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Renovations included new technology, paint, lighting, flooring and shelving, as well as customized wall art and murals. In addition, the library received 2,000 new books to fill its shelves. Each participating student and their sibling/s also received seven books to take home.
"Thanks to Target and The Heart of America Foundation, our students now have a much richer range of critical tools to develop and succeed academically," said Stacy Jones, principal, Doris Miller Elementary School. "We're honored to be one of the 32 schools in 30 cities to receive a complete library makeover. Faculty, students, parents and the entire Miller Elementary School community are thrilled to have a refurbished learning space with thousands of new books."
An important academic milestone in early childhood education is that students read at grade level by the end of third grade, and studies show that having access to a wide variety of reading materials is essential for kids to reach their educational goals.
"At Target, we recognize the integral role that reading plays in shaping a child's education and future, and we're committed to listening and acting locally to help kids learn and schools teach," said Laysha Ward, president, community relations, Target. "Through Target School Library Makeovers, students are given the resources they need to learn so that their educational futures know no boundaries."
As part of the Target School Library Makeovers, a total of 32 extreme library makeovers will be awarded to schools in-need in 30 cities, including Doris Miller Elementary in the San Diego Unified School District. The makeovers feature everything from eco-friendly design elements, 2,000 new books, as well as new furniture, shelves, flooring and technology. Eco-friendly elements include low VOC paint, sustainable carpet and furniture and responsible disposal of all waste created in demolition and construction.
Schools receiving a library makeover are chosen based on a number of factors, including the number of students reading below proficiency level, the percentage of students from low-income families and the overall need for library improvement. The majority of the 2010 unveilings are scheduled to take place from August to November.
Local Target team members who volunteer their time, talent and expertise to each renovation project lead the library makeovers. Additionally, the Target Property Development team provided specialized business knowledge through a variety of unique pro bono services that included leveraging their design, construction and project management expertise to help with the significant updates to the libraries.
"The library should be the heart of the school and the space that supports all of the learning that happens in the classrooms," said Angie Halamandaris, president and co-founder of The Heart of America Foundation. "By partnering with Target we're able to ensure schools across the nation are equipped with the resources students need to read, succeed and make a difference."
In support of this effort, Target and The Heart of America Foundation teamed up with Paragon, which supplied green-certified furniture and Smith Systems, which, in turn, supplied the use of recycled materials. Target also partnered with local Ryan Companies US, Inc. to help with the renovation construction efforts, and TK Products, who supplied the paint for the renovation. In addition, Paul Hempe and Chad Campbell from zerOw reDesign provided their services to create a mural in the redesigned library space. All partners helped make the project possible through donations and/or discounted pricing of services and supplies.
The Target School Library Makeovers program was launched in 2007 and features a combination of extreme school library makeovers, which include a complete renovation, and $500 Book Awards to schools across the country. Since the program's inception, Target has impacted more than 2,000 school libraries, distributed more than one million new books and donated tens of thousands of volunteer hours.
Target's commitment to the communities it serves involves funding education programs that nurture a love of learning and promote literacy among children. The Target School Library Makeovers program is one of the many ways Target supports education by acting locally to help kids learn and schools teach.
About Target
Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) serves guests at 1,743 stores in 49 states nationwide and at Target.com. Target is committed to providing a fun and convenient shopping experience with access to unique and highly differentiated products at affordable prices. Since 1946, the corporation has given 5 percent of its income through community grants and programs, like Take Charge of Education. Today, that giving equals more than $3 million a week. For more information about Target's commitment to corporate responsibility, visit Target.com/hereforgood.
About The Heart of America Foundation
The Heart of America Foundation (www.heartofamerica.org), a national nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., uniquely combines volunteerism and literacy. The organization's focus is to provide children in-need with the tools to read, succeed and make a difference. The Heart of America Foundation puts books into the hands of children who need them the most, while transforming school libraries in underserved communities into vital and vibrant centers of learning that become the heart of the schools. Since 1997, the organization has provided children living in poverty with almost 2 million library and take-home books, and has engaged volunteers in more than 1 million hours of service to the community.
About Doris Miller Elementary School
Part of the San Diego Unified School District, the second largest district in California, Doris Miller Elementary School was dedicated on April 28, 1976. The school is named after Doris Miller, an African-American sailor who was a hero during the attack on Pearl Harbor and who later lost his life in the service of his country. Miller Elementary is located in one of the largest military housing communities in the country. With a population of more than 800 students, 98 percent of the students come from military families representing all branches of military service.
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