San Jose, May 12, 2017:  Moreland School District announced that Latimer’s Girls With Ideas lunchtime club has joined with a West Valley College student outreach project to bring a Little Free Library to Latimer.  The Little Free Library is a project based on the international nonprofit organization inspiring free neighborhood book exchanges, therefore profoundly increasing access to books for readers of all ages and backgrounds.  

Latimer’s Girls with Ideas lunch club started in January 2017.  Fourteen 4th and 5th grade girls meet twice a week and focus on a specific curriculum designed around learning to lead, why ideas matter, how to make ideas happen, and leading the idea or project with confidence.  As a culminating project, the girls organized a book drive with the goal of donating books to organizations that distribute books to families in need.  With an overwhelmingly successful book drive, the partnership to bring the Little Free Library was an additional solution for sharing books with the community, with the idea that students, families and community members will take and replace books to keep a continuous free library for all to enjoy.  The Little Free Library also has canned food for those in the community who may be in need.  

“Our goal is to have the Girls with Ideas lunch club maintain the Little Free Library while we continue to get the word out,” said Helma Lee, 2nd grade teacher and club advisor.  “After that, the community will supply the books.  I am so incredibly proud of how hard these girls have worked in just 5 short months.”  The girls described their project as “amazing,” and shared “I love helping the community!”

The Little Free Library will currently be available to the community on days and hours that Latimer is open.