If you want to show appreciation for someone, in this case military veterans, do something exceptional for someone they love – their children.
The heart of the school is the library. The open classroom design from the 70’s shows that off clearly. The aged building was in need of some updating in its design and function. The project kicked off Oct. 11. The unveiling of the new library is Thursday, Veterans Day.
Fort Meade’s Manor View Elementary provides schooling for kindergarten through fifth-grade students.
“Ninety-five percent of the students at Manor View are from military families and many of them are uprooted during the school year as their families’ needs change due to relocation and deployment,” said Fort Meade installation commander, Col. Daniel Thomas.
Before Target and Heart of America Foundation stepped in to help out, the library was in need of tender loving care. “One of the most important things to us,” said John Flynn, vice president of READesign for The Heart of America Foundation, in regards to the selection of schools to remodel, “was the parents’ situation.”
Due to the transient nature of the families the school serves made it a priority to help the school.
Manor View was chosen from a field of 25 to remodel. Target and The Heart of America Foundation selected the school because they were very impressed that the library space was already being used for multi purpose, and also that there were so many “responsible stewards” already in place that care for the children and the work at Manor View.
In addition to Manor View’s $200,000 library makeover, an adjacent $15,000 Teachers’ Resource Room designed by HGTV Designer Sabrina Soto was unveiled. Teachers, students and parents will use this room as a hub for reading and math homework assistance.
“My grandfather and uncle served in the military, so being a part of a project that serves the Fort Meade community is an honor. Thanks to everyone’s hard work, we’re creating a space that is stylish and functional, and will provide an inspirational learning environment for students, as well as their parents and teachers,” Soto said.
The transformation is part of the Target School Library Makeovers program. The Manor View Library makeover features light construction, new technology and eco-friendly design elements.
The newly renovated library also displays custom artwork by designers Paul Hempe and Chad Campbell from zerOw reDesign. Additionally, Playaway donated 50 audio books for the library. These pre-loaded audio books will include numerous children’s books so that students can listen to their favorite stories by plugging in their earphones.
Principal Anita Dempsey’s favorite part of the new library is two Smart boards. The Teachers’ Resource Room includes three iPads so that teachers can download the latest and greatest applications to assist them in the classroom.
The resource room also has magnetic white boards incorporated in the design. Two thousand new books from The Heart of America Foundation have been provided for the library.
This replaces the 2,500 books that the library had previously used. The school will retain close to 500 of the old books that are still usable. The librarian at Manor View, Dan Lear, is able to select some of the new books that will be going into the library. Military families, and deployment, are topical books that the media specialist has selected to have in the library.
At the unveiling each student and his or her sibling(s) received seven new books to take home and add to their collection. In honor of Veterans Day, the celebration is shared with the military families from the post, as well as deployed military parents overseas via live video chat.
Readers are achievers according to many studies and Target wants to encourage reading in children through the “Read With Me” Program. The program encourages parents and care givers to read with children and make a pledge.
Pledge kiosks were make available onsite at Manor View Elementary for parents to sign up during the celebration, the pledge can also be accessed via mobile Web browsing, by texting “READ” to Target (827438). Target will donate 1 million books after 1 million pledges have been made.
Sean Donnelly is a retired Army officer and a Target district leader. He brought in about 100 volunteers from Target to help with the unveiling of the new library. The volunteers from Target adopt the school and come back to read and help out.
“It does not stop here. It’s the first step in a relationship,” said Sean. It is through the efforts of the volunteers that in years to come the renovations will be sustained.
Target and Heart of America Foundation have teamed up to do 32 school library makeovers since 2007. Manor View Elementary’s new library marks the conclusion of this year’s program.
“Thanks to Target and The Heart of America Foundation, our students will have access to a much richer range of tools to develop and succeed academically,” said Anita Dempsey, principal, Manor View Elementary. “We are so appreciative, just look at the children and see how thankful they are.”
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