What does 1,000,000 really look like? A million words - just how many is that?

As part of his Eagle Scout project, eighth-grader Jeff Kile brought the district’s Million Words Campaign to life, initiating a school-wide operation to collect a million pennies that would buy books for the school’s library.

Through class competitions, rummage sales, collection jars throughout the school and community, and a pledge from the Grant Ranch PTO to match the amount collected, the school now has a million pennies on display. The penny drive collected 1,056,493 pennies - $10,564.93 - for the purchase of additional books for the library.

In celebration of the school’s million-word readers and Kile’s remarkable contribution to the school, Grant Ranch K-8 School will recognize student accomplishments at a special all-school assembly in the gymnasium at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21.

Grant Ranch K-8 School is located at 5400 S. Jay Circle. For information, contact the school at 303-703-3879.