TEMPLE, TX — Two Belton High School students are doing what they can to make reading a priority in the community.
Alexis Aryal and Yesenia Guzman are both juniors, and on Thursday they donated a “Lending Library” to Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s Medical Center.
"We have books that have been donated from Belton High School and other people in our community and we put them in there so kids can take a book and leave a book,” Aryal said.
The teenagers are both members of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America. One of the requirements for members in the organization is to do projects that benefit their community. Which is what they said inspired the Free Little Libraries.
"It makes me really happy because I didn't think that it would get this big, I thought, 'Oh, we are going to put one up at the hospital and we are going to get kids to read,' but then we got more built and we're getting and entire community to like reading more," Guzman said.
The project is one that McLane Children’s Medical Center President Dr. John Boyd said will help children at the hospital grow one word at a time.
"As you know when you are in the hospital, sometimes you get a little bit bored and this will give them an opportunity to have something to read, we also have volunteers that come and read to children, so they will use the library as well," Dr. Boyd said. "Here is an example of a great idea from a young person who wanted to make a difference in the life of a child here.”
The Free Little Libraries can also be found at Sparta Elementary and Southwest Elementary.
