This week marked the seventh annual First Grade Book Drive at MICDS. The students in First Grade Homeroom Teachers Ms. Kara Pracht’s and Ms. Robin Campbell’s classes led the rest of Beasley Lower School in collecting gently used books from April 18 through April 22. Prior to the start of the drive, first graders spoke to fellow Lower School homeroom classes about the drive where they shared how to donate and about the donation goal. “First grade set a goal to collect 1,000 books,” shares Ms. Pracht.
Throughout the week, the first-grade Rams kept a display up-to-date that was visible outside their classrooms. It tallied how many books were collected each day to all who passed by in pursuit of the ultimate goal of collecting 1,000.
This book drive has a significant history. It began in 2015 when 18 first-grade students wanted to help make a difference in the lives of others. They were inspired by a tough situation — students wanted to show a meaningful act of support when the husband of MICDS Second Grade Homeroom Teacher Ms. Nicole Skaggs passed away.
After learning about Ms. Skaggs’ lending library and about the importance of giving back to the community, the students were inspired to help stock the lending library. From that year onward, a book drive has benefited the lending library in Highland Park of Richmond Heights. It has also grown in its impact, supporting other schools in the area like Dewey School and Cool Valley Elementary, Head Start programs, and hospitals. Some books have even gone across the ocean with our Upper Schoolers on global learning trips in Africa!
Ms. Skaggs shared how much the drive has meant to her over the years. “It means a great deal to me that our MICDS community continues to help honor my husband’s memory by donating books to the First-Grade Book Drive. My heart smiles when I drive through my neighborhood and see children and adults enjoying the little library in the park and some of the books the MICDS community has helped me place there.”
Once again, everyone in Beasley was invited to bring in as many gently used books as possible. Books were collected in the first-grade classrooms and in tubs in the Beasley Hallway. On the final day of the drive, each Beasley student took one book home that was new to them, and the extra books were donated to other schools and to Ms. Skaggs’ lending library.
An impressive number of 1,052 books were collected for the seventh annual First-Grade Book Drive! We can’t wait to continue seeing the difference made through the First-Grade Book Drive! Like the MICDS Mission states, what an incredible way to “meet the challenges of this world with confidence and embrace all its people with compassion.” Thank you to each and every student and family who contributed to this year’s drive!