"I didn't know that they changed up the room so I was shocked," third grader Deja Loggin said.
From the gushy green chairs to the bright, light blue walls, this is a room meant for children and families.
"The colors made me all happy. And then it's so cool, it's just so much more roomy in here. Everything was all new and not old," seventh grader Charise Lincoln said.
But the most important items here for the kids are the books.
"It has books all around you and it encourages you to read because there's so many books and if you want to read them, they're right there, you just take them," fourth grader Zoeann McKie said.
The reading room at the Stafford Boys & Girls Club was recently repainted and decorated with help from the University of Phoenix. It now features new shelves constructed and filled with books.
"They are very happy and I am thrilled to see them. Sometimes I choke up and say hey they are using it to the best of their ability and it's a good, good way of helping the community," said Dr. Vellore Sudner with the University of Phoenix.
The hope is that an environment like this is the first step to lifelong learning for these children. They're comfortable, clean and created to encourage a positive attitude about reading.
"They're excited about the new items they have and they take pride in it," said Donovan Jackson with the Boys & Girls Club.
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