Free book fair to visit 5 MNPS schools during ‘OWL Fest’

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Students at five Metro Nashville Public Schools have the opportunity to “shop” for free books starting Tuesday.

During the Opportunities with Literacy (OWL) Fest , a curated book fair for pre-K through 5th-grade students will visit select schools. With the help of local volunteers, children can pick out books to take home completely free of charge.

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On Sept. 24 the event will take place at Robert Churchwell Museum Magnet Elementary School, Bellshire Elementary and Jones Paideia Magnet Elementary School.

Developed by the Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation and the Tennessee Department of Education, OWL Fest was created to increase book access and promote literacy in “priority” schools. In 2023, Owl Fest said they distributed over 54,000 books to 9,000 students.

A press release from GELF stated, “Currently, less than half of Tennessee 3rd graders read proficiently, with rates in Priority schools ranging from 22-38%. A two-decade-long study found that the presence of a home library increases children’s academic success, vocabulary development, attention, and job attainment. Children with as few as 25 books in the home complete an average of two more years of schooling than those with no books.”

For more information, visit governorsfoundation.org .

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