For former Centralia Elementary School District student Sarah Barron, there’s something special about holding a book and turning its pages while getting lost in the words.
Now, Barron hopes to share that same feeling with a new generation of readers at San Marino Elementary School in Buena Park.
The recent Fullerton Union High School graduate returned to her old stomping grounds on Sept. 15 to unveil a new Little Free Library she donated as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award project. The small, lifted wooden box — now sitting just outside the campus’ multipurpose room — gives students in transitional kindergarten through sixth grade a chance to freely choose a book to take home or share one of their favorites with their peers.
Barron welcomed students to pick out their first books alongside San Marino Elementary Principal Daniel Gonzalez, Centralia Superintendent Norma Martinez, educators, school staff and Buena Park Mayor Connor Traut.
For 18-year-old Barron, the project offered an opportunity to give back to the school district where she grew up. Now in her final year as a Girl Scout and studying political science at Cypress College, she said she was inspired to “spread awareness of the literacy crisis” for her Gold Award. The project also included community reading events hosted at Buena Park facilities.
Barron’s donation received funding through the City of Buena Park Youth Microgrant Program, which supports local youth who want to make a difference through community service.
Here are the other stories we’ve been following this week:
- Bilingual educators and language professionals are invited to gather Sept. 30 to celebrate International Translation Day with OCDE’s Language Services Team for a behind-the-scenes tour of PBS SoCal Studios and a presentation of its Family Math Initiative.
- Orange County students, families and community members are invited to help remove trash and debris from the Upper Newport Bay coastal wetland as part of a California Coastal Cleanup Day hosted by Inside the Outdoors, OCDE’s environmental education program.
- Nominations for the 2026-27 Orange County Music and Arts Administrators Awards are open, recognizing arts educators, classified staff, administrators and more who aid students in developing their creativity through the performing, media and visual arts.
- In the latest episode of the FutureCurrent podcast hosted by County Superintendent Dr. Stefan Bean and educator Lainie Rowell, OC Business Council CEO Jeff Ball joined to discuss the impact students can have in shaping the region’s economic growth while ensuring their workforce needs are met and early career opportunities provided.
- OCDE’s Project GLAD is offering Foundations and Secondary Foundations training starting this fall for educators looking to strengthen language and literacy instruction for multilingual learners through research-based strategies.
- Orange County students in grades 3 through 12 can trade the classroom for the farm through a free service-learning youth engagement program at Harvest Solutions Farm in Irvine.
- San Juan Hills High School junior and All-American recruit Megan Hodges played an integral role in leading the U.S. Women’s U23 Volleyball Team to victory Sept. 6, earning a gold medal at the NORCECA U23 Pan American Cup in Nicaragua.
- Fullerton School District Superintendent Gretchen Janson, Ed.D., went back to school — this time as a kindergarten substitute teacher. Janson spent a school day leading lessons and getting a firsthand look at classroom life as part of her plan to substitute teach at schools across the district.
- A recent OC Register feature explored Orange County’s appeal as a popular destination for international high school students, offering youth from abroad the opportunity to experience American classrooms while bringing new perspectives to local campuses.
- The nearly 30-year-old E-rate federal program that helps schools and libraries afford internet access and telecommunications is under review by the Federal Communications Commission, with education officials and advocates concerned over funding cuts.
- The State Board of Education has approved 31 training programs that school districts can use to support teachers in implementing California’s new early literacy approach.
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