Nonprofit on a mission to improve literacy with free books for students
The Brief
Pop-Up Books is a Dallas-based nonprofit organization founded in memory of a second-grade teacher.
The organization visited an elementary school in Richardson on Friday, handing out free books to make reading exciting.
The literacy campaign is especially important at a time when less than half of all students across the state are reading at grade level.
RICHARDSON, Texas - As school districts across North Texas struggle to get children reading at grade level, a Dallas-based nonprofit is working to provide free books in areas known as book deserts.
The backstory
Nick Bourgeois and his sister, Ryann Collier, founded Pop-Up Books in memory of his wife, Dominique, after she died of breast cancer in 2019.
She was a second-grade teacher.
"She fully knew the importance of it, and the confidence it gave them. Especially in second grade where they might be behind, always her mission was to get them back," Bourgeois said.
What's new
The nonprofit organization visited Aiken Elementary in Richardson on Friday, handing out free books to try to make reading enticing.
"We know when students read books they are interested in, they will be interested in reading," said Alejandra Isais, Richardson ISD's director of Library and Information Technology.
Big picture view
Isais said there are still signs of the pandemic's effects on children in schools, especially when it comes to literacy.
According to STAAR testing data, fewer than half of all students across the state are reading at grade level by third grade.
It's why getting kids excited about reading can be the small spark that makes all the difference.
"The critical years are kinder through second grade. If they are not reading at grade level by third grade, that's when it has effects in other areas," Isais said.
What they're saying
"What makes us keep doing this is seeing the smiles on their faces knowing they want to take it home and read with their family or by themselves," Collier said.
"Not all of our kids have access to books or libraries," said Leslie Ingram, Aiken Elementary's library information technology educator. "I heard, 'This is the best day ever, I get to take a book home and it's free!'"
In a world full of learning and entertainment on screens, it's a reminder of just how meaningful words on pages can be.
"In elementary grades, kids are excited to come to the library, pick up a book and read it," Isais said.
Dig deeper
For more information about Pop-Up Books, visit www.popupbooksfair.org.
The Source
FOX 4 reporter Lori Brown visited Aiken Elementary School in Richardson to interview the founders of Pop-Up Books, as well as educators and students who received free books on Friday.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Families of those killed in collapse of Georgia ferry dock sue companies that built it
ATLANTA (AP) — Relatives of seven people who drowned in waters off a Georgia island after a ferry dock walkway collapsed announced Wednesday they filed a lawsuit against the companies that designed and built it. Dozens of people were standing on the metal walkway over the water between a ferry boat and a dock on Sapelo Island when it snapped in the middle. Many plunged into the water and got swept away by tidal currents, while others clung desperately to the hanging, fractured structure. The tragedy Oct. 19 struck as about 700 people visited Sapelo Island for a celebration of the tiny Hogg Hummock community founded by enslaved people who were emancipated after the Civil War. Reachable only by boat, it's one of the few Gullah-Geechee communities remaining in the South, where slaves worked on isolated island plantations retained much of their African heritage. 'It was supposed to be a celebration of Black pride, but it became a day of great, great, great Black loss of humanity and life,' civil rights attorney Ben Crump, one of several lawyers behind the lawsuit, told an Atlanta news conference. 'We're filing this lawsuit to speak to that tragedy.' Attorneys for the families of those killed and more than three dozen survivors say the 80-foot (24-meter) walkway was weak because of a lack of structural reinforcement, poor welding and failure by the Georgia firm that built it to follow design plans. The walkway was 'so poorly designed and constructed that any competent construction professional should have recognized the flimsy and unstable nature of the gangway,' the lawsuit says. Regina Brinson, one of the suing survivors, said she was on the crowded walkway when she heard a loud crack and saw family friend Carlotta McIntosh plunge into the water holding her walker. Brinson and her uncle, Isaiah Thomas, also fell. Brinson recalled prying her uncle's fingers from her shirt to avoid being dragged underwater. Both Thomas and McIntosh died. 'The pain doesn't get any easier whatsoever,' Brinson told the Atlanta news conference. Kimberly Wood said she tumbled from the collapsed walkway clutching her 2-year-old daughter. Her older girl, 8, clung to the dangling walkway's railing. Wood said she managed to tread water until she reached a life preserver tossed from the ferry boat. Her older daughter was rescued and treated for wounds to her hand, said Wood, who had an injured shoulder. 'I'm shaking now just taking about it,' said Wood, another plaintiff. The lawsuit targets four private contractors hired to design and rebuild the ferry dock and walkway for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The project was finished in 2021. The walkway was fabricated by McIntosh County business Crescent Equipment Co. Its attorney, Clinton Fletcher, declined to comment. The project's general contractor, Virginia-based Centennial Contractors Enterprises, said by email that it doesn't comment on pending litigation. So did SSOE Group, which purchased an Atlanta design firm named as a defendant several years ago. An engineering firm also named as a defendant did not immediately return a phone message Wednesday. The lawsuit doesn't target the Department of Natural Resources or any other Georgia state agency. It says the department relied on its private contractors to ensure the walkway was safely built, which was "beyond the scope of the DNR's internal expertise and qualifications.' The agency told The Associated Press last year that the walkway should have been able to support the weight of 320 people. About 40 people were standing on it when it snapped. 'There was supposed to be a certified professional engineer that signed off on that part of the project and that was neglected," said Chadrick Mance, a Savannah attorney representing nine of the injured. Filed in Gwinnett County State Court in metro Atlanta, the lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for negligence, wrongful deaths and personal injuries. The cause of the collapse remains under investigation by the state officials, said Haley Chafin, a spokesperson for the Department of Natural Resources. State Attorney General Chris Carr also tapped a private engineering firm to perform an independent investigation. ___ Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia. ___ Kramon is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Kramon on X: @charlottekramon.


Hamilton Spectator
4 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Families of those killed in collapse of Georgia ferry dock sue companies that built it
ATLANTA (AP) — Relatives of seven people who drowned in waters off a Georgia island after a ferry dock walkway collapsed announced Wednesday they filed a lawsuit against the companies that designed and built it. Dozens of people were standing on the metal walkway over the water between a ferry boat and a dock on Sapelo Island when it snapped in the middle. Many plunged into the water and got swept away by tidal currents, while others clung desperately to the hanging, fractured structure. The tragedy Oct. 19 struck as about 700 people visited Sapelo Island for a celebration of the tiny Hogg Hummock community founded by enslaved people who were emancipated after the Civil War. Reachable only by boat, it's one of the few Gullah-Geechee communities remaining in the South, where slaves worked on isolated island plantations retained much of their African heritage. 'It was supposed to be a celebration of Black pride, but it became a day of great, great, great Black loss of humanity and life,' civil rights attorney Ben Crump, one of several lawyers behind the lawsuit, told an Atlanta news conference. 'We're filing this lawsuit to speak to that tragedy.' Attorneys for the families of those killed and more than three dozen survivors say the 80-foot (24-meter) walkway was weak because of a lack of structural reinforcement, poor welding and failure by the Georgia firm that built it to follow design plans. The walkway was 'so poorly designed and constructed that any competent construction professional should have recognized the flimsy and unstable nature of the gangway,' the lawsuit says. Regina Brinson , one of the suing survivors, said she was on the crowded walkway when she heard a loud crack and saw family friend Carlotta McIntosh plunge into the water holding her walker. Brinson and her uncle, Isaiah Thomas, also fell. Brinson recalled prying her uncle's fingers from her shirt to avoid being dragged underwater. Both Thomas and McIntosh died. 'The pain doesn't get any easier whatsoever,' Brinson told the Atlanta news conference. Kimberly Wood said she tumbled from the collapsed walkway clutching her 2-year-old daughter. Her older girl, 8, clung to the dangling walkway's railing. Wood said she managed to tread water until she reached a life preserver tossed from the ferry boat. Her older daughter was rescued and treated for wounds to her hand, said Wood, who had an injured shoulder. 'I'm shaking now just taking about it,' said Wood, another plaintiff. The lawsuit targets four private contractors hired to design and rebuild the ferry dock and walkway for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The project was finished in 2021. The walkway was fabricated by McIntosh County business Crescent Equipment Co. Its attorney, Clinton Fletcher, declined to comment. The project's general contractor, Virginia-based Centennial Contractors Enterprises, said by email that it doesn't comment on pending litigation. Architecture and engineering firms also named as defendants did not immediately comment. The lawsuit doesn't target the Department of Natural Resources or any other Georgia state agency. It says the department relied on its private contractors to ensure the walkway was safely built, which was 'beyond the scope of the DNR's internal expertise and qualifications.' The agency told The Associated Press last year that the walkway should have been able to support the weight of 320 people. About 40 people were standing on it when it snapped. 'There was supposed to be a certified professional engineer that signed off on that part of the project and that was neglected,' said Chadrick Mance, a Savannah attorney representing nine of the injured. Filed in Gwinnett County State Court in metro Atlanta, the lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for negligence, wrongful deaths and personal injuries. The cause of the collapse remains under investigation by the state officials, said Haley Chafin, a spokesperson for the Department of Natural Resources. State Attorney General Chris Carr also tapped a private engineering firm to perform an independent investigation. ___ Bynum reported from Savannah, Georgia. ___ Kramon is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Kramon on X: @charlottekramon . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Survivors of Sapelo Island dock collapse suing construction companies
The Brief The survivors of a ferry dock collapse that killed seven people on Georgia's Sapelo Island last year are suing the engineering and construction companies responsible for the dock's construction. The collapse happened when family members and tourists had traveled to the island for Cultural Day, an annual fall event spotlighting the island's tiny community of Hogg Hummock, home to a few dozen Black residents. Officials have confirmed with FOX 5 that the last inspection of the gangway took place in December 2023. No areas of concern were found during the inspection, which officials say examined the top and bottom sides. SAPELO ISLAND, Ga. - The survivors of a ferry dock collapse on Georgia's Sapelo Island have filed a lawsuit against the engineering and construction companies responsible for the dock's construction. The devastating disaster killed seven people and injured more than a dozen others who had gathered on the small island for a celebration. MORE: Remembering the victims of the Sapelo Island dock collapse The backstory The collapse happened on Oct. 19, 2024, when family members and tourists gathered for Cultural Day, an annual fall event spotlighting the island's tiny community of Hogg Hummock, home to a few dozen Black residents. Authorities say the dock held about 40 people when the metal snapped, sending them into the Atlantic waters. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources said engineers calculated that the 80-foot gangway should have been able to support the weight of 320 people. The dock was rebuilt in 2021 after Georgia officials settled a lawsuit by Hogg Hummock residents who complained the ferries and docks failed to meet federal accessibility standards for people with disabilities. Ferry worker Ed Grovner said he complained to a ferry captain months ago that the gangway didn't seem sturdy enough, but nothing happened. "I couldn't sleep last night," Grovner told the Associated Press after the disaster. "My wife said I was sleeping, I was hollering in my sleep, saying, 'I'm going to save you. I'm going to save you. I'm going to get you.'" Officials have confirmed with FOX 5 that the last inspection of the gangway took place in December 2023. No areas of concern were found during the inspection, which officials say examined the top and bottom sides. The remains of the gangway were sent to a secure facility to be inspected. Details about that inspection have not been released. What we know Attorney Chadrick A. Mance announced that a lawsuit has been filed in Gwinnett County against the parties involved in the engineering and construction of the gangway. According to the complaint, the survivors suffered physical injuries and mental anguish and trauma. While the complaint has not been released to the public yet, the Savannah-based attorney plans to discuss the lawsuit at a press conference on Wednesday morning. Dig deeper Civil rights attorney Ben Crump has also announced he would be representing the families of three of the individuals who lost their lives and one who was injured in the collapse. "The tragic deaths and injuries caused by the collapse of the Sapelo Island dock gangway are devastating for these families and the entire community. We will not rest until we uncover the truth behind this catastrophic failure and hold those responsible accountable," Crump said. "This should never have happened, and it is crucial that we prevent future tragedies by addressing the negligence that led to this horrific event. Sapelo Island also has no medical facilities. Resident Jazz Watts said a health care provider was planning to open a clinic in the county-owned building that had long served as the island's community center. But those plans got scrapped when county commissioners opted to lease the space for a restaurant. The Source Information for this story came from a release by The Mance Law Firm and previous FOX 5 reporting.