Nanakuli Elementary School is among 20 winners of the D.E.A.R (Drop Everything and Read) Bookshelf Award, sponsored by the National Education Association. The winners were announced today as part of National Drop Everything and Read Day.

The 2.8 million-member NEA, the nation's largest professional employee organization, along with HarperCollins Children's Books, developed D.E.A.R. Bookshelf Awards to provide financial support to organizations who serve students in an effort to rebuild public school libraries. The organizations are awarding a total of $10,000. The grants will be used for projects developed and executed by young people. The competition received 1,500 entries.

At Nanakuli Elementary, award funds are earmarked to purchase homework supplies, such as pencils, paper and sharpeners students, a majority of whom come from low-income families.

More than 20 percent across the United States children live in poverty and on average economically disadvantaged students have one or two age-appropriate books in their homes, according to the NEA news release. Among low-income families, 61 percent of children have no books at all, the release stated. The D.E.A.R. Bookshelf Awards will help enrich book collections in classroom, school and public libraries and increase access to titles that kids will want to drop everything for and read.

"In the time that it takes to watch a rerun of Friends, parents can get a book off the shelf and engage their children in reading fun," NEA President Reg Weaver said in the release. "To increase access to books, the D.E.A.R. Bookshelf Awards provide funding for public schools and libraries — and the communities they serve — to purchase books, supplies and materials so that everyone can make reading a family affair."

The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional organization, representing elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers.

For more information on NEA and D.E.A.R., visit www.nea.org and www.dropeverythingandread.com.