Press Release

The Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries Awards More Than $831,000 in Grants to School Libraries

Grants Will Help 130 School Libraries Buy Books

Dallas, TX – Today, Mrs. Laura Bush announced that more than $831,000 is being distributed to 130 school libraries from 30 states across the country through the 2016 library grants from The Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries

“Congratulations to the schools and libraries that have been awarded a 2016 Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries grant!” said Mrs. Laura Bush.  “With this grant, your librarian will order new books and materials for your school – something everyone can enjoy.  I challenge every student to build your reading skills during the summer break, and come back to your new and improved school library ready to learn next year. “

Mrs. Bush welcomed Dallas-area library grant recipients to the George W. Bush Presidential Center on Sunday as part of a public event celebrating the release of her and daughter Jenna Bush Hager’s new children’s book, Our Great Big Backyard, a picture book tribute to national parks. Librarians from Dallas Environmental Science Academy (Dallas ISD) and Ann Windle School for Young Children (Denton ISD) were each given a signed copy of the new book to include in their school library collections.  Mrs. Bush, who read the new book to children at the Bush Center event, spoke about the importance of reading to a child’s success, both in and out of the classroom. 

The Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries provides grants of up to $7,000 to our Nation’s neediest schools so they can extend, update, and diversify the book and print collections in their libraries with the goal of encouraging students to develop a love of reading and learning.  Since its inception in 2002, it has awarded over $13.4 million to more than 2,500 schools across the country.  In addition to the annual grants, the “Gulf Coast School Library Recovery Initiative” in 2006 provided nearly $6.5 million to school libraries affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to rebuild book collections lost or destroyed in the storms. 

In 2014, The Laura Bush Foundation transitioned from the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region in Washington, D.C. to the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Texas, where it is managed as a restricted fund. More information can be found at www.laurabushfoundation.org

The Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries

2016 GRANT RECIPIENTS

Neaves-Davis Center for Children – Huntsville, AL

Hawthorne Elementary School – Mesa, AZ

Cesar Chavez Leadership Academy and Community School – Phoenix, AZ

Pinon High School – Pinon, AZ

Green Forest Elementary School – Green Forest, AR

Coalinga High School – Coalinga, CA

Cambridge Elementary School – Concord, CA

Kermit McKenzie Junior High School – Guadalupe, CA

Jordan-Plus High School – Long Beach, CA

Buchanan Street Elementary School – Los Angeles, CA

Dr. Julian Nava Learning Academy – Los Angeles, CA

McFarland Middle School – McFarland, CA

Montclair High School – Montclair, CA

James Monroe High School – North Hills, CA

Elm Street Elementary School – Oxnard, CA

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School – San Francisco, CA

Walnut Park Middle School – Walnut Park, CA

Florence Crittenton High School – Denver, CO

John Winthrop School – Bridgeport, CT

Duggan Elementary School – Waterbury, CT

Maloney Magnet School – Waterbury, CT

Rotella Interdistrict Magnet School – Waterbury, CT

Sprague Elementary School – Waterbury, CT

Kelly Miller Middle School – Washington, DC

Kimball Elementary School – Washington, DC

Ballard Elementary School – Bradenton, FL

James S. Hunt Elementary School – Coral Springs, FL

Middleton-Burney Elementary School – Crescent City, FL

Walker Elementary School – Fort Lauderdale, FL

Edgewood Academy – Fort Myers, FL

Tice Elementary School – Fort Myers, FL

Liberty Middle School – Orlando, FL

Pine Crest Elementary School – Sanford, FL

Indian River Academy – Vero Beach, FL

Cowan Road Middle School – Griffin, GA

Argyle Elementary School – Smyrna, GA

Kualapu’u Public Conversion Charter School – Kualapu’u, HI

McCleery Elementary School – Aurora, IL

Emiliano Zapata Academy – Chicago, IL

Maria Saucedo Scholastic Academy – Chicago, IL

Schurz High School – Chicago, IL

Parker-Bennett-Curry Elementary School – Bowling Green, KY

Alfred Binet School – Louisville, KY

Maryhurst Academy – Louisville, KY

Plantation Park Elementary School – Bossier City, LA

Baltimore City College High School – Baltimore, MD

Drew Freeman Middle School – Suitland, MD

Madison Park Technical Vocational High School – Boston, MA

Boston International Newcomers Academy – Dorchester, MA

P.A. Shaw Elementary School – Dorchester, MA

Henry Whittemore Elementary School – Waltham, MA

Coffeeville Elementary School – Coffeeville, MS

East Marion Elementary School – Columbia, MS

Franklin Academy Medical and Wellness Magnet School – Columbus, MS

Stokes-Beard Elementary Technology and Communication Magnet School – Columbus, MS

Twenty-Eighth Street Elementary School – Gulfport, MS

Lake High School – Lake, MS

Meridian High School – Meridian, MS

Roseland Park Elementary School – Picayune, MS

Fifth Street Junior High School – West Point, MS

Ferguson Middle School – Ferguson, MO

Buckshutem Road School – Bridgeton, NJ

TóHajiilee Community School – TóHajiilee, NM

Brighter Choice Community School – Brooklyn, NY

P.S. 102 Jacques Cartier Elementary School – New York, NY

Horizons on the Hudson Magnet School – Newburgh, NY

Dr. Charles T. Lunsford STEM Academy School #19 – Rochester, NY

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. K-8 School – Schenectady, NY

North Pitt High School – Bethel, NC

Garinger High School – Charlotte, NC

P.W. Moore Elementary School – Elizabeth City, NC

Southwest Elementary School – Hickory, NC

Mountain Crest Elementary School – Morganton, NC

Mount Vernon Middle School – Raleigh, NC

Flat Rock Middle School – Winston-Salem, NC

Mineral Springs Elementary School – Winston-Salem, NC

Pleasant Hill Elementary School – Cincinnati, OH

Yorktown Middle School – Columbus, OH

Sunny Wolf Charter School – Wolf Creek, OR

Gotwals Elementary School – Norristown, PA

The Academy at Palumbo – Philadelphia, PA

West Broadway Middle School – Providence, RI

Stono Park Elementary School – Charleston, SC

Baptist Hill Middle / High School – Hollywood, SC

St. John’s High School – Johns Island, SC

St. James-Santee Elementary School – McClellanville, SC

E.B. Ellington Elementary School – Ravenel, SC

Children’s Home Society – Sioux Falls, SD

Summit Oaks Residential Center – Sioux Falls, SD

Canyon Hills Center – Spearfish, SD

Vine Middle Magnet School – Knoxville, TN

Bobby Ray Memorial Elementary School – McMinnville, TN

Carnes Optional Elementary School – Memphis, TN

  1. W. Carver High School – Memphis, TN

Kingsbury High School – Memphis, TN

Kirby High School – Memphis, TN

Whitehaven Elementary School – Memphis, TN

Alamo Middle School – Alamo, TX

Andrews Elementary School – Austin, TX

Bedichek Middle School – Austin, TX

Fulmore Middle School – Austin, TX

Reagan Early College High School – Austin, TX

Central Medical Magnet High School – Beaumont, TX

Jones-Clark Elementary School – Beaumont, TX

A.A. Champion Elementary School – Brownsville, TX

Burns Elementary School – Brownsville, TX

Crockett Elementary School – Bryan, TX

Dallas Environmental Science Academy – Dallas, TX

Ann Windle School for Young Children – Denton, TX

Julian S. Adame Elementary School – Donna, TX

Horizon High School – El Paso, TX

Ysleta High School – El Paso, TX

Travis Elementary School – Harlingen, TX

Hidalgo Elementary School – Hidalgo, TX

Charles Milby High School – Houston, TX

Green Valley Elementary School – Houston, TX

Bryan Elementary School – Mission, TX

Buell Central High School – Pharr, TX

Cesar Chavez Elementary School – Pharr, TX

Port Isabel Junior High School – Port Isabel, TX

Alan B. Shepard Middle School – San Antonio, TX

Gregorio Esparza Elementary School – San Antonio, TX

Kindred Elementary School – San Antonio, TX

Landrum Elementary School – San Benito, TX

Drs. Reed and Mock Elementary School – San Juan, TX

Cesar Chavez Middle School – Waco, TX

La Vega High School – Waco, TX

Amistad Elementary School – Kennewick, WA

Lochburn Middle School – Lakewood, WA

Mattawa Elementary School – Mattawa, WA