Students pay forward the gift of reading

WILLIAMSTOWN, Ky. - The season of giving was paid forward Tuesday morning at Williamstown Elementary School. That is where Joey Baker and Dylan Souder have been reading to three kindergarten classes since the beginning of the school year.

"I didn't think that the Kindergarten classes would do it," said Baker.

Both fifth grade boys had been reading as volunteers for the program "One to One." It mentors children to read better and encourages continued education. Each boy had been mentored to in the past.

"Mr. Kerns read to me so I want to read back to little kids," said Souder.

When Souder was in the third grade, Kerns worked with him on his reading skills and gave him a book when their time was finished at the end of the year. That is exactly what Souder and Baker wanted to do for the kindergarten classes. They wanted to pay Kerns gesture forward.

The community supported the boys idea, and more than 100 books arrived at the school resource center office, because generous community members donated new and gently used books.

Kerns had no idea of the impression he made on Souder.

"(Laughed with a bellow) I didn't expect them to do anything like this."

All of the children said as a group to Baker and Souder, "Thank you."