(upbeat rock music)
- Let's round out the hour with one last story
that I hope brings a smile to your face.
This is What I'm Liking.
(upbeat music)
(audience cheering and clapping)
So you all might know that I'm an avid reader.
My mama helped me develop
a love for reading at a very early age,
and that instilled a passion I have to this day,
but too many kids don't have access to any books.
That's why I'm obsessed
with the West Virginia teen,
who's made it her mission to get books
to every single preschool child
in her state living in poverty,
so cool.
She's just getting started, y'all.
Let's say hi to Rania.
What inspired this?
(audience cheering)
(Kelly clapping)
- I have always been a bibliophile,
like you, my entire life.
So in middle school, I had a classics book club,
but in ninth grade, I was working on a project
to set up a small library
for young migrant girls
when I learned about the vast book deserts
that exist in our own country.
I learned about them before in other countries,
because both of my grandfathers
grew up in book deserts,
and they were able
to escape poverty through literacy,
so I like to say
that literacy is truly the ladder out of poverty.
- Yeah. - And so I combine
my classics book club with my passion
for ending the book desert
to the LiTEArary Society,
and we are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
with the mission of ending book deserts
for disadvantaged preschool children,
and in this country, that means Head Start,
and so far, I've donated brand-new books
to over 16,000 children in Head Start
in all 50 states,
and these are
all new, amazing, beloved Pre-K titles
that we donate.
- Oh my gosh, you are amazing.
(audience clapping)
So are there any plans,
like big plans for expansion?
- Oh yes,
we have a lot coming up and in progress.
I'm currently on a road tour,
and surprising Head Start centers
with brand-new books
for each child in these centers,
and I'm also working on a US Senate resolution,
called One Book at a Time Day
to bring awareness to book deserts,
and how we, as individuals,
can all make a big impact,
and I also wrote and illustrated
a series of children's picture books
about Billy Bob, who is an Appalachian bunny.
I don't know if you can see him.
He's right there. - [Kelly] Yeah.
- And it is sold in stores,
at Barnes & Noble and on Amazon,
and all of the profits
are going to my One Book at a Time initiative
to get more brand-new books
to children in Head Start.
- That's incredible.
(audience clapping)
You are such a great example of a young woman,
such a great heart, so intelligent,
and by the way, you are...
It's mesmerizing how beautiful you are.
Your smile, your eyes, you just light up.
I just needed to tell you that too,
but it's just you're such a great example
for all these young kids and for adults.
You can make such a big impact on your community,
and people don't even realize how,
and you figured out how,
and this is really important.
I'm liking your post right now, Rania, okay?
(audience clapping)
- Oh, thank you so much.
(heart dinging)
- Absolutely.
Well, that's not all.
Our season-long partner,
Pilot Pen, makers of Frixion,
the go-to erasable pen
of "The Kelly Clarkson Show"
want to celebrate
those creating opportunities and ladders,
like you were saying,
and they want to do this
for people just like you,
just having such a big heart,
so they're going to give you $1,000.
How's that sound?
(audience cheering and clapping)
- Oh my gosh.
Oh, thank you so...
I can't wait
to surprise the children in Headstart.
Thank you so, so much.
- Absolutely. - [Rania] I-
- Oh my gosh.
Thank you so much for taking the time,
and thank you so much
for doing what you do for so many,
and thank you to all our guests this hour:
Marlee Matlin, Tyler Posey,
Maggie, Andrew, Connie, T, Jeremy Rosado,
Kyle Selzer, Michelle McConkey,
and all our friends and partners at WRAL.
Y'all have a great day,
and if it's not, try and change it.