MAHONING TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Students at Danville Primary School had a beach party for one of their last days of school. They got a pleasant surprise toward the end of the day when they were each given four books to take home with them, courtesy of PPL.
"Not all children have that opportunity of going to the library in the summertime, so for them to get four books that they can select on their own to keep and take home for the summer, is really thrilling for them," Janice Osborne said.
It's all part of PPL's Cover to Cover program. The program provides children with books to ensure they have something to read over the summer.
"At first, I thought it would be a couple of classrooms, but they were so generous and they were willing to give every kindergarten, first grade and second grade, and actually our intermediate school is Liberty Valley and they gave every third grader books too," Principal John Bickhart said.
"Through the program employees donate books and the foundation purchases books for students throughout our 29 counties," Osborne said.
The school held an assembly and showed a music video the students made about reading.
To reward the students for reading, some of their teachers surprised them with a performance.
"What we wanted to do is show the kids that through their efforts, it's all about having fun and kindness and laughter and being at school," Bickhart said.
The kids were excited about their dancing teachers and about the books.
"It makes us learn," Aunalee McWilliams said.
"You're learning some more skills," Anessa McWilliams said.
"Because it makes me happy. It makes you happy," Ella McDonough said.
More than 37,000 books will be donated to schools in Pennsylvania through PPL's Cover to Cover program this year.