By Mary Owen
Sella Bemrose passed on her love of books – literally – to hundreds of students in the area through First Book, a nonprofit organization that distributes new books in schools in the United States and Canada.
In September 2013, Bemrose, an instructional assistant at Stayton Elementary School for the past 22 years, signed up for First Book, which requires books to go to schools that are Title 1 or at least 70 percent low-income.
“When I got my first notification for a book distribution event, I found out that even though the books are free, there is a shipping and handling charge,” Bemrose said of the 45- to 65-cent charge per book. Bemrose applied for and received a $225 grant through Figaro’s Pizza to pay for 500 books, enough to give one book to every Stayton Elementary School student.
“We were awarded 144 books from that distribution event and received them in December,” Bemrose said. “We used those books in Christmas book bags for our strategic students.”
Meanwhile, Bemrose connected with Bob Reinhardt, Cascade High School’s DECA advisor, to acquire the 40,000 books to be distributed to local schools. DECA is a nonprofit organization that prepares emerging leaders in marketing, finance, hospitality and management.
Spending several hours on several afternoons and evenings, Bemrose made sure every staff member at Stayton Elementary, Mari-Linn and most employees at the North Santiam School District office was registered.
“We were successful,” she said of the event that took place Jan. 23-25. “We made it happen, with a lot of hard work and a lot of time put into it.”
Bemrose said no one that worked on the project will forget the day the books arrived at the warehouse in Turner.
“A semi-truck arrived and unloaded 21 big boxes on pallets,” she said. “Each big box contained hundreds of new books that needed to be sorted and arranged before the people that were registered to get books could come. It was the most amazing and wonderful sight to see this empty warehouse now filled with stacks and stacks and rows and rows of books just waiting to be picked up and given to kids.”
Because of First Book’s distribution event that Cascade’s DECA club spearheaded, NSSD receive about 20,000 books for distribution, she added.
“Every educator that was registered was able to go and pick up 150-200 free books to use and give away to students in their classrooms,” Bemrose said.
“The looks on students’ faces when they’re given these books to have as their very own and to keep forever are amazing,” she added. “They can’t believe it. They feel really good about themselves and have always been so very grateful.”
For her efforts, Bemrose was awarded the Children’s Literacy Award from AFT National in Washington, D.C., in June. She was also recognized at this year’s NSSD Above and Beyond Awards, held in August.
Others honored were: Stefanie Breitling, Stayton High School, for outstanding work with alternative education students; Tammy Baxter, Stayton Intermediate and Middle School, for organizing the school’s annual book fair for students and families in the district; Nicole Britton, Sublimity School, for outstanding dedication and work on the CLASS Collaboration Grant; Cindy Lulay, Mari-Linn School, for her work helping students increase reading skills, helping kindergarteners and mentoring staff; Shealon Cooper, Stayton Elementary School, for outstanding support to the new administrator and to staff and students; Mike Miller, NSSD, for his effort to ensure that the bond projects came together and for his positive attitude; and Ken Rowling, NSSD, for work on the bond projects and his willingness to go the “extra mile.”
Bemrose is researching the possibility of applying for more grants as well as talking to businesses to get the funding for a future First Book event. She is also helping the Oregon State Education Association with its efforts to bring another distribution event to the Portland area. “I have a great passion for books and getting them into the hands of kids to read and enjoy,” Bemrose said. “I love reading aloud to kids and having the book I’m reading come alive to them.
