Shasta Elementary Gathers Books for Hurricane Harvey Victims

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Shasta Elementary fourth-graders ran a book drive for Texas schools hit by Hurricane Harvey. Students from left to right: James Dodson, 9, Cheyanna Thompson, 9, Rylynn Goss, 9, Riley Kennelly, 9, Alyssa Hamblin, 9, and Theron Tyler, 9. (Samantha Tipler)

Students donate about 1,000 books to send to Texas

Shasta Elementary gathers books for Hurricane Harvey victims Students donate about 1,000 books to send to Texas Fourth-grade students at Shasta Elementary School wanted to make sure children like themselves in Texas have books to read in school, or for their parents to read to them at home. 

That’s why, after Hurricane Harvey, they decided to run a book drive for schools in Texas. From Sept. 19 through Sept. 29 they filled 17 boxes with books, totaling 710 pounds. That amounted to about 1,000 books to send hurricane ravaged schools.

Three fourth-grade classes taught by Shelley Freirich, Katherine Latasa and Dena Morosin joined in the effort to donate books. 

“I think it’s important to do this book drive because there’s lots of elementary schools and kids in Texas who lost all their books in the library from a flood,” said Theron Tyler, 9, in Mrs. Morosin’s class.” I think it would be really nice to donate all these books.”

“It’s important to do a book drive because there’s kids that didn’t get books when Hurricane Harvey stormed in,” said Riley Kennelly, 9, in Mrs. Latasa’s class.”

“I think it’s important to have this book drive because we’re helping people,” said Rylynn Goss, 9, in Mrs. Freirich’s class. “And they have to learn to read to do good in school.”

The students got the idea after reading in their textbook about a fourth-grade student who started a book drive.
“We thought about the fact that, holy cow, there are schools in Texas that need books because of the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. What a great project we could do,” Freirich said, noting it lines up with the school value of compassion. “We thought it was a compassionate thing to do.”

When asked what books they hoped the Texas students would like, several of the fourth-graders said series books like Goosebumps or Monster High. Some were more sentimental.

“My favorite book has 200 stories in it and my grandma got it for me for my first birthday,” said Alyssa Hamblin, 9, in Mrs. Freirich’s class. “But I don’t read it anymore so I thought it would be a good idea to donate it to Texas.”

“I donated a book about Winnie the Pooh that I got on my second birthday,” said Cheyanna Thompson, 9, in Mrs. Morosin’s class. “My mom always read it to me when I fell asleep.”

James Dodson, 9, said he could imagine the books going to the children and schools in Texas.

“They’ll be really excited,” he said, “because they’re getting their books back.”

Press release from Klamath County School District