For the second year in a row, students in a local elementary school received free books, courtesy of United Bank and its partnership with First Book.
April Stewart and Leslie Henderson with United Bank were at A.C. Moore Elementary School Monday morning, where they handed out more than 250 copies of Celebrating Virginia and Washington, D.C.
The first stop for the two bank employees, who were accompanied by ACM teacher Rebecca Murray and Principal John Brantley, was Kathy Shehan’s classroom.
About 20 students gave the duo a loud “thank you” as Henderson and Stewart handed each one a copy of the book, which includes maps and learning activities and is described as “an entertaining and educational mix of travel, geography, history and pop culture.”
The books were provided free to the bank, which had to pay only the shipping costs, by the D.C.-based non-profit social enterprise. First Book, which was founded in 1992, partners with any entity that wishes to enhance the learning experience for students in schools or educational programs that are in areas classified as “low income.”
Stewart said the bank conducted a similar program at Rachel Patterson Elementary School last year.
“This is our second year,” she said. “We partner with First Book to get books into the hands of students at our Title 1 schools.”
Brantley said he was happy that the bank chose his school for this year’s donation.