Clanton Elementary teacher Janet Holsenback, standing far right with her students, pictured with several books that will be donated to two schools in Tuscaloosa that were impacted by the April 27 tornadoes.

Clanton Elementary School is continuing to collect new or gently used children’s books for their book drive to help two schools in Tuscaloosa that lost everything in the April 27 tornadoes.

The school has been collecting books for two weeks and has received more than 900 total.

“A good 800 to 850 books are from the students, but we have had communities bring us boxes of books, and we even have two complete sets of encyclopedias,” said Janet Holsenback, CES first grade teacher and organizer of the drive. “The kids have been really excited about collecting these books.”

The two schools the books will be donated to are University Place Elementary and Alberta Elementary.

“The children have not been able to comprehend what it would be like to go in a classroom without books,” said Holsenback. “Some have even made their parents go to the thrift store and buy books to donate. They have learned a lesson on working together in tough times to help people.”

The drive was scheduled to end May 16, but books are continuing to come in, so the school will collect them until the end of the school year, said Holsenback.

Clanton Elementary will collect books until Thursday, May 26.  Books may be dropped off at the school or contact Janet Holsenback at the school at 280-2730.