Aggies Raise $5k in Books on #GivingTuesday

13-year-old Ike Thomas’ favorite book series is Fable Haven and his Harry Potter house is Ravenclaw. He passes on his love for reading by volunteering at the Scholastic Book Fair once every six months for four years.

For every hour Ike volunteered at the Scholastic Book Fair on Giving Tuesday, he earned $10 worth of books that will be donated by Scholastic to one of three organizations: El Centro de Familia, Engineers without Borders, and the English Learning Center.

“It makes me feel good seeing other people giving back to people,” he said. “That’s what makes America really great.”

Community members raised $5,000 worth of books.

“Today is giving Tuesday, which means that you’re encouraged to either volunteer or give to your favorite charity,” said Sonia Manuel-Dupont, an assistant professor of communicative disorders and deaf education. “And so we’re doing both here.”

Some of the donated books will go so far as Uganda or Mexico. The others will end up in Cache Valley at a new library that’s being built for families of migrant workers. That library is expected to open mid-December.

“It will be a well-loved book,” Manuel-Dupont said.

Manuel-Dupont also said it’s important to her to get kids to read, because those who don’t read while they’re growing know 30 million less words by the time they start kindergarten.