BEAUMONT, Texas — A Southeast Texas principal's innovation in education has gone global.
Homer Drive Elementary School principal Dr. Belinda George has become known for creating 'Tucked in Tuesdays.'
She started reading bedtime stories to her students in December on Facebook live.
After 12News first shared her story, Dr. George went viral. George says it's all about her students, or 'scholars' as she calls them.
"I go back and watch clips and I think I can't believe this is happening. I still feel like I am going to wake up any day and they are going to say 'that coma, so glad you came out of it,'" George said. "Because it doesn't feel like it's happening."
If you told Dr. George six months ago that she'd turn into a viral sensation just for teaching her kids, she never would have believed you.
"To me, I was just doing my job," George said. "Nothing extra."
She started Tucked in Tuesdays to help students earn accelerated reader points.
"I had like 35 people that would tune in and watch and I would read my books for those 35 faithfully," George said.
She felt it would be beneficial to get her students involved outside of school hours, even if it meant reading a book, once a week, on Facebook live, in a onesie.
The bedtime stories project took off.
"An out of body experience. Every single experience," George said.
Talk show hosts and network news reporters started reaching out, eager to share her story.
"Good Morning America contacted me, the Today Show, Inside Edition, Rachel Ray, Steve Harvey, the Ellen show…Kelly & Ryan, PBS," George said. "I've had moments where I cry because it's just so much. Then I have moments where I'm just so happy."
George appeared on shows like NBC Nightly News, the Steve Harvey Show and Good Morning America.
"I think the neatest thing is going back in that moment and seeing myself in that moment and watching it," George said.
With each show, Tucked in Tuesdays grew, and so did the number of books in the school's library.
"Thousands and thousands and thousands of books," George said.
The library is now filled with books from Good Morning America, anonymous donors and established authors.
"That's my goal is to get through their books and I contact the author and let them know I am reading their books this day. Some of them have even booked their days ahead of time which is cool," George said.
There are enough books to continue Tucked in Tuesdays for years to come.
"It's really, really exciting," George said. "I love it for the kids."
Steve Harvey donated 5,000 dollars to the school and pledged to buy each student a new uniform.
"I don't think they understand the magnitude of what has happened," George said.
Destiny Williams, a fourth grade student at Homer Drive, admires Dr. George's new-found fame.
"I said 'mom that's my principal,'" Williams said. "We really needed a principal like her at our school."
Destiny's mother, Leslie Joseph, says Tucked in Tuesdays have helped her daughter become a more confident reader.
"I got excited. It's like, we're always on the news for bad things, but when Dr. George started going on Steve Harvey and Good Morning America, we're on for something positive and that's what we need right now," Joseph said. "A lot of positivity, especially for our kids."
George says the life lesson here extends past Tucked in Tuesdays.
It's about the choices her scholars will make in the future.
"Dr. George got caught in one moment doing something good. It could've been something bad, but you never know who is watching. You never know whose life you're touching," George said. "Take those moments, those great moments, and make them great. You never know what could come from it."
She says she has no intention of stopping Tucked in Tuesdays.
She has also been selected as Whataburger's home town hero and will be featured on Texas Country reporter in the fall.