Davis Junior High is one of 127 U.S. schools to receive grant from bestselling author

Davis Junior High School has earned a grant for its media center based on a proposal hand-selected by bestselling author James Patterson.

Davis is one of 127 schools nationwide that will receive new books through funds donated by both Patterson and the Scholastic Reading Club.

“We are extremely excited to have entered and received the Patterson/Scholastic Reading Grant for Davis Junior High School,” Principal Brian Shepard said. “This award will help foster and continue spreading the joy of reading to all of our students. Students will have opportunities to continue enhancing their world through a variety of books that will be purchased as a result of the grant.”

More than 28,000 applications were received, with Patterson personally reviewing the top 1,000 submissions.

Patterson is donating $1.75 million for school libraries nationwide, with grants ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, as part of an ongoing effort to keep books and reading a number one priority in the United States.
The donations are being matched by the Scholastic Reading Club.

Davis received $4,000 in grant funds through the program.

“James Patterson’s generosity underscores a great need, and, thanks to him, many children will be welcomed back to school with the books they need to discover a love of reading,” said Judy Newman, President of Scholastic Reading Club.

In the first-ever partnership of its kind, Patterson joined forces with Scholastic Reading Club to administer funding applications to their network of 62,000 schools and 800,000 teachers.

The first $500,000 of Patterson’s donation was awarded to 127 school libraries. The next wave of grant recipients will be announced in early Fall 2015.

The grant was submitted by English teacher Tara Muenk.