Lewis Levine and staff reports.

United Way of the Coastal Empire is proud to partner with Liberty County Schools to promote early childhood literacy and put books into the hands of children in Liberty County through Read United. 

To support this important initiative, on Feb. 25, the Liberty County Schools donated a $50,000 grant to United Way to purchase books and other materials for Read United as well as to advance other literacy efforts, including installing “Little Libraries” across the county.

“Improving literacy is a top priority in the Liberty County School System. We are thankful to have the resources from our Literacy for Learning, Living, and Leading in Georgia (L4GA) grant that allow us to create this community-school partnership with our local United Way. Working together, we can more effectively improve literacy rates throughout Liberty County,” said Dr. Franklin Perry, Superintendent of Liberty County Schools.

As part of Read United, Snelson Golden Middle School Principal Dr. Anthony Johnson read to a group of students who sat mesmerized as they listened and looked at the photos in the book “How the Leopard Got Its Spots.”

Mikia Frazier, fourth grade teacher at Joseph Martin, said Read United is important in teaching kids that reading is something that lasts forever.

“We want them to become lifelong readers,” she said. “It is something that will stay with them for life.”

She said 300 students were treated to school guests reading a variety of books that engaged the children and filled their day with the joy of reading.