Mena First UMC’s “Book Buffet” provides third-graders with books

Mena First United Methodist Church recently sponsored a “Book Buffet” for the entire third-grade class of Holly Harshman Elementary School. Over 190 age-level books were purchased and donated by the congregation in response to third-grade literacy.

Third-grade reading levels offer an important indicator of students’ academic trajectories and an opportunity for intervention with at-risk children while they are still in elementary school.

Each third grader was extremely excited to choose a book of their own to take home. Extra books were given to the third-grade literacy teacher to use as awards and in her classroom library.