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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 20, 2024
Contact:?Ron Leix, Treasury, 517-335-2167
?19 Partner Schools Across Michigan Receive Free Books as MET?s Anniversary Celebration Extends to National Reading Month in March
LANSING ? In conjunction with National Reading Month in March, the Michigan Education Trust (MET) has donated more than $1,000 each to 19 schools across the state to purchase books from a Michigan independent bookseller.
In addition, three of the schools got personal visits from MET representatives and Whoodini, MET?s mascot. The rest will receive their gift package in the mail.
?Filling bookshelves at our schools complements MET?s fundamental objective to prepare Michigan?s children for their future educational needs,? said MET Deputy Director Megan Patino. ?The gift of learning begins with reading in the same way that the gift of education begins with saving for school.?
The book giveaway ??an extension of MET?s 35th anniversary celebration in 2023 ? was offered to schools throughout the state. Participating schools were required to opt in to receive the donation. The 19 schools choosing to participate will each receive $1,020 worth of gift certificates from Schuler Books, a Michigan independent bookseller with brick-and-mortar locations in Grand Rapids, Okemos, Ann Arbor and West Bloomfield. No tax dollars were used to purchase the gifts.
Kicking off the giveaways, Whoodini presented gift certificates to Regent Park Scholars Academy in Detroit on Monday.
On Tuesday, MET?s mascot delivered gift certificates to Beechnau Elementary School in Ravenna in Muskegon County and to Summit Academy North Elementary in Romulus at its Literacy Night and Wellness Fair.
In all, MET estimates each school will be able to purchase approximately 68 books (based on an average estimated cost of $15 per book) with the Schuler gift certificates. Each book also will be labeled with a sticker commemorating MET?s anniversary.
Since it was signed into law more than 35 years ago as Michigan?s Section 529 prepaid tuition program, MET?s objective has been to help families financially prepare for their children?s educational future by prepurchasing future tuition at today?s rates.
?MET recognizes that the gift of education begins with saving money for school, and that is our primary mission,? Patino said. ?But our overarching goal is to help prepare Michigan?s children for a prosperous future. Reading is the cornerstone to building a successful life, just as the gift of saving for school through MET serves as a financial foundation for future educational needs.?
More information about MET can be found at SETwithMET.com or by calling 800-MET-4-KID.
Contributions to an existing account can be made at any time during the year through MET?s secure?online pay site.
Michigan schools receiving books are:
- Arno Elementary School, Allen Park
- Auburn Elementary School, Auburn
- Beechnau Elementary School, Ravenna
- Corunna Middle School, Corunna
- Corunna High School, Corunna
- Elsa Meyer Elementary School, Corunna
- Frank Brown Elementary School, New Boston
- Glenn Public School, Glenn
- Hillman Elementary School, Hillman
- McAlear-Sawden Elementary School, Bay City
- Nellie Reed Elementary School, Corunna
- Regent Park Scholars Academy, Detroit
- Sodus Township School District No. 5 ? River School, Sodus Township
- Star International Academy, Dearborn Heights
- Summit Academy North Elementary School, Romulus
- Voyager Elementary School, Howell
- Washington Elementary School, Bay City
- Watervliet South Elementary School, Watervliet
- Wegienka Elementary School, Brownstown
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