October 7, 1998, Hamilton visited four Akron Elementary schools (Margaret Park, Findley, Betty Jane, and Schumacher, to greet and motivate about 2,000 children to become ever more involved in reading. The event was extraordinary, with the designated schools’ professional staffs having prepared the students from Kindergarten through Fifth Grade – in reading Hamilton’s books; in their own writings inspired by the author’s; in drawing, sculpture, and painting. Groups of students made presentations from materials found on the Virginia Hamilton Internet website. Hamilton’s publisher, Scholastic, Inc., gave every child a gift of Virginia Hamilton’s book, Jaguarundi. The day ended with a public reception at Buchtel High School.