HIGH POINT, N.C. – Students at Fairview Elementary School received 300 new books from High Point University freshmen, who donated copies of their favorite childhood books at the start of the fall semester.

Each year, new students are asked to share a favorite childhood book during HPU’s Welcome Week. HPU’s Stout School of Education Fellows delivered the books and read with kindergarten and second-grade students at Fairview Elementary School on Nov. 9.

“Having our students deliver the books and interact with the elementary students is such a meaningful and impactful experience their first semester at HPU,” said Rosemarie Tarara, instructor of health education and director of Education Fellows in HPU’s Stout School of Education. “This is the sixth year that the Education Fellows program has been able to participate in this great tradition at HPU.”

Ryan Narwid, a freshman special education major from Columbus, New Jersey, said her first opportunity to visit a local school was an experience she will always remember.

“I loved giving the books and reading to them,” said Narwid. “Seeing the students getting so excited about books and us spending an hour of our day reading to them literally made their day. At the end of the day, that just makes me happy.”

Lauren Brown, a freshman elementary education major from Seabrook, New Hampshire, said reading to the children brought back memories of middle school when the reading buddy system paired her as an eighth grader reading to kindergarteners.

“It’s great because I would love to teach kindergarten to around second grade,” said Brown. “I love that age level. I think they’re adorable. I like to try to give them a little fun because we’re guests but at the same time keep them to the task.”

Tori Sebastiano, a middle school education major from Lebanon, New Jersey, said the donation event added to the experience she gained last year as an elementary school intern.

“I love reading stories to little kids,” said Sebastiano. “It was nice being able to see a completely different environment because I’m from up North and this school is nothing like other schools I’ve been in. You could tell these kids were really getting into the books. It meant a lot to me to be able to give back to the community that’s around my school. It was nice being able to explore our community, get off campus and see what it’s like around HPU.”

Pam Greene, Communities in Schools student advocate, said the HPU book donation tradition is appreciated by Fairview Elementary families. Communities in Schools is a Guilford County Schools program designed to surround students with a community of support to help them stay in school and achieve in life.

“Having an adult come in to read a book and model reading is always important for our families, many who do not have books at home to read with their children,” said Greene. “Having their own book to take home and ask their family members to read to them fosters reading at home and is a special opportunity.”

Elizabeth Self, a kindergarten teacher at Fairview, agreed the activity was beneficial for the children at Fairview.

“To see someone they can look up to come in and be excited to read to them shows them reading is fun,” said Self.