The Open Books Project, a literacy initiative of the Santa Barbara Education Foundation (SBEF), has distributed 5,500 new books to transitional kindergarten (TK) through third-grade students in 12 elementary schools in the Santa Barbara Unified School District.

Young students in a classroom at Roosevelt School hold up the books they received. (Courtesy photo)
Roosevelt School was the last distribution stop for the Open Books Project. (Courtesy photo)

The Open Books Project is designed to foster a love of reading among young students support of donors and a crucial partnership with Louis Torres and his bookstore, Lantern Tree Books, according to SBEF.

Students received their books at the Open Books Project’s final book distribution event of the school year at Roosevelt Elementary School. Feedback from both students and teachers highlighted the initiative’s positive impact.

“These are our youngest learners, at the age of four going on five,” said Roosevelt TK teacher Allison Throop. “My class was so excited to receive the free books and instantly came back the next day with wonderful tales of being read out loud to by their families.”
 
The selected books meet key educational standards and include bilingual options, allowing families to enjoy reading together. Students from Throop’s class had glowing reviews about their new books.

“I loved the color book because it had a lot of colors in it,” said Eddy. “My Mom read it to me.”

Student Leo said, “I liked it because my mom read it. Just like Story Time.”

Adams Elementary School Principal Kelly Fresch also praised the initiative: “This will not only contribute to family engagement by including our parents in sharing a love of reading about topics students are learning about in the classroom, but they will also provide our youngest students with two books for their home library. We are ever thankful.”

“The Open Books Project represents our commitment to supporting literacy and education in our community,” said SBEF executive director Pedro Paz. “We are thrilled with the outcome of this initiative and grateful to all our donors and partners who made it possible.

“We hope to continue to inspire a lifelong love of reading and learning among our students by providing these books.”

For more about SBEF, visit santabarbaraeducation.org.