MAY 16, 2024 | General Johnnie Wilson Middle School has learned that it is one of 200 schools in the country to receive a $5,000 grant from the Laura Bush Foundation for America's Libraries.
This year, the Laura Bush Foundation awarded $1 million in library grants to schools in more than 40 states, allowing schools like GJW to update and diversify their collections.
Principal Nikole Davis said winning the grant is exciting because it will allow her to work on a goal she set years ago.
"I am incredibly excited and grateful," she said. "When I first interviewed for this position, I pledged to enhance our library and make it a student resource. Receiving this grant from the Laura Bush Foundation for America's Libraries is a step toward fulfilling that promise. This funding will enable us to expand our collection and provide our students with even more opportunities for learning and growth."
The grant will also support ongoing efforts by Lorain City Schools to revamp school libraries, adding to the $8,000 made available this year to each of the district's three middle schools.
District Library Director Kelvin Jackson said the GJW library is small, but this infusion of funds will help it grow.
"We will look at what's needed to round out the collection based on what's currently there and student interest and order selections to give the library a real boost," Jackson said.
In the eyes of the former first lady, Davis and Jackson will put every dollar toward the intended purpose of the grant.
"When a child opens a book, they open up a world of possibilities. I'm grateful this year's Laura Bush Foundation grants give librarians the opportunity to update their collections, and they give students the chance to find a new genre or subject that interests them," Mrs. Laura Bush said in a statement.