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When 25 volunteers from Barclays Capital arrived at North Star Academy Elementary in Newark last Tuesday to share their love of reading with elementary students, little did they know that those students, in return, would share their own fiery passion for learning and their courage to succeed.

As the “Morning Circle” routine began, kindergarten, first-grade and second-grade students chanted about their classroom pride and enthusiasm for math. Next, the Emory Eagles of second grade performed an incredible original song about matter (their current unit of study in science). When the students were finally introduced to the Barclays Capital “superheroes,” who had arrived to read brand new books with them, their young faces lit up with excitement. The scholars of North Star Academy have an unmatched love for reading, and the donation of new books, such as Bunny Money by Rosemary Wells and Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold, from Barclays Capital allows these students to take home and enjoy their very own books.

In partnership with First Book, Barclays Capital has donated a total of 4,000 new books to North Star Academy this year. All of the school’s campuses are receiving these resources, which will help North Star continue to pursue its mission of closing the achievement gap. Here at First Book, we are proud to partner with Barclays Capital and North Star—two fantastic organizations that are dedicated to creating bright futures for all children.

On Thursday morning, two buses pulled up to North Star Academy in Newark, New Jersey and opened their doors to let their passengers enter the school. Instead of elementary school students, volunteers from Barclays Capital poured out of the buses and walked into the building, ready to spend a morning reading with first-grade students and also surprise students with a donation of 2,000 new books: four books for each of the 250 students at North Star to take home, and 1,000 more books to fill the shelves of North Star’s library.

Barclays volunteers read with first-graders at North Star Academy. Each student took home four new books, courtesy of Barclays.

Inside the school, the Barclays team and our First Book team were invited to watch North Star kick off its day at Morning Circle. As soon as it began, we knew that we were in a one-of-a-kind school. Kindergarteners, first-graders, and second-graders took their places in the Circle, performed class chants, cheered about their love for reading and math, and answered quick quiz questions from their principal. The intellect and enthusiasm of the students blew us away, and the incredible devotion of the teachers and staff members was obvious. The North Star students already shine, and with Barclays generously providing more resources to these curious, motivated learners, their futures are brighter still.