From Pageant Platform to Community Resource, One Young Girl’s Vision Is Making a Difference.
At just five years old, Plant City resident Lyla Howard is already making a lasting impact on her community, one book at a time.
Known for her bright smile, love of reading, and participation in local pageants, Lyla has launched a community service project called the Lyla-brary, a pair of little free libraries designed to encourage children to read, share books, and spread kindness throughout the community. The Lyla-braries are located at Mike Sansone Baseball Park and Cherry Street Baseball Park, where young athletes and their families gather throughout the baseball season. The concept is simple: families can take a book, leave a book, and discover the joy of reading while spending time at the ballpark.
“Lyla loves reading,” said her mom, Samantha Howard. The purpose of the Lyla-brary is to spread kindness and inspire minds while making books more accessible to local children.
The project began earlier this year after Lyla chose literacy and community service as her humanitarian platform for pageant competitions. Many pageant systems encourage contestants to select a cause they are passionate about and advocate for it through volunteer work, public speaking, and community engagement. These platforms help young participants build confidence, develop public speaking skills, and learn the importance of giving back to their communities.
The idea for the Lyla-brary was born during baseball season. Lyla’s brother plays baseball, and the family spends many hours at local fields. They realized the parks would be the perfect location for little free libraries where children could easily access books while attending games and practices. With approval from the city, the family got to work.
The libraries officially opened at the end of February, just as baseball season was getting underway. Lyla played an active role in bringing the project to life, selecting the colors, paint scheme, and overall design of the cheerful libraries. Family members then built the structures themselves before installing them at the parks. To stock the shelves, the family organized book donation drives throughout the community. An early donation collection basket was placed at Hey Sister + Co, a downtown Plant City business, and residents responded enthusiastically by contributing children’s books.
Since opening, the libraries have been maintained and refilled weekly to ensure children always have access to fresh reading material.
But the Lyla-brary has grown into much more than two little book boxes.
As part of her mission to promote literacy and kindness, Lyla has created her own bookmarks featuring uplifting messages and secretly placed them into books at Bruton Memorial Library for readers to discover. She has also distributed coloring sheets and crayons to children at local baseball fields, creating additional opportunities to connect with young families and encourage creativity.
Each effort reflects the same message that appears on the Lyla-brary itself: “Spread kindness. Inspire minds. Share books.”
The project has quickly become a meaningful way for Lyla to combine her love of reading with community service while encouraging other children to experience the excitement of opening a new book. Samantha hopes more local families will learn about the libraries, especially during the summer months when school is out, and children may be looking for free reading materials. The goal is to ensure that children visiting the parks know they are welcome to take a book home and enjoy it.
The family is also exploring the possibility of having the Lyla-braries listed in the national Little Free Library database, which would make it easier for visitors and residents alike to locate them.
In addition to her literacy efforts, Lyla is a participant in the Miss Florida Mentorship Program, where she is currently being mentored by Miss Orlando’s Teen 2026, Kady McKenna. Through the program, she continues to develop leadership skills while sharing her message about the importance of reading and community involvement.
For the Howard family, one of the most rewarding aspects of the project has been watching Lyla discover the difference a small act of kindness can make. What started as a pageant platform has evolved into a community resource that encourages literacy, generosity, and connection among local families.
While Lyla may be only five years old, her message is one that resonates with readers of all ages: books are meant to be shared, kindness matters, and even the smallest community members can make a big impact. Families visiting Mike Sansone Baseball Park or Cherry Street Baseball Park this summer are encouraged to stop by the Lyla-braries, browse the selection, and perhaps leave a favorite book behind for another child to enjoy.
Those interested in following Lyla’s journey, learning more about the project, or donating children’s books can visit her Instagram page, @littlelylajune.
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