First-grade students Preston Smith and Blake Pope, from Mrs. Balltziglier’s room,make a book donation.

Kindergarten student Alaina McCall from Mrs. Ander’s class prepares to drop off some books.

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction is launching their Give Five Read Five campaign which helps to address summer learning loss. As part of this campaign, Kerr School educators will be asking parents, business leaders and community members to donate five new or gently used books to the school so that they can send students home with books to read over the summer.

Harvard has done research which shows that reading just five books helps students to better retain literacy skills over the summer.

Kerr School will be participating in this endeavor, stressed principal Jan Smith.

Anyone interested in donating a book is asked to call the school regarding more information, at 910-592-3066.