Four years ago, when Adrian Johnson became principal of Mason Academy in Detroit, the school had an F ranking in the statewide system that assigns A-F letter grades based on the schools’ academic performance.

The school currently has a C ranking, and Johnson has plans in place for Mason to become an A school. Those plans have been made easier with the addition of 18,000 new books in the school’s library.

The new books, as well as new bookcases, shelving and storage to hold them, are the result of the Detroit Public Schools Community District winning the third annual Richard M. Robinson Literacy Champion Award, named in honor of the late Scholastic Chairman and CEO Richard (Dick) Robinson. 

Sponsored by Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company, in collaboration with the Council of the Great City Schools, the annual award recognizes a Council member school district for demonstrated progress in advancing reading achievement. 

As the Richard M. Robinson Literacy Champion Award winner, the Detroit school district chose Mason Academy, a preK-8 school, to receive the grand prize of a library makeover. Students at Mason also were given 10 books each to take home over the summer to add to their home libraries and help prevent summer learning loss.

In addition to the new books, the prize also funded the creation of a separate magazine-reading space and a creative-arts center. Further, because the schools call their preK and kindergarten students Bunnies, pictures of bunnies were added to the wall décor for a Bunny Corner.

To augment that experience, Scholastic donated two real bunnies, named Mason and Academy, that students can visit when they come to the library. The library also received new rugs and, in partnership with the district, new flooring and lighting.

Joining Johnson at the recent ribbon-cutting ceremony for Mason’s library makeover was Detroit Schools Superintendent Nikolai Vitti; as well as Harold Edwards, Senior Vice President, Strategy and Solution Development; Tai Chapman, National Director, Scholastic Education Solutions; Ray Hart, executive director of the Council; and several community members.

“Living on the east side of Detroit, some of our scholars are of lower socio-economic status and never had the experience of someone gifting something to them on such a grand scale,” said Johnson in an interview with the Urban Educator. “So, when the students walked into the renovated library, the look on their faces was one of astonishment and joy.”

Johnson recalled how several students perused the aisles, grabbed a book, sat on the library’s new bean bags and immediately started reading.

In the main hallway of the library, life-size decals of book characters were added to the windows so students can view mirror images of themselves in the books they choose. “There was a young man in the school’s mildly cognitive-impaired class, and he looked on the wall and said: “That looks like me,” which was absolutely amazing that children get to see themselves in book covers,” said Johnson.

He is very appreciative of Scholastic, the Council, and Detroit district officials for selecting Mason Academy, and he credits the library renovation for his school starting the 2024-25 school year on a positive note.

“This library makeover has put us on a trajectory to do even better,” said Johnson. “The excitement of children wanting to be in school and knowing there’s a place they can go that’s new and vibrant is not only amazing, but also transformative.”