Lima City School’s Spartan Ride has a bigger selection of books to distribute to kids in the community this summer thanks to a donation from Ohio State Lima’s Education Club.
“Our students need to have books in their hands all the time, and especially during these summer months when we know that there is quite a bit of a literacy slide that takes place,” said Lima City School Superintendent Jill Ackerman. “The ability to get the books out into the community, into the hands of kids who would actually have them at home, like they own them, is critical.”
The club used profits from their annual Scholastic Book Fair on campus and online to purchase the books. Fair attendees also had the option to buy a book to donate, which several took advantage of. Club President Regan King made sure to pick out a variety of books from picture to chapter, fiction to non-fiction, classic to new and noteworthy.
“In our classes for education, we learn so much about the importance of reading and the importance of learning and curiosity. This is a good way to encourage that,” she said. “We wanted to get these books and other resources out to the community with parents and students to keep them involved in their education throughout the summer.”
Ackerman is happy that future educators are learning to invest in literacy early in their careers.
“It's important for our young teachers to be to understand the importance of getting literacy into the hands of our kids and the importance of that home factor,” she said. “I know that young teachers are excited to be in school and to teach in a classroom but also recognizing that importance of that home partnership and the things that we can get into the hands of students to have in their homes are just as important as what we do here in the brick-and-mortar building.”
The Education Club plans to hold its annual sale again during the spring semester 2026.
