Literacy was the focus at Green Acres Elementary School during a week dedicated to reading across Cobb County. As part of the Read Across Cobb initiative, students participated in an event organized by the Books to Kids program, a collaboration between Atlanta News First, the Georgia Department of Education, and Peachtree TV. The effort provided hundreds of age-appropriate books directly to students, continuing a metro-wide campaign that has promoted home libraries and encouraged reading for nearly ten years.
Throughout Read Across Cobb, schools across the district welcomed guest readers and held themed literacy activities to highlight their commitment to developing strong readers from early grades. At Green Acres Elementary, each student received a bag with five selected titles suited to their grade level and participated in storytime with local media personalities.
Principal Dr. Maria Braswell emphasized the broader significance of the event: “It is so important to get the students to receive these books because it allows them to take them home and practice the most important skills that they are learning here at school,” she said. “It also helps them build that love for reading, which is so critical for students at an elementary school age and even beyond.”
Research shows that children who read proficiently by third grade have better chances for academic success later on. During this year’s event at Green Acres Elementary, about 2,600 books were distributed. The celebration included visits from state officials such as State School Superintendent Richard Woods.
“Literacy is probably the most important skill set that our kids can receive and graduate with in public education; it opens up doors to success,” Superintendent Woods said. “I don’t care what part of your life you’re going to touch; you’re going to have to be able to read to be successful. We think that leaders are readers. And we want to encourage all of our young people to become the best leaders they possibly can at Green Acres.”
Woods recounted seeing a student confirm whether he could keep his new books—a moment reflecting the core mission of Books to Kids.
Green Acres Elementary operates under the Cobb County School District and serves Smyrna-area families as part of its accredited programs through Cognia accreditation. The school’s after-school offerings run on participant fees rather than taxpayer funds (official website). Green Acres supports student achievement with high academic standards, teacher professional development, family involvement programs, and targeted support for at-risk students (official website). Community engagement remains central through partnerships like Books to Kids.
District leaders say efforts such as these help ensure every child develops confidence and skills in reading—key goals supported by both community organizations and state education partners.
