Quinta Brunson, the creator and star of Abbott Elementary on 6abc, gave gifted children at Mastery Harrity Elementary Charter School two free books each at a Scholastic Book Fair. Teachers also received 10 free books.

“Abbott Elementary” partnered with Scholastic for the initiative, which will fund similar book fairs across the country, but Brunson wanted to start with the school that inspired his hit show.

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“Also, now that it’s a bright, positive place – the lights work, the toilet flushes, the copier has paper in it,” said Scott Gordon, CEO of Mastery Charter Schools, who noted that the he school was very different from Brunson’s. .

“Most of the time when I watch, I’m really grateful that I’m not in it anymore. We have everything we need and watching the show shows me how far we’ve really come,” Amanda Vannostrand said. , a second-year teacher.

When Brunson went to school 20 years ago, it was Harrity Elementary, a public school in the Philadelphia School District. Although it is now a charter, it is still open to children who live in the West Philadelphia attendance area, which the school says is important for many reasons.

“There is no reason for a child in this country to be in a school that is less than the best school,” Vannostrand said.

School children face challenges, like school in a postcode where the Pew Charitable Trust says up to 30% of residents live below the poverty line.

For these students, access to resources like books is vital, and a good education can help shape their future.

“Most people care, like my older brother went to a good college, like Cheyney, HBCU college after that school,” said Fatima Jalloh, a 6th grader at the school.