Second and third grade teachers at Meadowbrook Elementary School were surprised with a $2,000 donation from two local churches on Wednesday, January 24.

Congregations at Morningstar United Methodist Church and Plains United Methodist Church raised the money over several weeks.

“Literacy in particular is critical for our children’s growth and success,” Morningstar Rev. Nicole Jones explained. “We love our schools and hope to provide support in whatever ways we can. It’s wonderful to see children get excited about reading and their delight when discovering books they love.”

The $2,000 donation will be split among two second grade and three third grade classrooms at Meadowbrook to purchase books.

“Meadowbrook is surrounded by such a supportive and involved community,” Meadowbrook Principal Stephanie Mancini said. “This donation will go a long way in promoting literacy in some of our youngest learners.”

This is the second year that the two churches have come together to raise funds for Meadowbrook Elementary classrooms. Last year, kindergarten and first grade teachers received money for high-interest, non-fiction books.

Rev. Jones and Rev. Zack Christy said their churches plan to continue giving monetary support to the school and will focus on different grade levels each year.