Durham, NC - Arlene Melchiorre, staff assistant in Duke's Office of Durham and Regional Affairs, talks to E.K. Powe Elementary School first grader Brittany Valencia Tecuatl as Brittany's teacher Gina D'Meza looks on.

 Melchiorre visited E.K. Powe on Nov. 5 to distribute more than 500 books to the kindergarten and first grade students at the school. The books were provided through a grant to the school from the national nonprofit organization First Book.

First Book's mission is to give children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books. For more information about the organization, visit their website at www.firstbook.org.