A 9-year-old’s ongoing project to encourage literacy by giving away free books will provide a book to all Jacksonville School District 117 students in kindergarten through fifth grade as part of Kiwanis Club of Jacksonville’s annual Read Across Jacksonville event.
“We’re going to make sure every kid in the district is going to have a book,” Beckham Oldenettel said.
Beckham, with some help from his parents, started Beckham’s Book Shelf when he was 3 years old. His mother, Lori Oldenettel, said he was inspired by his older brother, Kellon Oldenettel, who was 5 when he started collecting socks for those in need.
Beckham’s Book Shelf makes sure that kids can take books home and keep them, Beckham said.
“I want kids whenever they’re reading the books to have a smile on their face and I want them to enjoy their book,” he said.
As books are collected, Beckham puts a label inside and keeps them until there is a need, when he sends them out.
People donate their children’s books to Beckham’s Book Shelf after their kids have outgrown them, Lori Oldenettel said.
In the six years since he started Beckham’s Book Shelf, Beckham has collected and distributed more than 10,000 books in the community and across the United States.
“I always get a warm feeling whenever I pass out the books because it always makes me feel good inside,” Beckham said. “It makes me feel like I’ve done something good.”
During the week of May 17, Beckham should be feeling really good inside. That’s when Kiwanis members will use Zoom to read to JSD 117 classrooms. Students will receive free books from Beckham’s Bookshelf at the same time.
Partnering with Kiwanis to distribute the books takes Beckham’s effort one step further.
“People have donated books, volunteered to help us sort the books, distribute the books,” Lori Oldenettel said. “And now, being partnered with Kiwanis this year and last year to take it one step further, where we’re able to read in the classroom, I think is a great partnership and hopefully we can think of new ways to grow it in the future.”
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May 08, 2021 at 04:40PM
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Boy’s literacy effort adds chapter to story - Jacksonville Journal-Courier
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