Understudies at the Valley School of Ligonier are gathering school supplies to be given to peers affected by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

To start with graders at the school have named the exertion "Venture H.O.P.E.," which remains for "Helping Other People Everywhere."

Valley School is working together with Pittsburgh-based's Brother Foundation (BBF), which concentrates on meeting instructive and medicinal necessities. It was through BBF that Valley School discovered that understudies' school structures and supplies were harmed in the tropical storms.

Valley School understudies are gathering pencils, pastels, markers, note pads, scissors and rulers. They're planning to fill 100 five-gallon cans with provisions.

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What School Supply Drives Teach Young Readers About Helping Others

The Valley School drive took place in 2017, in the months after Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. It is a good example of something literacy programs see again and again: when children organize a project for peers they have never met, they practice far more than generosity. They read about the places affected, write notes to go with donations, make lists and track their progress toward a goal. Each of those steps builds real reading and writing skills.

After a disaster, classrooms often lose basic materials along with their buildings. Pencils, crayons, notebooks, scissors and rulers can seem ordinary. For a child returning to a damaged school, though, having their own supplies helps restore a sense of routine. Routine matters a great deal for learning, especially for early readers who are still building confidence.

Turning a supply drive into a literacy activity

Families and teachers who want to organize something similar can weave reading and writing into every stage:

  • Research together. Read age-appropriate news articles or books about storms and recovery, then talk through new vocabulary.
  • Name the project. An acronym like H.O.P.E. invites children to play with words and meaning.
  • Write letters. Short, handwritten notes tucked into donation boxes give students a real audience for their writing.
  • Keep records. Tallying items and charting progress connects literacy with math and planning.

Working with established partners

The Valley School effort worked through an existing foundation, and that is a sensible model. Relief organizations know what is actually needed and how to deliver it. Before you collect, check with a recognized charity or the receiving school district. Their current needs may differ from what donors expect.

In Memphis, the same spirit of service shows up in tutoring, reading nights and volunteer work closer to home. If you'd like to put that energy toward local readers, explore our programs, or learn how to get involved as a volunteer.