CCCF brings back the magic of “One School, One Book” to area schools
Last Updated on August 24, 2026 by Cass County Communication Network
Imagine an entire school reading the same story at the same time: students, teachers, principals, staff, and families all wondering what will happen in the next chapter.
CCCF is excited to announce funding again for the One School: One Book, program designed to create a shared love of reading throughout an entire school community. The opportunity will be available to Cass County elementary schools, Logansport Intermediate School, and Caston Elementary School in Fulton County.
Through the program, every participating student receives a copy of the selected book to keep, allowing children to read along at home while building their own personal libraries. Schools read the book together over several weeks, with chapters assigned each evening and activities, games, prizes, and surprises bringing the story to life.
For CCCF President & CEO Deanna Crispen, the support came from seeing the program firsthand. “My family had the opportunity to experience One School: One Book at Pioneer Elementary in 2024 when the entire school read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and it was incredible,” Crispen said. “The excitement went far beyond simply reading a book. Teachers dressed as characters, Mr. Quillen became Willy Wonka, there were decorations, prizes and golden tickets, and it all culminated with the students going to Mary Max Cinema to see the movie.”
But what impressed Crispen most was how the program brought the entire school community into the same experience. “Everyone was talking about the same story from the students to teachers, staff, and families. Kids were excited to find out what happened in the next chapter. When I shared that experience with our CCCF board, we immediately saw the potential. We wanted more children in our community to have that same opportunity.”
Each eligible school may apply for funding once during the school year and will be able to select its own book. Schools are encouraged to create a small committee that includes parents to help choose the title, develop activities, and engage additional community support. CCCF will provide funding for the books for participating students as well as a stipend to help schools create the activities and special touches that make the experience memorable.
Funding for the initiative comes from the Richard and Rose Gates Educational Endowment Fund at the community foundation.
Richard Gates, a 1947 graduate of Lucerne High School, enlisted in the Army in 1948 and served for three years. When he returned to Indiana, Richard received a scholarship to attend the Acme School of Tool & Design Technology in South Bend.
That educational opportunity helped launch an extraordinary 30-year career as a senior tool design engineer. His work touched projects ranging from the Boeing 747 and Navy radar systems to the F-15 fighter program, Trident missile systems, and NASA space shuttles.
Despite the places his career and life took them, Richard and his wife, Rose, loved their quiet life in Royal Center. After they died within months of one another, the Richard and Rose Gates Educational Endowment was established to provide educational opportunities for students in the community they loved and called home.
“There is something very special about using Richard and Rose’s fund for this program,” Crispen said. “A scholarship opened a door for Richard and helped shape the course of his life. Now, their generosity is opening doors for another generation of children: one book, one school and one story at a time.”
For more information about the One School: One Book program, contact Deanna Crispen, President & CEO of the Cass County Community Foundation, at 574-722-2200.
SOURCE: News release from Cass County Community Foundation