Edison students to perform "Stone Soup" play

History of Books for Babes -- An Edison Elementary Community Service Project
This year's fifth graders, the 2004-2005 third graders, began a community project that we hope will continue. The students wanted to put new books into the hands of every newborn baby in the Walla Walla Valley in hopes of improving literacy. To accompany the commercially available childrens books, they wrote books themselves: ABC books, counting books, and books about reading to one's child.

In May 2005, Birth Day bags started going home with each mother who delivered at St. Mary Medical Center or Walla Walla General Hospital. Each bag contained: 
- A cloth book called Fuzzy Bee and Friends
- Two commercially available books, either in English or in Spanish
- A student's book for parents about the importance of reading to your child 
- A student's counting or ABC book 
- A reading list for ages Birth-9, with "Why Read to your Baby" on the front cover and "Strategies for Successful Reading" on the back
- A library card application for the parents

The 2005-2006 Second Grade class continued the project. Together they wrote an ABC book, designed cards, and made crafts to sell at the St. Mary Medical Center Christmas Bazaar. They stuffed bags for the babies several times during the year, and, bearing gifts, visited the hospitals.

This year, as third graders, they have again stuffed bags full of books several times and have raised money  by selling newly designed note cards and handmade potted bulbs. Soon they will write books for next year's bags. Not only do they know the joy of continuing a worthwhile project, but they are also developing stronger connections to their own reading.

To make this project possible, Earthlight, Book and Game, Hastings, and Inland Printing gave generous discounts on books and on printing, and the Walla Walla Public Schools graciously prints many student books and brochures.

Our deep gratitude goes to the Blue Mountain Community Foundation, the Bald Trust, the Pelo Trust, Altrusa, the Stubblefield Trust, and our almost 200 donors for helping us continue to encourage early literacy in Walla Walla.