Students, Staff, and Kiwanis at Piñon Hills Elementary School gathered this week to celebrate the dedication of a new Little Free Library, a gift from the Tri-Community Kiwanis Club honoring longtime member Diana Ford for her continued support of youth and service in the Tri-Community.
The colorful book-sharing box, installed just outside the school’s playground area, is part of a growing initiative supported by the Tri-Community Kiwanis to promote literacy and a love of reading through free neighborhood book exchanges.
“This is so nice to see so many books in it,” Ford said during the dedication ceremony. “I didn’t know that they’re already using it. This is wonderful.”
The new library is the second Kiwanis has installed throughout the Tri-Community. The first was a similar box dedicated last year at The Heritage School in Phelan in honor of founding Tri-Community Kiwanis member Karen Frazer. The club hopes to expand the project to other schools and public spaces in the coming years.
“Our kids are using it,” said Principal Shad Grijalva. “I’ll come by as we’re getting ready for dismissal, kids are looking through it, trading books out. It’s really neat to see, especially in this digital age.” He also praised students for treating the library with care and respect.
The Little Free Library movement began in 2009 and has grown into a global nonprofit organization with over 150,000 registered libraries in more than 100 countries. It’s very simple, the way that it works is that anyone may take a book or leave a book, creating a community-driven, 24/7 access point for reading materials. Each library is unique and often boot titles reflect the community it serves.
At Piñon Hills Elementary, the excitement around reading is clear. During the dedication, three students were recognized for outstanding achievements in the Accelerated Reader (AR) program: third-grader Juliette Chacon, fourth-grader Jace Cianciolo, and fifth-grader Scarlett Suchomel.
Juliette, who reads two grade levels above her own, has earned numerous AR points this year. Her father, Adam Chacon, expressed pride in her dedication. “She’s the one where it’s not a chore to read,” he said. “I’m pretty sure in her nine years of life, she’s read more books than I’ve read in my 38 years.” He added that Juliette’s love of reading has inspired her younger sister to follow in her footsteps.
Fourth-grader Jace Cianciolo has also stood out, earning over 100 AR points in just six months. “You have to read about the equivalent of 50 pages or so to get a point,” said Principal Grijalva. “And then you have to pass a comprehension quiz with at least 80%. It’s not just about reading; it’s about understanding what you’ve read.”
Fifth-grader Scarlett Suchomel also reached a significant milestone this year, reading more than one million words and earning around 200 AR points. “Some books will do, like, 20 [points],” she explained. “Some will do, like, 10. And the amount of points depends on how big and what level the book is.”
The Tri-Community Kiwanis Club, which sponsors the Builders Club at The Heritage School and the Key Club at Serrano High School, has a long-standing mission to support local youth through leadership programs, community projects, and academic enrichment. The club hopes to remove barriers to book access and foster a lifelong love of reading by installing Little Free Libraries at schools across the Tri-Community.
For more information about the Little Free Library movement or how to register or support a local box, visit littlefreelibrary.org. To learn more about the work of the Tri-Community Kiwanis or get involved, visit kiwanis.org.
