Elementary in Kansas City, Mo., during a special event the Park organizations organized. The efforts of the book drive were led by Park students seniors Jamie Craig, secondary education/social studies major, Gina English, social work major, and Minnie Washington, business administration/marketing major.