Students from the Drake’s School of Education planted the seeds of learning and literacy by handing out free children’s books at the Drake Neighborhood Farmers’ Market Wednesday, July 21.
Many of the books were left over from the school’s book drive. Scholastic, the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books, and School of Education Dean Janet McMahill donated additional books for the event.
“We started with three really big boxes and we could probably fit them all into one now, so today’s been pretty successful,” junior writing and secondary education major Ben Hoffman told a Drake digital media videographer during the market.
The farmers market is open from 4 to 7 p.m. every Wednesday through Sept. 29 in the parking lot of First Christian Church, 2500 University Ave. Free parking is available for shoppers across from the market on the east side of 25th Street.
A health tent, where shoppers can have their blood pressure and blood sugar levels measured for free, is available every week.
Drake has been a friend of the market since 1997, helping by posting signs at the corners of 31st and University and 25th and Carpenter. Last year, Drake’s School of Education gave away 375 books to children at the market. Members of Drake’s Chemistry Club recently gave an interactive chemistry demonstration for children.