Lacey third grader wins literacy award for running small libraries

Leilonie Perez, a third grader from Olympic View Elementary School, won this year's Shirlee Lehnis Literacy Champion Award for Youth from the South Sound Reading Foundation. 

As stated by the foundation's website, the award is given to an individual or a group who has done something exceptional to promote literacy. 

Perez runs small free libraries with her parents — one library is dedicated to adult books and the other caters to children. 

“In 2024 she, along with her parents, built two at friends’ houses, one at the local cat cafe, and one at a local chiropractor. She and her family also adopted four other abandoned little free libraries in Thurston County,” the North Thurston Public Schools said in a social media post.  

The district also stated Perez keeps the small libraries well-stocked, as she collects donations, cleans, stamps, sorts and distributes books to all of the locations. Perez also crafts and designs bookmarks for the libraries. 

Amy Blondin, North Thurston Public Schools Executive Director of Communications, sent a statement to The JOLT News about Perez’s feat. 

“We love highlighting the many ways NTPS students are active, contributing members of our community! Leilonie is a great example of that, dedicating so much energy to helping instill a love of reading and access to books around the county,” Blondin wrote in an email. 

About the award 

The award given to Perez is named after former North Thurston Public Schools teacher and administrator Shirley Lehnis. 

“Shirlee, a beloved South Sound educator, dedicate(d) her life to children, learning, and literacy. She was also the founder and life force of the South Sound Reading Foundation,” stated the foundation site. 

Lehnis served for 43 years as a teacher and administrator. The last 27 years of Lehnis’s career were with North Thurston Public Schools. 

The adult equivalent of the award is the Lois Asay Literacy Champion Award for Adults.