CLEVELAND — Reading a good book can from remove you from reality, but one Cleveland principal wants the books her kids read to reflect their reality.
Sara Kidner began the "Read Like Me" program after winning $5,000 in the annual Cleveland Leadership Academy's "Accelerate" program this year. The money, not just giving her idea a boost -- but in her kids with their confidence and excitement for the future.
"'When we ask students who wants to be a teacher, we don't typically get a lot of response, particularly from black male students, where they make up less than 2 percent of educators nationwide," she points out.
The program is asking for book donations through an Amazon wish list -- particularly, books with characters of different races. At Kidner's school, John Marshall School of Civic and Business Leadership, the students speak 14 different languages.
While the diversity will come from the books, the confidence comes from within. The program plans to match up high schoolers with elementary-aged students to read along with them in the fall.
"Although not all of them want to be a teacher or things like that in the program, they've made comments about being very excited to be a role model, and being able to provide opportunities for other students they may not have had," Kidner says.
The opportunity, to make the fantasies these kids read about, come to life. If you want to donate a book, click HERE.