We Lose Ourselves in Books…We Find Ourselves There Too

Contributed by Maggie Menkus, Grade 6 Literature Teacher and Grades 5/6 Student Council Mentor
The Middle School Student Council took on the challenge to help Sandy Springs Education Force (SSEF) get more books in local public school libraries. MV students are blessed to have books to read, and wanted to make sure other students in and around their community had the same privilege.
So, they came up with a plan to share the well and sponsored a book drive in both Lower School (K-4) and Middle School (5-8). They created an interest by making regular morning announcements, posting flyers, and placing large drop boxes in busy walkways, to collect books. The MV community sent in donations every day as they cleaned out basements and bookcases to ensure books were placed into the hands of students who want to read. The drop boxes were monitored on a regular basis by Student Council members as these receptacles reached capacity often!
The number of books rose throughout the three weeks of the book drive as the MS Student Council counted and stamped books for donation. Mrs. Menkus’s classroom became crammed with books for all ages as they flowed in for sorting and packing. Finally, a total of 2,176 books were ready for shipment, and 27 large boxes were taken to Heards Ferry Elementary School for placement in their storage room (see below) for the school libraries.
MV students felt great about this initiative because they felt like “we really made a difference” in other people’s lives. Middle School students will celebrate this achievement with a ‘Book Character Day’ on April 16 when they will be able to dress up as their favorite book character. 
If you still have books to donate, all Sandy Springs Fire Stations are collecting for SSEF. All books go straight back to Sandy Springs students!