San Angelo READS! Partners with Texas Trust Credit Union for Fourth-Grade Book Giveaway

On February 5, Texas Trust Credit Union, San Angelo READS! and fourth-grade students at McGill Elementary came together to celebrate literacy with a special book giveaway and read-aloud event. Special guest reader was Brett Nikolauk, Texas Trust Credit Union Vice President – West Texas, who shared the inspiring story of “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer with a group of 50 fourth-grade students.

The book tells the incredible true story of William Kamkwamba, a young boy from famine-stricken Malawi who, despite being unable to afford school, used his resourcefulness and a local library to teach himself about windmills. Using scraps and his creativity, William built a windmill to bring electricity to his home, transforming his village and earning recognition at a TED conference. His story of overcoming adversity through determination, ingenuity and hard work reminds young readers that they have the power to change the world. His motto, “I try, and I made it,” continues to inspire.

“The message that I got out of the book that we tried to communicate to the kids was, everybody has a resource to go to, wherever you are. If you use those resources wisely, you can do anything you want to do,” said Mr. Nikolauk.

Thanks to a generous $8,381 grant from the Texas Trust Gives Foundation, every fourth-grade student in San Angelo ISD received a copy of “The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” to keep. The grant also previously provided copies of “Beatrice Zinker, Upside Down Thinker” by Shelley Johannes to every fourth grader in the district.

“Texas Trust Credit Union carries out philanthropic work through its charitable arm – the Texas Trust Gives Foundation, both serving the mission to invest in our community to build brighter financial futures,” said Washima Huq, Executive Director of the Texas Trust Gives Foundation. Ms. Huq said the foundation’s grant funding is made possible through the credit union’s commitment, with one cent from every consumer card swipe going directly to support the foundation's initiatives. “San Angelo READS! has been a program through which our employees volunteered their time. Through Texas Trust Gives Foundation, we look for ways our grant awards can work hand in hand allowing our employees to serve their time to do good for our community … Corporate social responsibility is important to Texas Trust and these are few ways we can carry out our mission and serve the community.”   

With the support of organizations and businesses like Texas Trust Credit Union and Texas Trust Gives Foundation, San Angelo READS! continues to raise awareness of the importance of literacy and inspire students to develop a lifelong love of reading. San Angelo ISD is grateful for the ongoing support of the Texas Trust Gives Foundation and our local Texas Trust Credit Union branches. 

“Based on positive feedback I receive from social media, email and in person, Texas Trust Gives Foundation and San Angelo READS! has had a positive impact on students and our community,” said Mr. Nikolauk. “It’s all about creating relationships. These kids will look back one day and see that community volunteers along with SAISD staff working together gave them more and different touchstones. These children will one day reflect on our participation and volunteering and be encouraged to continue a legacy of giving back to our community in their own way. Other businesses and individuals in our community will see how rewarding giving back can truly be and will step up for our next generation.” 

To stay up-to-date on San Angelo ISD, please visit the SAISD website at www.saisd.org and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and X. Community members are encouraged to share how they celebrate literacy and participate in San Angelo Reads! through the hashtag, #SAISDReads.

About San Angelo READS! 

Launched by the district in 2020, San Angelo READS! is a community-wide literacy initiative aimed at encouraging reading and fostering the attributes of SAISD’s future-ready learner profile among students and the greater San Angelo community. The initiative raises awareness about the importance of literacy and inspires a love of reading. Studies show that children and teenagers who read for pleasure on a daily or weekly basis score better on reading and writing tests than infrequent or non-readers.

SAISD kicked off San Angelo READS! on December 9, 2020, with the inaugural San Angelo Reads! Day, a day of celebrating literacy throughout the district. The day featured read-ins, the unveiling of book vending machines, and the gift of a book to every third grader, courtesy of the San Angelo Area Foundation. Through initiatives like these, SAISD is committed to building literacy skills that prepare students for future success and help create a better tomorrow for our community.

About Texas Trust Gives Foundation

The Texas Trust Gives Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to touching hearts and changing lives. It is the charitable arm for Texas Trust Credit Union, a $2 billion financial institution. The foundation provides scholarships to college students, awards charitable grants, and organizes volunteer efforts through the Community Unity Team for local community events.