Spotlight on Education: Ballard Elementary Receives Library Grant From the Laura Bush Foundation

BRADENTON - The Manatee School District recently announced that Ballard Elementary School has been chosen to receive a library grant from The Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries. The grant is awarded to schools to extend, update, and diversify the book and print collections in their libraries; to encourage students to develop a love of reading and learning. The grant, up to $7,000, can only be used to purchase books or magazines for the school.

”The Kindergarten, first grade, and other emergent readers are going to be so excited to have new books that they will be able to read!“ said Nancy Bacon, the Media Specialist for Ballard Elementary. She has one-year to utilize the grant money after receiving it; and will likely purchase hardback books for the school’s emergent, or beginning readers.

More than $831,000 in grants are being distributed to 130 school libraries, from 30 states this year, from the Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Library. Ballard Elementary, located at 912 18th Street West in Bradenton, was one of nine schools in Florida to be awarded the grant. The other schools are located in Coral Springs, Crescent City, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Orlando, Sanford, and Vero Beach.

Since its inception in 2002, The Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries has awarded over $13.4 million to more than 2,500 schools across the country. ”I challenge every student to build your reading skills during the summer break, and come back to your new and improved school library ready to learn next year,“ said former First Lady Laura Bush. More information is available at www.laurabushfoundation.org.