Beryl Henry Elementary School fifth grade literacy teacher Bennie Lard has been named the winner of a $500 grant from Scholastic Book Clubs. The grant is part of a literacy collaboration between the Scholastic organization and best-selling crime/thriller fiction author James Patterson. Patterson is the co-author with Hope native and former President Bill Clinton of the New York Times Bestseller No. 1 fiction entry “The President Is Missing.” A frequent collaborator with upcoming new authors, Patterson and the Scholastic Book Club are making grants to teachers nationwide which allow them to purchase books for classroom libraries. – Ken McLemore/Hope Public Schools
