A local elementary school is finding positivity after a tragedy.
A little library is dedicated to a 9-year-old boy after he was killed in an accident.
Grover Cleveland Elementary School, which is a United Way community school, held a ceremony to dedicate the little free library to George Socie.
George was a student at Grover Cleveland who was tragically killed in a car accident on December 22, 2022.
The two-vehicle crash took place at the intersection of West 12th Street and Pittsburgh Avenue where George was a passenger in the back seat.
“We had so many people reaching out to us after this tragic accident that it’s a pleasure to see that reciprocated,” said Cindy Munch, a third-grade teacher at Grover Cleveland Elementary School.
The community school director said that George was an avid reader along with his family.
“His mom shared with me that they used to go to the public library once a week. That’s how she taught him to read,” said Sara Musone, community school director. “We wanted to make sure that was always a part of what we had going on here because that was such a part of their lives.”
The little library includes a variety of selections including titles from Dr. Suess which were George’s favorites.
“George was a very kind person. He was always helpful, a hard worker, smart and an all-around great kid,” Munch said.
“We have a huge issue with learning loss over the summer and the easiest way to stay on track is to read,” Musone said. “It’s also a great way to escape and use your imagination and sometimes we all need that as well.”
Musone explained that there are not many little free libraries in our region.
“The closest library to us is Millcreek, which is closer to the mall, so that can be hard for our families to get to. So, this way children and adults can come get a book, leave a book and continue on their journey reading this summer,” Musone explained.
The little free library was made possible with a partnership from Werner Books.