06/03/2026
Update on the Opening of the St. Paul’s Library from Dr. Johnson:
Exactly one week after the conference, on May 29, we met with teachers and students at St. Paul’s Primary and Junior School in Athi River Kenya for the opening of their library. During the conference, Keynote speaker, LeAnn Johnson, related her mother’s direction to her father on the day she was born, “Bring books not flowers.” Head librarian, Pauline Musembi, built on this statement as she told the other teams that their library was a baby waiting to be born and that they too ask, “Bring books, not flowers.”
In keeping with this thought, a unique feature of the opening ceremony was the singing of “Happy Birthday” to the library. Students helped unpack the more than 900 books that had been purchased with donations from well-wishers in the United States. A plaque with Dr. Seuss quote, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” was mounted near the door of the library thanking the donors who made the library possible. While this baby is small at this point in time, the current books will be supplemented in July when they will receive approximately 450 more books from the USA. The 1200+ students attending St. Pauls are eager to begin reading.
Teachers are eager to work towards fulfilling the following goals: By November, 2026, 75% of learners should have:
Read at least 6 story books.
Language teachers should have embraced read aloud skills in class with learners once a week.
