Newark Public School students received the first installment of a total of 200,000 free books at the kickoff this week of United Way of Essex and West Hudson’s My Very Own Library program, in partnership with the Roberto Clemente Elementary School.

In all, 31 schools are receiving books through the month of June.

The students, teachers and administrators at Roberto Clemente Elementary, where the program was officially launched, were joined by state Sen. M. Teresa Ruiz at a special assembly with local dignitaries and five children’s authors who came along to celebrate the kickoff of the program.

Sign Up for Newark Newsletter Our newsletter delivers the local news that you can trust. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. You have successfully signed up for the TAPinto Newark Newsletter.

“The partnership with United Way and Scholastic is an important one in that it brings the excitement of reading to our students and to their families, not with just one book but many books throughout the school year,” said Christopher D. Cerf, Superintendent of Newark Public Schools. “Programs, such as MVOL are essential to creating a love of reading, which we all know is the foundation of learning.”

Students at Chancellor Avenue School ride the Polar Express and later get treated to books and a reading by the author.

“My Very Own Library gives students the opportunity to explore books by selecting those they are interested in reading,” said Catherine Wilson, President & CEO, UWEWH. “Self-choice and voice is critical to students’ learning and MVOL provides students the ability to build their own home libraries. There is no better way to foster a love of reading than to allow students to choose the books they want to read during their free time.”

Throughout the school year, MVOL partner schools will host Scholastic Book Fairs, where students select books to take home to build their own home libraries. For the 2017-2018 school year, the program will support 20,000 students from 31 public schools in Newark to take home 200,000 children’s books.

According to Roger Leon, Assistant Superintendent of NPS said the kickoff this week is the beginning of six months of reading that will also include 93 book fairs, 93 family literacy events and much more. He said, “Every year, our students and families, look forward to this important partnership.”





Other NPS schools who hosted kickoff programs for students included Chancellor Avenue School, Mt. Vernon School and Speedway Academies.

According to the Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report™: 6th Edition, 86 percent of children ages 6–17 agreed that it is “very important for my future to be a good reader,” however, kids from lower-income families have access to about half the number of books in their homes as their higher-income peers.