BRYAN, Texas — Students from Rudder High and Bryan ISD Transportation and Maintenance came together in June to build Words on Wheels, a new summer reading initiative for kids throughout the community.
Words on Wheels is in its second year serving as a mobile library across the Brazos Valley.
“We’re trying to bring books to the community and continue reading all summer long,” said Denise Kersten, Library Program Coordinator, Bryan ISD. “It’s been so much fun to meet all the families, to meet so many kids across the district and across the community.”
Also known as the W.O.W. Bus, will be throughout every community in Bryan ISD to ensure kids can visit and grab a book to go.
“We have a different campus that we go to every day,” said Kersten. “Once we’re at that campus people from the community, people from across town, people at the school, they are more than welcome to come in and take a look at the books and check out some books to read.”
Patrisia Gamez is a kindergarten teacher in Bryan ISD and says having this mobile library is helpful for families, especially in the summertime.
“A lot of the families don’t have access to books at home,” said Patrisia Gamez, kindergarten bilingual teacher, Bryan ISD. “They rely on the school library, but when summer is out or during the school year, if they aren’t able to check out books, the mobile library is very helpful.”
While Gamez’s students are only in kindergarten and just starting to read, she says it’s important for all kids to keep reading books outside of school.
“Reading is very important,” said Gamez. “It’s very important for them to keep on reading at home. They can either read on their own or they can have a family member or older sibling, mom, dad, anybody read it to them.”
Gamez says this initiative is beyond students just reading a book.
“It’s not just ‘I read a book,’ said Gamez. “It’s also about asking questions, comprehensive questions. What was your favorite part of the book? What happened in the beginning? What happened in the middle, at the end? What was the title?”
Kersten says with summer school in effect, they’re making a big impact on each campus they visit.
“Today we’re at Kemp and that would mean we’re seeing about 500 students I believe are at Kemp plus whatever community members come in on their own,” says Kersten.
Gamez says the mobile library makes it easy for families to stop by and check out a book.
“They are at locations at schools where parents and families can go take their kids,” said Gamez. “They come in. They can choose any books. There’s AC. There’s all varieties of books, English and Spanish, all different levels.”
Words on Wheels will be at a school location every day throughout the summer. You can visit their website to see their summer schedule here: BISD Libraries - Mobile Library (google.com).