MoSt’s Poetry Everywhere Initiative: Getting Poetry Books to Schoolkids

Salida Elementary School receives donation of poetry books from Sal Salerno of Modesto-Stanislaus Poetry Center & Modesto's poet laureate
Staff member from Salida Elementary School with MoSt Poetry’s donation of poetry books delivered by Sal Salerno, Modesto’s poet laureate and Modesto-Stanislaus Poetry Center board member.

In the nearly ten-year history of the Modesto-Stanislaus Poetry Center it has taken on few projects more ambitious than to donate sets of brand new poetry books to every public school in the county. But that’s exactly what MoSt adopted as a goal about five years ago and has been working to achieve ever since.

“As a small nonprofit, our Poetry Everywhere Initiative is a multi-year project, but so far we have donated books to 47 elementary schools and the library at juvenile hall,” explained MoSt board President Gillian Wegener.

The books chosen for the program offer a rich and diverse sampling of poetry for
younger readers.

Staff from C. F. Brown Elementary School in Modesto receive donation of poetry books from Sal Salerno of Modesto-Stanislaus Poetry Center & Modesto's poet laureate
Staff from C. F. Brown Elementary School in Modesto receive donation of poetry books from Sal Salerno, Modesto’s poet laureate & board member for Modesto-Stanislaus Poetry Center


“There are no strings attached to this donation,” Ms. Wegener continued. “We believe in the power of poetry to change lives, and we want to share that in all ways possible. By donating books to every school – beginning with elementary schools, we hope that poetry will reach even our youngest community members and help them see the joy and wonder alive in that art form.”


Although the pandemic necessitated an interruption in the program for two years, MoSt redoubled its efforts this year, donating poetry books to 8 schools in the spring, and another 10 schools in November. Altogether, MoSt donated 330 books through the Poetry Everywhere Initiative in 2022 alone.