The School District of Fort Atkinson recently announced that it has received a donation of educational literature for each of its four elementary schools.
The literature, at a value of $7,359.92, was donated by the Unity Project’s School Partnership Committee.
According to the release, the Unity Project comprises community members working together to make sure each person in the Fort Atkinson community feels a sense of belonging.
The project finds it “imperative” that it selects books that represent and reflect the students that will read them, the release noted.
Donated books include a variety of topics, ranging from diversity, inclusion, immigration stories, positive self-image, and self care, among others.
“We are again so very thankful to the Unity Project for their generosity in gifting books to our elementary schools so our students have access to texts that represent diverse experiences and perspectives for learning more about the world around them,” Candice Sayre, district academic advancement coordinator, was quoted as saying in the release.
The release stated that Whitney Townsend, the chairperson of the Unity Project’s School Partnership Committee, visited each elementary school to present and distribute the books. Townsend met with a different grade-level at each school and shared some background information on the Unity Project and the purpose behind the donation with each student group. She read each group a book that was included in the donation and students had the chance to “buddy read” and enjoy some of the newly donated titles.
After the presentation, the release continued, the books were distributed to all K-5 classrooms at Barrie, Luther, Purdy, and Rockwell elementary schools where they will be added to classroom libraries and school book rooms.
To reenforce the project’s mission, each book carries a “donation sticker,” with the phrase “May you see yourself in these pages, and know that you are welcome, safe, and valued,” the release read.
The release further noted that Fort Community Credit Union (FCCU), on behalf of the Unity Project, secured a $15,000 grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, which is earmarked to provide direct support to organizations that promote equity and opportunity for communities of color.
Grant funds are part of a $14 million dollar Targeted Impact Fund.
Townsend serves FCCU as director of business and community development, and, working alongside FCCU CEO Sue Johnson and other members of the Unity Project, the group applied for the grant funding.
The project has additionally donated books to the district’s middle and high school English departments, according to the release.
“The partnership between the School District of Fort Atkinson and the Unity Project’s School Partnership Committee exemplifies our mantra of one team, one district, and one community. These donations of books directly align with our mission of cultivating an inclusive high-performing culture of growth and community. We are very grateful for their continued investment in our most precious resource – our students,” District Superintendent Rob Abbott noted within the release.
Whitney Townsend, the chairperson of the Unity Project’s School Partnership Committee, standing, at left, visits with a School District of Fort Atkinson class of elementary school students. Townsend explained to the students the importance of books. The project recently donated books appropriate for elementary students valuing more than $7,000. The books focus on concepts of inclusion. Contributed photo.
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