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Andress brings in niños to pick up libros
Two Andress High School librarians on Wednesday welcomed students from throughout the Northeast to gift them books in honor of Dia de los Niños — the Mexican holiday that celebrates children on April 30.
Andress’ first Dia de los Niños/Dia de los Libros event was organized by librarians Priscilla Moreno and Mary Anne Acosta as way to bring the community together to honor children of all ages and promote literacy, too.
“It’s a nationally recognized event by the American Library Association, started by author Pat Mora. This is a great way to reach out to the community and give back,” Moreno said. “We are celebrating today by giving away free books. We want to make sure every student in the area gets a free book. For some families, a book is considered a luxury, but we think they are necessity.”
The librarians handed out more than 900 books thanks to grant from First Book, a non-profit organization, which provides free books to children in lower socio-economic areas. The event featured food, face painting, a photo booth and other fun activities.
Also, on hand were representatives from local agencies, such as United Way and Big Brothers, Big Sisters.
“This is a great way to bring in the community, and all of our feeder schools were all invited, so we are really excited about this,” principal Joseph Manago said. “Not only do the kids get free books, but we also have a lot of vendors and stakeholders in our area so there’s resources for students and parents alike. Andress is not just a place to learn but also a place where we can bring the community and celebrate all our successes.”
Andress students played an important role in the celebration, from running arts and crafts booths to making sure everyone received a free book. Sophomore Isabelle Recendez and her fellow student council members have been preparing for a week, setting up a booth for kids to create their own bookmarks.
“I like being part of events like this because it’s a good way to promote education,” Recendez said.
Recendez shares her own love of reading with her brother and hopes the celebration seizes the opportunity to share their new books with a family member.
“My little brother is three-years-old and reading to him is something I really enjoy,” Recendez said. “I hope the kids have a great time.”
Parent Elizabeth Saaveda attended the event to support her eleventh-grade daughter Leslie, bringing along grandma and her seven-month old daughter Emily.
“This is a really nice event to encourage our children to learn,” Saaveda said.
Leslie helped by passing out books and making sure to save one for her little sister.
“I really like that we are bringing the whole community to our school. It’s important for everyone to read because it impacts your whole life,” Leslie said. “I love reading, and I am happy I can share that with my sister.”
Watch EPISD Live's coverage of Dia de los Niños/Dia de los Libros by clicking on this link.