Knox County students to get free books at OWL Fest as efforts to promote literacy continue

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. ( WATE ) — Opportunities with Literacy (OWL) Fest is coming to Knox County this week which means students can shop for free books as state leaders work to promote literacy among young readers.

OWL Fest is essentially a bookstore and shopping experience, supported by federal funding to promote literacy in Priority schools statewide. The Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation (GELF), is partnering with the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) to bring OWL Fest to three schools in Knox County.

On Thursday morning, more than 500 Pre-K through 5 ^th grade students at Lonsdale and Maynard Elementary schools will have the opportunity to select books to take home, at no cost to families or schools. The event will then take place at Sarah Moore Greene Magnet Technology Academy on Friday.

“At Lonsdale Elementary School, we know that reading is a major key to success,” William Smith, Lonsdale Elementary School Principal, stated in a news release. “We are excited about this opportunity to provide all of our students with books to ensure that the love of literature continues beyond this school building and into the home.”

According to GELF, 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 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 without books. GELF also shared that OWL Fest served 30 schools and provided over 54,000 books to 9,000 students, at no cost to them in 2023.

“The excitement from teachers and students inspired GELF and TDOE to continue OWL Fest in 2024,” GELF officials stated on Monday.

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