Students in two local schools in East Stroudsburg are coming together, to bond over the same book. News 13's Ameenah Thompson has more on this collaboration.

The special education department at East Stroudsburg University completed an innovation grant with the reading department here at East Stroudsburg High School South to ignite the partnership for One book, Two Schools. Today they met for the first time at a coffee shop book talk.

"We wanted to do a project that would incorporate both my reading classes and the students in the special ed department here on campus we picked Wonder as our book because we wanted a student who was different but it was also told from different perspectives", says Labadie.

Michelle Labadie ESS reading teacher says while reading the book all the students could communicate through discussion boards.

Labadie says,"The high school students really seem to enjoy it they're enjoying at least the conversation piece."

Zhaira Davis tells us, "It's really fun cause I see how the college student like, likes the book and like how they relate to it and then I can see how I relate to it and like we can like bond over it".

Zhaira freshman at south tells us the best part is..she feels she made a college friend.

Davis says, "It's really cool because like I didn't know this person until like we met each other in person and we were just like just sending like conversation back and forth and like I learned about her."

"I get to work with a diverse group of students discussing the book and seeing different perspectives I think it is a good book because it focuses on the disabilities and the challenges that a student might have with disabilities."

On April 17th the high school students will meet with East Stroudsburg University students here at Pocono Cinema and watch the movie version of the book they read together, In Monroe County Ameenah Thompson for News 13.