On November 9, the students at Maxwell Elementary School in Denver received an early holiday gift – and one which will last them long into the future.
A brand new Ben Carson Reading Room was unveiled that morning, decked out with furniture and artwork to create a welcoming, quiet reading environment, as well as a brand new collection of books.
“Maxwell’s new Carson Reading Room provides us the space and the resources to engage all of our students in the wonders of reading,” said Maxwell Principal Ben Cooper. “We need our students to be able to read – and to enjoy reading – in order to succeed in all other aspects of their education. Having a quiet and comfortable place free from distractions, where children can step into the pages of a mystery, a biography, an adventure, a fantasy, or another time and place in history is a tremendous gift to our students, 88 percent of whom come from families living in poverty. We are very grateful for the honor to receive a Ben Carson Reading Room and cannot wait to report on the impact it has on our students.”
The room was made possible thanks to a generous contribution from the Richard Lumsden Foundation and the partnership of the Carson Scholars Fund.
Students gathered for a special assembly where they performed music and read poetry to share their thanks for the special donors who made their new reading space possible. Later in the morning, world-renowned pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson addressed the students live via video conference.
Carson Scholars Fund Co-Founder Mrs. Candy Carson, family members and guests of the Richard Lumsden Foundation attended the special ceremony.
Mrs. Candy Carson and Dorris Lumsden cut the ribbon on the new Ben Carson Reading Room while Maxwell students gather in anticipation.
The special addition at Maxwell was one of five new Ben Carson Reading Rooms that opened in Denver Public Schools in 2012, with the others at Columbian, Goldrick, McKinley-Thatcher and Smith Renaissance Elementary Schools. Last year, five initial Ben Carson Reading Rooms opened at Amesse, Colfax Munroe, Samuels and Swansea Elementary Schools – bringing the grand total to ten.
Ben Carson Reading Rooms are designed to encourage young students and their families to discover the wonders of independent leisure reading and to recognize the true power of learning. Dr. Ben Carson credits reading as the catalyst for his success and hopes to share this message with children throughout the country.
“Reading teaches us that anything is possible with hard work and determination,” said Dr. Ben Carson. “We are thrilled with the success we have experienced in DPS and are excited to build upon this momentum.”
The Carson Scholars Fund is a nonprofit public charity founded in 1994 by Dr. Ben Carson and his wife, Candy, to motivate and reward academic excellence in young people. Currently there are 80 Ben Carson Reading Rooms serving students in 12 states. The Denver Public Schools Foundation is the fundraising partner for DPS, and helped facilitate the Carson Scholars Fund donation and implementation of the Reading Rooms.
For more information on the Carson Scholars Fund visit www.dpsfoundation.org.