CHATHAM, Va. – In the halls of Chatham Elementary School, Jennifer Williams is a familiar face.
On Thursday, each student picked out a book to take home. All the books were donated by Williams who is lovingly known in Pittsylvania County and Danville as “The Book Lady.”
Her goal is to give away one million books.
“I taught full-time for 28 years. And it’s very, very obvious the kids who have access to books versus the kids who don’t,” said Williams. “The way they carry themselves, their vocabulary, their comprehension.”
Since 2017, Williams has given away 123,071 books, bought with her own money.
Chatham Elementary School is designated as a Title I school. It’s a federal program that provides financial assistance to school divisions with high numbers or percentages of children from low-income families.
Williams said not every family can afford to provide books for their kids. For some students, the books she gives them may even be the first book they’ve ever owned.
“There’s a strong tie to both poverty and illiteracy or poverty and low literacy,” said Williams. “Clearly if you’re struggling to buy food and clothes and things like that, you’re not buying books.”
On the heels of the pandemic, students across the country are still trying to make up for missed class time.
Across Virginia schools, the pass rate for Standards of Learning reading tests is 73%. At Chatham Elementary School it’s 69%. While Pittsylvania County is slightly higher at 79%, the City of Danville falls to 47%.
Chatham Elementary Principal Dr. Wanda Carter said learning loss is a real issue.
“Reading and writing have been very, we’re fighting a battle with that,” said Carter.
“We have a high illiteracy rate in our region,” said Williams. “Rather than complain in the bleachers, I’m going to work on the field.”
Williams is instilling a lifelong love of reading, one book at a time.
“It’s just a passion. It’s just a passion,” said Williams with tears in her eyes. “I actually work two jobs in order to buy books. And I don’t mind that at all. I don’t. I don’t have any children, my husband and I don’t. And so, I’ve adopted them all.”