As the azaleas, wisteria and jasmine were beginning to bloom in South Carolina, the flowers in the Ben Carson Reading Room at Shaw Heights Elementary School were on full display as the school excitedly welcomed students into their newly created reading room. The school, located within the gates of Shaw Air Force Base in the Sumter School District, held its opening day ceremony on Friday, April 5. The school adopted the theme of “Growing Readers to New Heights,” and incorporated décor to encourage reading growth and development. The room has two expansive trees hand painted on the walls. One of the trees has steps leading to a treehouse, while the other has books arranged on freestanding shelves beneath the sprawling treetop. While bookcases can be found throughout the room, one in particular stands out. Located in the back compartment of a bookcase is a floral garden featuring a rainbow of silk Gerber Daisies, which makes the bookcase both eye-catching and functional. One of the most unique features of the room is the hand painted ceiling tiles. The school serves second and third graders and each classroom had an opportunity to create a ceiling tile showcasing their favorite book. If students need a book suggestion, all they need to do is look up. The reading room at Shaw Heights Elementary is the fifth Ben Carson Reading Room to be established in South Carolina and the third to be sponsored by Thompson Construction Group. Thompson has proudly sponsored Ben Carson Reading Rooms at Manchester Elementary and R.E. Davis Elementary.