Providing help and creating hope in Maine
Portland, ME – First, second, fifth and sixth grade students at the Friends School of Portland, a private, independent school arising from the Quaker faith, spent the month of December collecting new and gently-used children’s books in hopes of sharing their love of literacy with other children in the community. The books are in and they’ve collected more than 300 books for children of all ages!
For children at St. Elizabeth’s Child Development Center in Portland, a program of Catholic Charities for children ages 18 months to five years, this couldn’t be a more wonderful and welcomed surprise. “We are thrilled to receive this donation of books to our Center, says St. Elizabeth’s Director Leslee Pierce, “We believe it’s never to early to foster a love of literacy and it’s a joy to know the Friends School students picked their best-loved books for us!”
The books were delivered just in time for Christmas by Friends School 1st & 2nd grade teacher Katie Nowak, 5th & 6th grade teacher Pete Nowak and a few of his students on Monday, December 21st. A 6th grader was the featured guest at story time and read from one of the new selections. “Literacy is a major focus in 1st/2nd grade and our students are very excited about learning how to read. We wanted to share our love of reading and books with kids in our community who may not have as easy access to books as we have," Nowak notes.
About St. Elizabeth’s Child Development Center
For more than 40 years, St. Elizabeth’s has provided educationally-enriching early care to children of all faiths in a nurturing environment that fosters creativity, curiosity, collaboration, and compassion. The Center is nationally accredited by the Council on Accreditation.
About the Friends School of Portland
Friends School of Portland is an independent preschool through 8th grade schools. We embrace the Quaker belief in the unique worth of each individual, we seek students from diverse ethnic, economic and family backgrounds. We offer a place-based curriculum with cooperative, hands-on learning in a close community where simplicity, service, stewardship and peaceful resolution of conflict are practiced every day. For almost 400 years, Friends Schools have offered students a blend of loving acceptance and vigorous challenge.
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