John F. Kennedy Library

JFK Library Reveal will be Tuesday, February 27, 2024

5:30 PM - 7:00PM

We are the proud recipients of the Project LEARN IT (Literacy, Excellence, and Academic Readiness for Nurturing Innovative Thinkers) Grant. This grant was announced this morning from our Region 2 Education Service Center! Thank you for selecting our school and our library!

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Thursday September 30, 2021

Education Service Center, Region 2 Receives 2.6 Million Dollar “Project Learn It”

Grant to Increase Literacy in Elementary Schools

The Education Service Center, Region 2 (ESC-2) is excited to announce the grant award for “Project Learn It” $2,693,649.00 grant that will be utilized to increase literacy in elementary schools within our region.

This grant is determined to help modernize elementary school libraries and will be awarded to 54 elementary schools who will receive approximately $50,000 each. The 54 elementary schools belong to 14 school districts within our region. The purpose of these funds is to provide a positive and engaging learning environment in the libraries of our elementary schools. This includes new architecture, murals, furniture, paint, technology, etc.

The “Project Learn It” grant is made possible through federal funding and aims to provide high quality learning via literacy within our region’s elementary school libraries. The intention of the grant is to improve student literacy by creating a welcoming, exciting and safe space for elementary students to enjoy learning and improve literacy skills in their school library.

“We are extremely grateful to receive 2.6 million dollars to support our library learning environments under our “Project Learn It” grant. Creating new and positive atmospheres within our elementary school libraries will promote opportunities to enhance our students desire and interest to learn and develop their literacy skills. The Education Service Center will work with the School Districts to help design and promote new and exciting library environments for 54 elementary schools within our Region. “We are extremely happy with our Project Learn It grant. Helping districts foment the love of reading to their student by creating exciting places to read books is a major component of this grant. We look forward to working with all of our participating elementary schools on the uplifting of their campus libraries.”

– Dr. Esperanza Zendejas, ESC-2 Executive Director.

Congratulations to our 54 elementary schools who will be receiving these grant funds. We are excited to see how the grant will enhance our region’s elementary school libraries and ignite our student’s excitement towards literacy.

Coming Soon!

February 27, 2024

JOHN F. KENNEDY ELEMENTARY LIBRARY NAMED AS A RECIPIENT OF A LIBRARY GRANT

FROM THE LAURA BUSH FOUNDATION FOR AMERICA’S LIBRARIES.

JOHN F. KENNEDY ELEMENTARY was one of 300 schools from 44 states across the country to receive a
$5,000 grant through the Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries. This year, the Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries awarded $1.5 million in library grants this year.
Many of the libraries will use the funds to update and diversify their collections.

“I am thrilled that children from 300 schools will soon have access to an updated library collection,” Mrs. Laura Bush said. “Students across the country turn to books to discover the world around them, and we know that opening a new book opens the door to new opportunities and learning.”

Dr. Malia Perez, the school’s librarian, applied for the grant on behalf of JFK Elementary last fall. We are grateful
for this opportunity and appreciate being chosen. Our students will continue their love of reading as we expand
our book collection with new book choices for our readers.

Mrs. Bush revealed her 2022 summer reading list, which includes recommendations for young readers through
middle schoolers, on Sunday at the annual Laura Bush Book Club event, part of the Engage at the Bush Center series, presented by NexPoint. Selections feature books on adventure, humor, and discovery.

“The books on this year’s summer reading list were selected to encourage children to keep reading over their
summer break,” said Mrs. Bush. “Local libraries are a wonderful resource for our communities, and I hope children and parents will visit their local library to borrow each of the featured titles.”

One of the 2022 Summer Reading List books was written by Giovanna McBride, the daughter of Mrs. Bush’s
former chief of Staff, Anita McBride. Gigi at the White House was published by The White House Historical
Association and follows a young Giovanna as she tours the White House. Inspired by the Laura Bush Foundation,
Anita McBride and her husband Tim McBride have donated copies of Gigi at the White House! to every elementary school that has received a grant since 2002.

Grant applications for the 2022-2023 school year will open in late 2022. Visit laurabushfoundation.org to learn more.

The Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries supports school libraries with the greatest needs with the goal of encouraging all students to develop a love of reading and learning. Since its inception in 2002, it has
awarded more than $19.5 million to more than 3,300 schools across the country.

The George W. Bush Institute’s Education and Opportunity work, which houses the Laura Bush Foundation for
America’s Libraries, is generously supported by The Allstate Foundation. The Laura Bush Foundation is managed as a restricted fund at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Texas. More information can be found at laurabushfoundation.org. The Laura Bush Foundation is managed as a restricted fund at the George W. Bush
Presidential Center in Dallas, Texas. More information can be found at www.bushcenter.org.
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George W. Bush Institute
The George W. Bush Institute is a solution-oriented nonpartisan policy organization focused on
ensuring opportunity for all, strengthening democracy, and advancing free societies. Housed within the
George W. Bush Presidential Center, the Bush Institute is rooted in compassionate conservative values
and committed to creating positive, meaningful, and lasting change at home and abroad. We utilize
our unique platform and convening power to advance solutions to national and global issues of the day
by influencing policy, not politics. Learn more at bushcenter.org.