Operation Literacy and the Granite Education Foundation teamed up to give Granger Elementary fourth- through sixth-grade students in the Granite School District a memorable morning of cultivating a love for reading and promoting literacy. Students couldn’t contain their excitement when, at the end of the event, they were each gifted five books written by the authors. 

Operation Literacy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, brought its Tween Author Boot Camp program to Granger Elementary, a Title 1 school in the Granite School District. The literary event, presented by bestselling children’s authors, included a mini-writing conference to foster creativity, problem-solving and connection.

Operation Literacy's vision is to get age-appropriate books into the homes of students attending Title 1 schools, which, according to a 20-year study, “Family Scholarly Culture and Educational Success” is one of the most significant predictors of a child’s academic success.

“The mission of our organization is to promote children’s literacy in the state of Utah, especially in a time of declining literacy rates,” Operation Literacy CEO Jennifer Jenkins said. “We have a special interest in working with Title I schools. We bring children’s authors and free books to give every child.” 

According to the U.S. Department of Education, 61% of low-income families in the United States do not have age-appropriate books for their children in their homes. This highlights a critical gap between low-income families and children in high-income communities, who typically have around 13 books per child. 

Operation Literacy promotes literacy, a love of reading, and self-expression by empowering children to share their stories with guidance from industry professionals, including Newbury award-winning and national award-winning authors. Local and national children’s authors Jennifer Nielsen, Frank Cole, Yamile Méndez and Heather Clark held a mini writers conference, inspiring children to explore the many possibilities reading offers and to unlock their imaginations and dreams.

“Title 1 schools rarely have author visits because Parent-Teacher-Association (PTAs) funds typically pay for author visits,” Jenkins said. “With most author visits, schools are expected to sell a certain number of books. As a result, Title 1 school kids miss out on these literary opportunities. Operation Literacy addresses this issue by providing free author visits, mini-writing conferences and free books to Title 1 schools. In less than three years, we have given away over 30,000 books to students.”

New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Nielson, the Utah Ambassador of Young People’s Literature, pioneered Operation Literacy’s flagship Book Drop program, which was included with the school visit. Her vision behind the program is to connect authors with students attending Title 1 schools and provide those students with free books, helping to ensure that books are available in their homes.

“If children have a connection with an author, they are 90% more likely to read the book, Nielson said. “I think children do read and will read, but we must give them a reason to do so. The purpose of the Book Drop program is to create an interactive setting between authors and students. By the end of the mini-conference sessions, the children will be inspired and eager to read the free books they receive at the end of the event."

According to Rachel Lowrey, Granger Elementary School principal, kindergarten through sixth-grade teachers promote reading every day. The school runs several literacy programs to get reading tools in the hands of the parents, including the Family Engagement Committee, where teachers and staff members work collaboratively to enhance literacy at home. Events like the Fall Festival of Reading connect students' families with literacy and STEM skills. 

“We are implementing various programs at Granger that will connect families with reading materials and resources to encourage reading at home,” Lowrey said. “Our Family Reading Center is available every day of the week to support families. Also, we have an outreach program specifically for kindergarten families to assist parents in helping their children learn letter names and sounds and build pre-reading skills that are so critical.”

Kerry Lee, a fifth-grade teacher at Granger Elementary, was thrilled and grateful that this opportunity was made available to her students and that someone was generous enough to open up the world of literature to them.

“The glimpse into the creation of books and valuing their ideas is the support these kids need,” Lee shared in a recent conversation. “I was so impressed by how the authors expressed themselves and shared their ideas and individual personalities. Author Frank Cole included a slide featuring the word 'weird' in his presentation. The room relaxed when this one word came up, and he totally owned his weirdness. He explained that this was his superpower and that it fueled his creativity. The writers were fun and exciting; they had families, friends, and experiences just like our students' lives. They had a cool twist: they could use what happened to them and add creativity to make new stories to share with others.”

Educators and parents concur that students should find reading adds to their day. Children should want to read for enjoyment, information, understanding, sharing ideas, learning skills and learning about the world around them. Operation Literacy’s support and programs help students in Title 1 schools achieve these literary goals while promoting academic success.