MPS’ Forest Home Avenue School wins a library makeover from Target

Today I learned that Target is giving Milwaukee Public Schools’ Forest Home Avenue Elementary School, 1516 W. Forest Home Ave., a school library makeover.

That’s great news. Many older schools are in need of just this kind of boost. Earlier today I wrote that principal Tom Matthews spent a year making over his school’s once-decrepit library.

And because my mom and my grandfather are alumni of Forest Home Avenue, where a neighbor of mine teaches, I feel a special twinge of pleasure at hearing this news.

Target and The Heart of America Foundation has picked a number of schools across the country to receive the makeovers, which include a complete renovation which incorporates technology updates, ecologically friendly designs, light construction and 2,000 books.

You can see some examples of previous library makeovers here.

Also,  Target will incorporate a Target Meals for Minds school-based food pantry to show its ongoing commitment to the schools.

Forest Home Avenue Elementary, located directly across the street from Forest Home Library, serves 835 kids on Milwaukee’s South Side. Nearly 100 percent of its student body qualifies for free and reduced lunch.

There will be a kick-off event in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, May 24, with Ralph Smith of The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Deanna Marcum, Associate Librarian for the Library of Congress, Target’s president of community relations Laysha Ward and principals from the schools getting the makeovers, including Forest Home’s Sara Marquez.

The principals will then take part in a summit meeting with education experts to discuss best practices for making the most of the new libraries.