When Miami Herald reporter Liz Balmaseda wrote an article about a school in Liberty City that didn't have enough books, the sixth grade students and teachers at Temple Beth Am Day School in Pinecrest decided to do something about it.

The entire sixth grade class of Temple Beth Am Day School coordinated a massive book and toy drive to help the students at Evans Elementary School in Liberty City.

"When we heard about Lillie C. Evans Elementary, we immediately felt that we wanted to help, because reading is the basis for everything," said Fran Rosen, sixth grade science teacher at Temple Beth Am Day School.

Rosen, along with the three other sixth grade teachers -- Phyllis Greenberg, Robin Blaxberg, and Mickey Lipton -- mobilized the entire sixth grade class to organize a massive effort to provide hundreds of new books and toys to the students at Evans Elementary School.

"Our school has a long-standing reputation for the importance we place on reading, and we felt that this would be an excellent learning project for our students," Rosen said.

During the past two months, the sixth graders at Temple Beth Am organized a bake sale, a book collection and a toy drive. They raised hundreds of dollars and were able to donate more than 500 books and stuffed animals to Evans Elementary.

"Our students are encouraged to perform mitzvoth (acts of love and kindness), and this is just one example of how much they care about their community," Greenberg said.

"I CAN'T IMAGINE ANYTHING BETTER THAN ENCOURAGING YOUNG PEOPLE TO READ," ADDED LIPTON, AN ENGLISH TEACHER, WHO PURCHASED THE NEW BOOKS WITH THE MONEY HER STUDENTS RAISED.

"We bought the books at Borders, and they gave us our school discount of 20 percent, so we were able to make our money go even farther," she explained. "I collected a wide range of books of all subjects from poetry to historical fiction. They are ethnically and culturally diverse, and cover a broad range of reading skills to appeal to all levels of students."

Melissa Saiontz is one of the sixth graders who helped coordinate the book drive. She also helped bake brownies for the massive fundraising bake sale.

"I've never seen so many brownies in one place before," Melissa said. "It feels good to be able to help someone."

In addition to donating books, the sixth graders contributed stuffed animals, and hundreds of teddy bears donated by Just Kidding Around at The Falls.

"Their principal said it would be nice for them to have something cuddly to hold on to while they read for a half-hour each night at home," said sixth grader Sarah Taylor who coordinated the toy drive.

Sixth grader Josh Epelbaum said he thought that the project was fun, "and I hope that now that our 'Book Buddies' have books, that they will learn to like to read."

Bryan Wilner added that he was "amazed that there was a school without enough books for the students. I think this project was a really good idea, and I'm glad we were able to help."