BIG SPRING, TX – On Wednesday, the Big Spring Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated the grand opening of the Ben Carson Reading Rooms for two Big Spring ISD elementary schools, Marcy Elementary and Washington Elementary. These were made possible with funding by the Carson Scholars Fund and Wellpoint (formerly known as Amerigroup).
Mary Anne Benton, a retired teacher in Midland, TX associated with the Carson Scholars Fund, brought the idea to the school district. Thanks to the organization and financial backing by Wellpoint, both elementary schools received $15,000 to create their customized reading rooms stationed inside of their school library.
Marcy Elementary’s Ben Carson Reading Room had multiple pieces of furniture to create cozy spots for reading. Washington Elementary, also known as “Camp Washington,” was fashioned to look like a camp area with a picnic bench, multiple lawn chairs, and camping tent. It was created with the help of Washington Elementary’s Ben Carson Reading Room Committee, Big Spring High School Art students, and the BSISD Maintenance Department.
The Ben Carson Reading Project, founded by retired world-renowned pediatric neurosurgeon and New York Times bestselling authors Dr. Ben Carson and his wife, Candy, is an initiative of the Carson Scholars Fund. The purpose of the Ben Carson Reading Project is to create a literacy-enrichment environment for children to become proficient and enthusiastic readers.
Wellpoint helps improve health care access and quality for nearly 750,000 Texans who participate in the state’s Medicaid programs. Wellpoint also provides ongoing community relations and outreach to encourage members to become active participants in their wellness, which goes beyond physical health.
To date, 285 reading rooms have been established across the country with 14 reading rooms serving Texas students.
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