As the school year kicked off, the Honors English Society’s Mentorship Branch—a group dedicated to mentoring, promoting literacy and encouraging recreational reading, organized a book drive alongside the Next Door Foundation to assist disadvantaged youth throughout the Milwaukee area.
While newly assembled, the Honors English Society (HES) received support from HES advisors, including Angelina Cicero, head of the English Department, who wanted to help highlight the group’s purpose.
“We want students to perceive themselves as leaders, which is increasingly important for members of the younger generation. There are not as many opportunities for leadership, but there’s an increase in the need for those leadership skills,” Cicero said.
“There’s a lot of education in terms of English Language Arts, but we want opportunities for leadership and opportunities for students to engage according to their own points of entry.”
Students such as Albert Xu, sophomore, displayed said leadership skills while playing a crucial role in organizing the book drive.
“We all collaborated because we needed ideas for our first project as the Mentorship Branch,” Xu said.
“The books go directly to the Next Door Foundation, which helps underprivileged children in Milwaukee, and our main goal is just to help and support them, Xu added.”
Kyla Tucker, sophomore and Co-President of the Mentorship Branch, explained the main goal of the book drive, emphasizing the importance of supporting children in need through the power of books.
“As a group, we came up with the idea of a book drive for children,” Tucker said. “The Next Door Foundation not only donates books but also canned goods and clothes. Our primary mission is to just give kids the opportunity to expand their reading horizons,” Tucker continued. “Every kid deserves a good education, and that starts with reading.”
Once the students decided on a cause, they began brainstorming ways to execute the hefty task, which involved spreading the word around the school and collaborating with the Next Door Foundation.
Students such as Aayeshah Singh, sophomore, reported her involvement.
“We emailed a bunch of teachers and librarians to ask for their help within their classes and within the library,” Singh said.
“It was really challenging to figure out dates for the book drive because of Thanksgiving and winter break and we wanted there to be enough time for people to be able to donate,” Singh added.
“The Next Door Foundation provided buckets with their design on them, so it’s very easy to see, Tucker said. “You can see them in the Highlander cafe, teachers’ lounge, and counseling office, so it’s very easy to spot.”
The book drive was not just about collecting donations; it is also about making a tangible difference in the lives of children who do not have access to books.
Both Cicero and Tucker shared their thoughts on the importance of the project and its impact on underserved communities.
“Getting books in the hands of kids who might not otherwise have an opportunity to own a book or have a book is really cool,” Cicero said.
It is key to understand the privilege that some have and the importance of helping others.
“In Mequon, the kids here just don’t need books as much as kids who are underprivileged,” Tucker said.
“I think the idea of regifting a book is something really beautiful and powerful because there’s such an intimate interaction that you can have with a book especially as a child,” Cicero continued.