Newton County Schools distributes 55,000 books to about 3,500 at literacy extravaganza
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Summary
On Feb. 7 Newton County Schools held its third annual literacy extravaganza at Newton High School, giving more than 55,000 books to roughly 3,500 students, families and community members and pairing the distribution with STEM demos, therapy dogs and student performances.
On Feb. 7 Newton County Schools held its third annual literacy extravaganza at Newton High School, where organizers said more than 55,000 books were placed directly into the hands of roughly 3,500 students, families and community members.
Organizers described the event as an intentional effort to expand access to high-quality, high-interest books for every age and reader. Lori McGovern said, "we have something I hope for everyone. We believe that, every home should have books for everyone." The district said the distribution aimed to help children and parents build personal home libraries.
Dr. Jennifer Williams, director of instructional technology and media services, said the district's media specialists curated the collection to reflect what students are excited to read. "So we have books that every kid can see themselves," Williams said, listing popular series and genres the specialists prioritized, including Dog Man, Captain Underpants, books about Black history, sewing books and a substantial selection of graphic novels.
The event paired the book distribution with hands-on learning and community engagement. Newton College and Career Academy students led STEM activities; interactive drone demonstrations were used to connect reading with real-world innovation. Creative stations and therapy reading dogs were available throughout the day, and student dance and step performances added a celebratory tone.
District staff described the literacy extravaganza as "more than an event," calling it a strategic investment intended to build a culture of reading across Newton County. Organizers did not announce follow-up actions or additional distribution dates during the event.
The school district identified media services and instructional technology as the lead teams for the program; specific funding sources or long-term program timelines were not specified in the presentation.