Steer the Ship

MAKE THIS SUMMER MEANINGFUL
SPONSOR A BOOK DRIVE
IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
CONTACT US!

Each person will be recognized individually for the amount of books collected and the name of the neighborhood on the blog. This can be referred to as personal effort for community service -- nice on your college apps!

Sailing Onward

Hello friends, here are a couple short notes.

First, boxes are in Dr. Terry and Mr. Granville's room, the media center, the cafeteria, and the gym lobby. NHS members can also donate new hardcovers in Mrs. Williams's room for hours. The drive will also be on the Beta agenda.

Thanks to Lydia F., who said she donated several books today. We'll definitely be taking those up tomorrow.

We're working on increasing the publicity and fliers. Becca M. said she would see what she could do with the morning announcements/Buzz and wanted to set up a box at her dance studio. Merci mille fois!

This brings us to the point: why not organize your own small chapter of the book drive? If you're willing to help us with collecting over the summer in your neighborhoods or local areas, PLEASE contact us! You will be given full credit for your part, and your aid will truly be appreciated.

open books open minds

A Tide of Support

We now have a box for books in Dr. Terry's and Mr. Granville's room. Much thanks to them for allowing this. Also, there is a box by the entrance from the senior lot, and we're going to be putting boxes by the main entrance and in the media center soon.

Today, we received a good numbers of books from Biplab P., including textbooks. Remember that we are looking for those too. Elisabeth D. is contacting governments of foreign countries whose students need them. Shari M. also said she put some books in the box in Dr. Terry's, so thanks, we'll pick them up tomorrow.

We will also be copying and putting up fliers in the near future. Keep telling your friends. If you want to sponsor a drive for your neighborhood, we'd be ecstatic. Remember, you can contact us at any time.

Thanks so much for all the support we've gotten so far. The number of books is steadily increasing. We'll keep you posted on any new developments.

give a book // give a dream

imagine a student flipping a page,
perhaps slightly worn with natural age
the child's face lights up, a visage enraptured,
as inspiring words have imagination captured

literacy is vital and key to succeeding
so spread the most joyful experience of reading
some kids only wish to take flight like birds
so let's endeavor to open up worlds with words

Did you know?

Literacy Facts

Access to Books is Essential to Reading Development

• Studies show that having access to a wide variety of reading materials is essential if a child is to develop into a strong reader. In fact, the only behavioral measure that correlates significantly with reading scores is the number of books in the home.
• Children who are read to frequently are nearly twice as likely as other children to show three or more skills associated with emerging literacy.
• The more types of reading materials there are in the home, the higher students are in reading proficiency.
• Students who do more reading at home are better readers and have higher math scores.

Children in Poverty are the Most at Risk

• Children from low-income families enter school at a disadvantage. The gap between children from low and high-income families on reading comprehension scores is more than 40 points.
• On average low-income children have far fewer literacy and language experiences at home than their classmates. Low-income children are 50% more likely than children from high-income families to be seven years old or older and still in the first grade.
• Children from low-income families are less likely to attend pre-kindergarten programs, more likely to have trouble with their schoolwork and more likely to repeat grades in school.
• A team of researchers recently concluded that nearly two thirds of the low-income families they studied owned no books for their children.

"Whoever forms a reading habit will never lose it. It is a treasure no one can take from him. It contains wealth that neither poverty, nor old age, nor misery can tarnish. Thieves cannot steal it, nor storms destroy it and, like vintage wine, it can only improve with age."
-- Arthur Langlie

Recipients

Some of you are probably wondering to whom these books are going. Good question. At this moment, we do not have a specific place in mind yet. We are looking at several different options and attempting to contact them; we will probably be visiting some locations in the near future.

Originally we were thinking of giving to disadvantaged students in North Georgia, though we have not received a response yet from the Uncle Remus Library System. Concentrating our donations in one place would have a great positive impact there, but we could also find ways to use books that aren't appropriate in some contexts (like children's books for a high school). So we had the idea of expanding the recipients. Possible places include:

• needy schools/libraries in North Georgia
• group homes
  
• hospitals
• nursing homes
• shelters
• foreign countries for people learning English
• others?

If you have any ideas, don't hesitate to tell us, especially if you know of a certain place in definite need of books. Thanks.

We've received more confirmations of donations next week, yesss.

Also, welcome aboard to Kelsey B. and Elisabeth D.!

AND check out our FAQ.

NEED GOOD KARMA?

take a look in every nook
try to find any gently used book
bring in the ones you no longer read
donate them here to perform a kind deed

and then, who knows -- as the saying goes,
you give and you'll receive, since niceness surely shows
and maybe if you help us reach the goal we've set
that extra point for your final grade you might just get!

It's go time!

Aye aye! Welcome to the blog for Bookaneers.

Don't waste; donate! If you have any books you don't need, give them to Tanya or Kathy N. or Biplab P. The Nguyens will sort them and give them to those who do need them.

We are getting sure support in the first week of our existence. Very exciting:

• We started out with around 250 books.
• Today, Tyler W. made the first donation of 5 books, thanks!
• Dr. Terry, a sponsor of Interact, has expressed approval for having a box in his room.
• We have also put this on the NHS agenda to talk about.
  
• Biplab P. has confirmed he will donate by next week. In addition, he is going to set up a box in the Georgia Tech Calculus room and Mr. Granville's room. Plus, Biplab is now helping to collect. High five!
• Elisabeth D. has been added to the book drive!
  
• Several others have told us they will look in their houses for books. We'll be hunting you down, Katherine E.!
• Fliers and (we hope) two large boxes in main parts of the school are coming soon.
  

Our main goal right now is to find a specific location that really does need books to receive them. If anyone knows of a place that definitely is looking for donations, kindly tell us. Tanya and Kathy are contacting several in the lowest-income counties and will be visiting them to make a decision.

Please donate! Please tell everyone you know! Spread the word like wildfire! Use those gossiping skills.

If anyone has questions or suggestions, send us a message at bookaneers.drive@gmail.com
We want to help you help us.

We would also love it if you would like to be more involved in this book drive!

Because reading is a treasure

Reading is an integral part of education for students. Literacy is key to success in life. Books also provide a beneficial escape from the world.
Remember when you were read to by your parents when you were younger and then read on your own? Many kids don't get to experience the joy of reading. Children of low-income families are especially vulnerable. 60% of underprivileged children do not own a single book. Students in high-income areas have 4000 times the number of books available to them compared to students in low-income areas.

Bookaneers has a mission to help stop that. If you go to Roswell High School, please look for Tanya or Kathy N. to give your donations. Otherwise, please email us at bookaneers.drive@gmail.com

The advantages of reading must not be understated, and every student should have the opportunity to access books. So

give a book
give a dream

Please tell us if you want to help more.

FAQ

Here's more info about us.

What is Bookaneers?

Bookaneers is a group founded by Tanya and Kathy Nguyen to collect new or gently used books for those who need them.

Why are you doing this?

During spring cleaning, Kathy and Tanya came across many unneeded books. So why not donate them? Better yet, why not ask everyone else to donate them? We believe that reading is a true treasure that provides a multitude of benefits, and that everyone should have access to books. It is not difficult to donate something that isn't currently being used. Give a book: give a dream.

How can I donate?

Simply give your books with your name if you'd like to be personally recognized to any of the crew collectors. Some are in charge of specific neighborhoods as listed. You can also drop off books at these locations:

• Mrs. Premoli's room [D102]
• Mrs. Benda's room [G Hall]
  
• by the left side gate of Wingfield Gates neighborhood (please notify the Nguyens)
• more soon to come!
  

Alternatively, you can ask us to pick them up from your place if you have 30 or more books. Just send us a message at bookaneers.drive@gmail.com, tell the Nguyens, or write a comment on Facebook.
We have a donations list of all the people who've donated. If you've given and aren't on the list, tell us if you want to be.

If you don't have any books yourself, ask others! Tell people in your neighborhood, at work, at your place of faith, etc. Invite your friends to the Facebook group.

Also, if you don't have books to donate, consider contributing by sponsoring a box of books by covering the shipment fee. With media mail, we can send a box of paperbacks to soldiers for around $5. The international flat-rate shipping costs $50 a box. Every bit helps!

What kinds of books should I give?

We accept all books, because we'll be sorting them before we deliver. Just try to make sure that they are not too worn out -- we're looking for new or gently used books. Also, please donate appropriate books -- nothing like IRS tax books or phone books. Children's books, novels, nonfiction, and reference/study books are all great. We'll do our best to find a suitable place for every book.

What do you do with the donated books?

Bookaneers collect, count, sort, and pack the books to deliver.
Children/youth books find their homes in the waiting rooms of GA medical clinics (including Grady branches) for kids to take home through the Reach Out and Read program; adult-age books go to US troops overseas through Operation Paperback and GA Senior Services centers; and educational/resource books are sent to libraries around the world that solicit English reading material. Thanks so much for helping these good causes!

Can I help more?

Of course! We'd love it if you became a member of the crew. If you'd like to help us with collecting, hosting a local drive, publicity, contacting recipients, or anything else, please tell us right away.

Remember, you can always contact us for questions or suggestions.
email: bookaneers.drive@gmail.com
Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=14280045263
in person: Tanya N., Kathy N., crew members!