Students organize book drive for Read Across America Day

Children’s author Dr. Suess once said: “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

In preparation for next Wednesday’s Read Across America Day and in honor of Dr. Suess’ birthday, fraternity Pi Kappa Alpha is held a book drive in the College of General Studies lobby and the George Sherman Union.

Read Across America Day, a reading motivation program organized by the National Education Association, is celebrated on Suess’ birthday on March 2.

College of Arts and Sciences junior Adam Adelson, a member of Pike, who helped organize the book drive, said while President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address gave him some inspiration to hold the drive, he simply wanted to recognize Suess’ birthday.

The Read Across America program has been promoted reading for 13 years, according to the NEA website.

“We hold pep rallies to get kids excited about football,” the website said about the program’s origination. “Why don’t we do something to get kids excited about reading?”

The NEA aims to provide tools for parents, children and caregivers the resources necessary to keep reading all year long.

School of Management junior Adam Chovan said that a book drive is something the fraternity has never done before.

“It’s such a simple event to do and it has big results,” Chovan said.

The book drive has gotten off to a slow start, but organizers were confident that donations would pick up over the next week.

“We’ve collected four books so far, but it’s only the first day,” said CGS sophomore Bijan Dehghani, a member of Pike.

The first two days of the drive were all about advertising, Adelson said. It helped that there two collection locations on campus, including the bustling GSU Link. The volunteers were expected to collect over 100 books.

Adelson acknowledged that it is difficult to collect children’s books on a college campus.

“It is so easy to just go to Goodwill and buy a book for 50 cents or go to Barnes and Noble and buy a children’s book with your convenience points,” Adelson said.

Volunteers from Pike and the Community Service Club will collect books in the GSU and the CHS lobby until Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The books will be donated to children’s hospitals and local afterschool programs, including programs at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church and the West End House Boys and Girls Club.