Reading Across the Programs: Classroom Grants

Reading-Focused Classroom Grants Help Make Reading Accessible for All Students

The Foundation’s Classroom Grant program encourages teachers to dream and apply for supplementary materials that could deepen students’ learning in the classroom. The 68 classroom grants approved for the 2024-2025 school year support different areas of learning across the district, but notably, 24 of those grants support reading and literacy across the grade levels. 

Those grants include several reading literacy programs, Bob Book Reading, math & reading toolboxes, literacy nights, audiobooks for elementary students, books for Battle of the Books at the elementary and middle school levels, the Sora platform for middle school, books for an AP literature class, One School One Book, a grade set of “Who Was…?” books, national park books, and books for a book swap.

At the elementary level, preloaded audiobooks called Playaways have made a lasting impact. Since 2019, more than 10 schools across the district have written grants for Playaways, and some of those schools have written repeat grants due to the Playaways popularity among students. Melissa Lightle, Fire Ridge Media Specialist, has witnessed the impact of Playaways at her school. Since 2019, Melissa notes, Fire Ridge has circulated 4,811 Playaways, and this year alone Fire Ridge has circulated 421 Playaways. 

Two students discuss the audiobooks they are listening to.

“The Playaways increase the selection of books for students because the audiobooks provide them an opportunity to tackle challenging texts that they would normally reject,” Melissa said. “I love that students feel empowered to tackle challenging books because of Playaways!”

Students take that empowered feeling about reading with them to middle school. With the help of the Foundation, the middle school media specialists worked to create cohesive programming that ties classroom grants, such as Sora and middle school Battle of the Books, to the reading incentive program and other reading challenges like the Golden Sower list. 

According to Rachel Jussel, Elkhorn Grandview Middle School Media specialist, due to the interconnected nature of the programs, there just weren’t enough copies of certain books to accommodate all the students who were trying to read them. Students were trying to check out books from the Golden Sower list for Battle of the Books, to complete the Golden Sower Challenge, or just because it looked interesting.

Now there are copies specifically for students competing in Battle of the Books. “Through the Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation contributions, we were able to provide people with resources that they need to succeed, including a wider selection of books, new team building materials, and access to engaging activities that foster individual growth and collaboration. This helps build a community of learners,” said Rachel. 

Two students quiz each other about books for the Middle School Battle of the Books.

Another classroom grant at the middle school level is Sora. The Sora platform provides students with access to thousands of ebooks and audiobooks through the Nebraska Library Consortium and the Omaha Public Library. The middle schools had Sora during Covid and wanted to bring it back because it was beneficial for all students. According to Amy Williams, media specialist at Elkhorn Valley View Middle School, the platform is filterable, very easy for students to use, and can be used on the students’ school-provided devices. 

“Sora just gives our kids more access to more titles that are going to change with the times,” Amy said. This platform is especially beneficial because it helps students who have learning differences or individuals who like to listen to the audiobook as they follow along. 

All of the reading and literacy based programs at the elementary, middle school, and high schools have a clear goal. 

“We want kids to read, and kids read when they have access to books and when they have an incentive to read. That’s it,” Amy said. “We want to give them reasons to read and we want to get them hooked, and then once they’re hooked, we want to make sure that they have access to the books.”