Kingsburg school collects books for schools impacted by Hurricane Harvey

KINGSBURG, Calif. (KFSN) -- Rafer Johnson Jr High has spent the last couple weeks collecting books to donate to schools in Houston Texas devastated by Hurricane Harvey.

ELA teacher Cindy Carender said their "Hero Up!" book drive started while teaching her students about compassion and kindness.

"We were working with an essential question in English of 'When is a risk worth taking?' and then Hurricane Harvey hit," she said.

Carender introduced what was going on in Texas and had her students respond to images of people helping people that they did not know.

This turned into her lesson of compassion and kindness.

She and the students wanted to find a way to help out those who were impacted by Harvey.

After brainstorming with the students and teachers across the country it was decided they would host a book drive.

With the help of the students, community and other schools they have collected around 1,000 books in the two weeks.

Carender had a smile on her face and said, "I was really surprised. I was overwhelmed actually. I didn't know what to expect".

Her students are just as excited for this opportunity to help out kids in Texas.

"I was pretty happy because I thought it was kind of cool how we can actually do something to help Houston," said eighth grader Seth Carender

He said that he learned and read a couple articles about the devastation in Houston.

"I felt kind of sad for them," Seth said. "I thought it was cool that we can actually help them rebuild their foundation of books".

Cindy hopes she can get pictures of the students in Houston, with the books they will be sending, to show her students.

"I try not to tear up and get emotional about it because it is, it's awful to see what they've gone through to just think we can help a little bit has been great," Cindy said.

Cindy said the books will be shipped sometime on Friday.

They are still accepting books donations, that can be dropped off at Rafer Johnson Jr High. She added shipping will be expensive so they are also accepting monetary donations as well.