LDL is in the News! Below is an article describing how one school took on our cause. Thanks, St. Joseph's Academy for making over 250 books!
Where can a high school student become a fiction author, an elaborate illustrator, an advocate for reading, and a hero to children across the globe? This year, students at St. Joe had the opportunity to do just that in a variety of English and social studies classes through the Long Distance Library program. The organization’s goal is to donate stories written by students around the country to children learning how to read in the country of Namibia, located in southern Africa. The organization was founded by three teenage cousins, Maria, Rob and Kaitlin, after another cousin, Kyle O’Neill, decided to travel to Namibia to teach English to fourth and fifth graders. Quickly realizing the serious need for books to assist these children, O’Neill blogged about his experience, and the team of cousins jumped into action to found Long Distance Learning.
Social Studies teacher Jane Garvin, who brought the idea of getting involved in this program to the St. Joe community, was given the website by someone who had met O’Neill by chance. Garvin explained that to make the process the most cost-efficient, the organization sends willing participants blank booklets to fill in with illustrated stories of their own. She explained that the the booklets “are the same size so that they can all fit perfectly to lower the
overall [shipping] costs.”
Garvin initially intended to involve only her Geography and World History classes, and perhaps other social studies classes showing interest, but after the English Department heard about the idea, the involvement spread to all freshman English classes and the senior elective Creative Composition.
Garvin was extremely happy with the result, which brought in 270 books total to the Long Distance Library program. In a note to St. Joe, O’Neill thanks the community “for creating an entire library” for his school and states that “the entire community is going to be ecstatic,” that “everyone is flat out impressed by the creativity and quality of work done” by St. Joe students. St. Joe “has already inspired three other schools to continue the project.”
The St. Joe students involved in this project enjoyed creating their own books. Freshman Sophie wrote “a dramatic love story” for which her partner freshman Maddie provided the illustrations to make the story come alive. Sophie commented that the experience “was really fun and totally worth it.”
Senior Liz, who had a chance to participate in the program in her Creative Composition class, wrote an elaborate story involving “a boy who builds a rocket,
hoping to one day get a moon rock.” She thought it was a great opportunity to write about one of her interest and thinks, “It’s amazing that someone around the world will be learning to read with the book that I wrote.” Garvin said she deems the St. Joe effort a success and hopes to get involved in the project again next year.
Social Studies teacher Jane Garvin, who brought the idea of getting involved in this program to the St. Joe community, was given the website by someone who had met O’Neill by chance. Garvin explained that to make the process the most cost-efficient, the organization sends willing participants blank booklets to fill in with illustrated stories of their own. She explained that the the booklets “are the same size so that they can all fit perfectly to lower the
overall [shipping] costs.”
Garvin initially intended to involve only her Geography and World History classes, and perhaps other social studies classes showing interest, but after the English Department heard about the idea, the involvement spread to all freshman English classes and the senior elective Creative Composition.
Garvin was extremely happy with the result, which brought in 270 books total to the Long Distance Library program. In a note to St. Joe, O’Neill thanks the community “for creating an entire library” for his school and states that “the entire community is going to be ecstatic,” that “everyone is flat out impressed by the creativity and quality of work done” by St. Joe students. St. Joe “has already inspired three other schools to continue the project.”
The St. Joe students involved in this project enjoyed creating their own books. Freshman Sophie wrote “a dramatic love story” for which her partner freshman Maddie provided the illustrations to make the story come alive. Sophie commented that the experience “was really fun and totally worth it.”
Senior Liz, who had a chance to participate in the program in her Creative Composition class, wrote an elaborate story involving “a boy who builds a rocket,
hoping to one day get a moon rock.” She thought it was a great opportunity to write about one of her interest and thinks, “It’s amazing that someone around the world will be learning to read with the book that I wrote.” Garvin said she deems the St. Joe effort a success and hopes to get involved in the project again next year.