Enhancing literacy for kindergarteners through fifth graders turned into a community project, as leadership of the Waukegan High School Class of 2025 worked toward the delivery of “little free libraries” to each of Community Unit School District 60’s 15 elementary schools.

Class President Lamero Ceaser and Vice President Yamileth Montejano decided well before they graduated with their class in May what the class gift should be. They said they knew reading is vitally important, and free access to a variety of books is a way to help.

“Readers are leaders, and we want to promote reading,” Montejano, now a freshman at National Louis University, said.

“We want to promote literacy,” added Ceaser, now an Augustana College freshman. “Literacy is a little down in Waukegan. Getting books to the kids will help with literacy.”

Before Ceaser and Montejano were able to deliver the little free libraries, they needed to raise money, order them, and with the help of senior class advisor Robert French, a business teacher at the high school, they also needed to acquire the books, and someone had to assemble the structures.

Help came from the Waukegan Public Library for many of the books at no cost, and the wood shop class at the high school put them together.

Montejano and Ceaser delivered 15 little free libraries to each of District 60’s 15 elementary schools on Dec. 15, completing their senior class gift project and the goal of enhancing literacy for young students.

As senior class leadership worked on the project through the 2024-2025 school year, French said they began fundraising early before they determined the gift itself. Several years before, he started a snack shop where students could buy snacks between classes for $1 each.

“Seniors ran the shop,” French said. “I staffed it during passing periods. When you have five minutes to make your decision and get out your money, that’s being pretty efficient.”

With different ideas under discussion, French said there was approximately $3,000 available for the gift. Different ideas were discussed among the leadership team. Ceaser said they wanted the gift to have an impact on the community.

“It was important that it benefit people,” Ceaser said. “We wanted it to help people. Community is important. We wanted to give back to the community. Then we got the idea of the little free library.”

Hyde Park Elementary School Principal Brian Carr said in an email that he is happy with the little free library at the school he oversees. Like Ceaser, he sees it as a way to promote literacy among the children in the school.

The gift is a great example of kindness and will contribute to our goal of promoting literacy.” Carr said. “Anytime we can get more books in the hands of our kids and promote reading in the home, the more we can grow our students’ love of literature.”

As French looked at the variety of little free libraries available, he found one made of wood that fit the budget. Though some books were donated by teachers and others, Ceaser and Montejano knew they needed a major source. They went to the Waukegan Public Library.

“They took us into a room and gave us free rein to take what we needed,” Montejano said. “The books were more educational than anything else. We found some from National Geographic. We found one on women’s (professional) wrestling. We found some on finding yourself and emotional literacy.”

Some of the books were less serious. Montejano said they included “Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles.” In all, there were more than 400 books from the library for the 15 little free libraries. Library Executive Director Tiffany Verzani said in a text that she was glad to help.

“The library is proud to be a part of this exciting initiative,” Verzani said. “It’s great to see the gift of reading, creativity, and the sharing of stories being uplifted by our students and shared with the community.”

When the 15 libraries arrived, French said he realized it was a challenge to assemble them quickly. He reached out to Tad Grabnik, who teaches wood shop at the high school. Grabnik told him it would be a good class project.

Montejano said the books are there to supplement other reading the students do. It is not meant to be an adjunct library, but to stir additional interest. They can take the book read it and return it.

“Some of them are outside,” Montejano said. “A student may want to read a book at recess.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/31/waukegan-district-60-little-libraries/