The Ben Carson Reading Project is the second initiative of the Carson Scholars Fund. The primary purpose of the program is to provide funding and support to local schools so that they can create a literacy-enriched, nurturing environment for children to feel safe and secure as they develop their reading skills. The Reading Project is dedicated to combating illiteracy and promoting leisure reading as a key to unlocking a child’s potential. Each room is filled with hundreds of books for students to explore from a variety of authors, topics, and genres. The Reading Room is decorated with attractive, eye-catching artwork based on Dr. Carson’s THINK BIG philosophy. The cozy environment encourages students and their families to come together to recognize the importance of reading. Donate Now!
Building a reading room takes a team of dedicated and enthusiastic people who work hard to ensure that the room’s vision comes to fruition and pays off for years to come. The cost of a reading room is $20,000, so choosing a school to be a beneficiary of a Ben Carson Reading Room is an important decision. The Carson Scholars Fund (CSF) puts a great deal of effort into the selection and justification of a school being selected as a reading room recipient.
Oftentimes the donor selects an area in which they would like the reading room to be built. This can be a specific state, city, or town; a specific school district; or even a specific school. Once the donor has identified the preferred location for the room, the CSF staff reaches out to the school district, superintendent, or principal to begin vetting schools and assessing interest in the program. Sometimes the school district’s central office or superintendent will identify schools which could benefit the most from the reading room. Other times, the CSF vets individual schools to determine which best meets the qualifications for the room.
There are instances where school personnel reach out to the CSF expressing a desire to have a reading room. If you believe your school could benefit from a reading room, we invite you to apply. The application, along with important information, can be found under the Apply for a Reading Room tab.
To be a candidate for a reading room, the CSF assesses the following characteristics: 1) need; 2) available space for the reading room; and 3) dedicated and enthusiastic staff who are willing to get the project up-and-running and sustain the reading room for a minimum of five years. Once all formalities are in place, building the reading room takes approximately 90 days.
