At Barron Elementary School, a regular Tuesday gave way to something bigger. On April 28, the Dallas Stars Foundation partnered with National Life Group to turn the campus into a full-scale book fair, one where cost never entered the equation.
Every one of the school’s 344 students picked out three books to take home. No limits, no trade-offs, just the chance to choose something they actually wanted to read. Another 300 books were added to the school library, expanding what’s available long after the tables were packed up.
The day also cleared a less visible hurdle. Outstanding library fines were covered, reopening access for students who may have been sidelined from checking out books. Before the day wrapped, the school also received a $15,000 check.
More Than A Book Fair
The event stretched beyond reading. School supplies and giveaways made their way into backpacks, while the afternoon took on the feel of a campus-wide celebration.
At the center of it all was Victor E. Green, who led an assembly focused on how to find the right book. The message was simple: reading should feel personal, not assigned.
Outside, the team’s Xtreme Team turned things physical with a ball hockey clinic, giving students a chance to run, compete and connect the day’s energy to something active.
Identified Through Need
The Stars’ outreach model is built around targeting communities where need and interest are both high across North Texas.
The Stars worked directly with Scholastic to select participating schools, relying on Scholastic’s recommendations to identify campuses with the highest need. Barron Elementary was one of those selections.
According to information provided through Scholastic, the school serves 343 PreK–5 students and carries an 89% Title I designation, the highest in Plano. The campus population also includes 80% English as a second language learners and 13% of students experiencing homelessness.
Every school the Stars have underwritten for a book fair has been chosen through Scholastic’s recommendation process, with an emphasis on where resources can make the most immediate difference.
In recent weeks, the organization also held a “Stick with Reading” visit in Grapevine and, just two weeks earlier, helped build and unveil a playground in Fort Worth.
The Bigger Picture For The Stars
The visit comes at a time when the Dallas Stars are looking ahead off the ice as well. While the team remains at the American Airlines Center for now, conversations about a future home have been ongoing.
The city of Plano confirmed it has spent the past year in discussions with the team about a potential arena district at The Shops at Willow Bend.
“We respect that any decision about the team’s future rests with the organization, and we will continue to approach these conversations responsibly and deliberately,” a city spokesperson said.
Team officials have indicated they would need roughly 75 acres for a new arena and surrounding development. The Shops at Willow Bend, already under consideration for a major redevelopment, fits that scale, and multiple tenants have been asked to vacate in order to make room for the upcoming changes.
“The Dallas Stars are continually evaluating all options for the home of our franchise in North Texas,” a team spokesperson previously told Local Profile.
With the current lease running through 2031, the long-term question remains open. For now, cities across North Texas are making their case, aiming to land not just the team but the kind of district that comes with it. In the meantime, the Stars continue to show up across the region in ways that go well beyond the ice.
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