Earlier in the fall, AJA fifth graders were learning about natural disasters—like hurricanes—and read about the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene. When they heard that a school in North Carolina called Black Mountain Elementary had lost its entire library, they knew they wanted to help.

So they combined two of their big goals: learning about real-world issues and their 40 Book Challenge—and that’s how their fundraiser, Chapters for Change, was born. ogether, AJA fifth graders read over 669 books and raised more than $4200 to help rebuild Black Mountain’s library, with the hope that
their love for reading brings new stories and new hope to the students there.

They were even able to zoom with students from Black Mountain Elementary who shared how truly grateful they were to the AJA
students. AJA fifth graders are proud to show that a good book can truly change the world. Kol Hakavod!