Free Books For Kids, Teacher Thanked At Tony Awards: Feel Good News

Need a reason to smile? Here are our favorite good news stories you may have missed this week.

NewsNation has partnered with Patch to bring you uplifting stories from communities across America. Adrienne Bankert, the host of NewsNation's national morning show, Morning In America, is bringing you this week's headlines from Patch.

Watch the video below:

Free Kids Book Vending Machines Combat 'Summer Slide' In Newark, NJ

Five vending machines in Newark, New Jersey, are set to begin giving out free children's books to young residents – just in time for summer vacation.

Susan Neuman, a professor of childhood and literacy education at NYU Steinhardt, said the books will help ease the infamous "summer slide," which happens when students are out of the classrooms for months until the new school year.

NJ Man Wins Second Tony Award With Influential Teacher By His Side

When Medford Memorial School graduate Seth Goldstein heard a former performing arts teacher of his, Linda Chepigan, was retiring after more than 35 years of teaching, he knew he had to be at her retirement concert.

"She set me off on a path and inspired me," Goldstein told Patch. "She created a room where everybody's talents were encouraged and uplifted. I understand that teachers generally tend to be encouraging, but not every teacher finds a way to kind of unlock that [potential] in their students."

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