Pupils place books into hands ofW.Va. youths
Howell children do something special for those less fortunate
BY TOYNETT HALL Staff Writer
Instead of traveling to an elementary school to read books to first- and second-graders as part of the annual Read Across America Day activities this year, Howell Middle School South pupils have taken a different approach.

ERIC SUCAR staff Pupils from Howell Middle School South search a section of Barnes & Noble, Howell, as they select books that will be sent to an elementary school in West Virginia. The project was held in conjunction with Read Across America Day.

After learning that textbooks are the only books that can be purchased at some schools because of economic circumstances, the eighthgraders sprang into action. Their efforts helped them to raise more than $500, which they used to buy books at Barnes & Noble, Route 9, Howell, and donate to a school that would not otherwise have those reading materials.

The students in Team 8-1 at Howell Middle School South will ship the books they bought to Page Jackson Elementary in Charles Town, W.Va., in the hope that the children who attend the school will enjoy reading about characters such as Amelia Bedelia, Curious George and Harry Potter.

Read Across America Day was celebrated on March 3.

Language arts teacher Sandy DeGrande said that "the students really stepped up to the plate" and spearheaded the whole campaign with guidance from their teachers.

"The students got as many people as they could to donate money. They learned how to do something for someone else," DeGrande said.

The students sold 370 boxed breakfasts for $1 each that included a bagel with cream cheese or butter, and juice. Cereal treats sold for 50 cents. Each box included pertinent statistics, for example, "60 percent of juvenile offenders have trouble reading" or "15 percent of America's children live in poverty."

The middle school students researched ageappropriate books to select for the elementary school pupils who would be receiving them. The initiative required the students to use their curriculum to create an effective campaign.

The students had to tap into their math skills and calculate the cost of the products and the cost of shipping the books, as well as how much money they would raise. They researched different communities in order to decide where to send the books.

However, the most important lesson that the middle school students learned was how to be a good citizen by serving the community.

Eighth-grader Daniel Regad said, "A lot of people think that community involvement is boring and tedious, but it really doesn't happen that way. You can have a lot of fun by helping others and it doesn't take a lot to go a long way."

Courtney Hulley said, "It was a nice experience to do something good and to make a difference in another person's life."

Kaeleigh Christie said she learned the importance of teamwork. As she put it, "When you work together, you can really help someone out."

According to Nuala Yurgel, the project taught the students to step outside of themselves and see the big picture.