After spending the 2022-2023 school year on their Busload of Books Tour, crisscrossing the United States in a tiny home school bus-home with their four children and two dogs, visiting Title I (high-need) elementary schools in all 50 states, and distributing 150,000 free books and 25,000 free “reading buddy” teddy bears (in partnership with First Book and Build-A-Bear Foundation), Swanson and Behr are launched the second phase of their literacy equity and awareness initiative and visited Austin D. Baltz Elementary School.

The students were fully engaged and thrilled during the interactive assembly. However, nobody could have anticipated the level of excitement that ensued when the curtains were drawn to reveal a surprise visit from Build-a-Bear, providing free bears to every student in attendance.

Throughout the 2024-2025 school year, Swanson and Behr will provide free assemblies and book giveaways to twelve Title I elementary schools nationwide and continue their groundbreaking research study with Washington College.