The A's Donated $45,000 and Read With Students at Jack Dailey Elementary

by Ryan Rose

What Happened

Jack Dailey Elementary sits at 2001 E. Reno Ave. in Las Vegas, in the 89119 ZIP code east of the airport. According to FOX5 Vegas, the A's visit on Friday focused on two goals: literacy and accessibility.

The day started at the CCSD Book Bus. A's players helped students pick out books from the bus, which travels the valley handing out free books to kids. Then the players went into classrooms. They read with students and signed baseball cards. Pitcher Hogan Harris told FOX5 he loved the chance to hang out with the kids and show them different kinds of books.

Next came the "Classrooms in a Box." The A's unveiled two of them for autism and special needs classrooms. Each one provides adaptive school supplies that help teachers meet each student's individual learning needs. In plain terms, these are tools that make learning easier for kids who learn differently.

Then the money. The A's donated $30,000 to the Public Education Foundation. They gave another $15,000 to the Clark County School District to support the Book Bus. That brings the total to $45,000. FOX5 reported that the gifts are meant to encourage reading and help students build home libraries.

Principal Cheryle Trupp said good community partners make a big difference, and she was glad to see sports teams coming to Las Vegas and joining the mission of educating kids. She also said kids need to be around books from an early age, both at school and at home with their families.

Colorful children's books displayed together, like the free books students pick from the CCSD Book Bus

What Is the CCSD Book Bus?

If you have not seen it yet, the Book Bus is exactly what it sounds like. It is a converted bus with seating and shelving inside, stocked with books and reading resources for kids and families. It is run by the CCSD Engagement Unit in partnership with the Public Education Foundation.

The bus shows up at schools and community events around the valley. Any student in kindergarten through 12th grade in the district can use it. The books cover a wide range of reading levels, so a kindergartner and a high schooler can both find something. CCSD says its goal is to give away 75,000 new books to kids over the course of the year.

Why does the district care so much? CCSD's own Book Bus page gives the reason. It says 35 percent of CCSD elementary students read at a proficient level. It also says students who are not reading well by third grade are four times more likely to drop out. Access to books at home is one of the big factors in whether a kid becomes a strong reader. That is why the goal is not just reading at school, but building a small library at home.

Why It Matters to Las Vegas Residents

Reading is the foundation for almost everything a kid does in school. Math word problems, science, history, even following directions on a test all depend on it. When only about a third of elementary students read at grade level, that touches every family in the district, even the ones whose kids are doing well. Classrooms move at the pace of the whole room.

A $15,000 gift to the Book Bus and $30,000 to the Public Education Foundation will not fix that on its own. But it adds fuel to programs that are already working on it. Every book a kid takes home is one more book on a shelf that might have been empty before.

The "Classrooms in a Box" matter too. Special needs and autism classrooms often need specific tools that a regular supply budget does not cover. Adaptive supplies can help a student focus, communicate or stay calm enough to learn. For a teacher in one of those rooms, a ready-made kit is a big help.

There is also a bigger picture here. The A's are new neighbors. The team's ballpark is going up on the Strip, and a lot of locals have been waiting to see what kind of community partner the team will be. Showing up at a neighborhood elementary school, with players and real dollars, is a good first impression.

It is also worth noting where this happened. Jack Dailey is a neighborhood elementary school east of the airport, close to the center of the valley, not a campus in one of the newer master-planned communities on the edges of town. Seeing a team bring players and money to a school in the middle of the valley is a good sign that the help is reaching kids all over Clark County, not just in the newest suburbs.

Two children reading a book together on a sofa at home, the kind of home reading the Book Bus is meant to encourage

Background and History

The Athletics are building their new ballpark on the former Tropicana site on the Las Vegas Strip. The team broke ground on June 23, 2025, and the target is a 2028 opening. We have tracked the construction on this blog, including when the ballpark reached its tallest point.

Until the ballpark opens, the team is still building its fan base here. Community events like this one are part of that work. Las Vegas has watched this happen before. The Vegas Golden Knights and the Raiders both built community programs after they moved here, and those efforts are part of how new teams start to feel like hometown teams.

The Public Education Foundation, which received $30,000 from the A's, is a Las Vegas nonprofit that supports students and teachers in Clark County public schools. It partners with CCSD on the Book Bus.

Reading has been a growing focus across the valley. Each fall, the free Las Vegas Book Festival brings authors and readers together, and this year it celebrates its 25th year. The Book Bus works the same idea from a different angle, taking the books straight to the kids instead of asking families to come downtown.

How to Build a Home Library on a Budget

Principal Trupp talked about helping kids build home libraries. That phrase can sound fancy, but it does not have to be. A home library can be one shelf, one basket or one box under the bed. What matters is that the books are easy to reach and the kids picked some of them out themselves.

Here are a few simple ways to grow one without spending much:

Grab the free ones. When the Book Bus visits your child's school or a community event, let your kid choose. Free books they pick themselves tend to get read.
Use the library. Library books are not yours to keep, but a stack of borrowed books on the shelf works the same way. Swap them out every couple of weeks so there is always something new.
Trade with friends. Kids outgrow books fast. A swap with neighbors or classmates turns old books into new ones for free.
Let kids reread. If your child wants the same book ten nights in a row, that is fine. Rereading builds confidence and fluency.
Mix it up. Picture books, comics, joke books, sports books and books about animals all count. Hogan Harris talked about showing kids different styles of books, and that is a good idea at home too.

A bookshelf filled with children's books, an example of a simple home library for kids

Questions Parents Can Ask Their School

If this story got you thinking about your own child's school, here are a few questions worth asking at the next parent-teacher conference or school event. You do not need to be an expert to ask them.

How is my child doing in reading compared to where they should be for their grade?
What can I do at home to help, and are there books you would recommend for my child's level?
Does the school get visits from the Book Bus, and when is the next one?
Does the school have any community partners, and how can families or local businesses help?
If my child needs extra support, what services are available at the school?

Teachers are usually glad when parents ask. It tells them you are on the same team. And the answers can help you focus your time at home on what will help the most.

What This Means for Families Shopping for a Home

When families move to Las Vegas or move across town, schools are near the top of the list. Most people start with test scores and ratings, and those are worth a look. But there is more to a school than a number on a website. Things like community partners, parent groups, after-school programs and special education support all shape what a school feels like day to day.

If you are house hunting, it is worth visiting the schools in the areas you like. Walk the campus if you can. Ask the front office what programs they have and who partners with them. A school that gets visits from community groups, nonprofits and local teams often has an active network of people working to help students.

I always tell clients to check school zoning for any home they are serious about, because school boundaries can change and do not always follow neighborhood lines. CCSD has a school search tool where you can enter an address and see which schools it is zoned for. That is a smart step before you make an offer.

What Happens Next

The Book Bus will keep rolling to schools and community events through the school year. CCSD's stated goal is 75,000 new books in kids' hands. The A's donation helps pay for that work.

On the baseball side, construction on the Strip ballpark continues toward its 2028 target. The team has also been bringing games and events to town before then. Banana Ball, for example, is coming back to Las Vegas Ballpark in 2027. As opening day gets closer, expect to see more community visits like this one.

FOX5 did not report whether the A's plan more school visits this year, so we will not guess. But if this event is any sign, the team sees local schools as a big part of how it plans to connect with Las Vegas families.

Ryan's Take

I love this kind of story. A pro sports team could have mailed a check. Instead, players walked into classrooms, sat down with kids and read. That is the kind of thing a second grader remembers for a long time. And the money went to two things that work: books kids get to keep, and supplies for classrooms that often get overlooked.

From a real estate point of view, schools are one of the first things families ask me about. Parents want to know what the school is like, but they also want to know if the community shows up for its schools. When businesses, nonprofits and now a Major League team invest in a neighborhood school, it tells families that people care. That kind of support helps make a neighborhood a place where families want to stay.

I would also love to see more local businesses follow this lead. Real estate offices, restaurants, car dealers and contractors all make their living in these neighborhoods. A book drive, a classroom sponsorship or a reading day costs very little compared to the goodwill it builds. If the A's can do it before their ballpark even opens, the rest of us can find a way to pitch in too.

A baseball game in progress with a pitcher and batter on a green field

Quick Answers

When did the A's visit Jack Dailey Elementary? Friday, Oct. 16, 2026.

How much did the A's donate? $45,000 in total. That is $30,000 to the Public Education Foundation and $15,000 to CCSD for the Book Bus.

What is a "Classroom in a Box"? A set of adaptive school supplies for autism and special needs classrooms. The A's unveiled two of them.

Who runs the Book Bus? The CCSD Engagement Unit, in partnership with the Public Education Foundation.

Where is Jack Dailey Elementary? 2001 E. Reno Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89119.

What You Can Do

The easiest thing you can do tonight is read with your kids. Principal Trupp's point was simple: kids need books at home, not just at school. Ten or fifteen minutes before bed adds up fast. If you need books, keep an eye out for the Book Bus at school and community events, and check your local Las Vegas-Clark County Library District branch, where library cards are free.

If you want to help other kids, the Public Education Foundation accepts donations and works directly with CCSD schools. Many schools also have wish lists for classroom supplies, especially special education rooms. Ask your school's front office how you can help.

And if you are a business owner, take a page from the A's playbook. You do not need a Major League budget to make a difference. Adopting a classroom, sponsoring a book drive or volunteering to read once a month can mean a lot to a neighborhood school.

Have questions about how this affects your home or neighborhood? Reach out to Ryan Rose or text/call 702-747-5921 anytime.

Ryan Rose | Real Broker, LLC | 702-747-5921 | ryan@rosehomeslv.com | rosehomeslv.com