School of Education honor society partners with BYU chapter to collect 1,500 books for local schools

Before the Flames met the Cougars head-to-head in the biggest home football game in Liberty University’s history, fans from both sides joined together in a cooperative effort to make more books available to area schoolchildren.

The Liberty School of Education’s Kappa Delta Pi (KDP) chapter, in partnership with Brigham Young University and United Way of Central Virginia, collected more than 1,500 new and gently used children’s books during Liberty’s home football game with BYU on Saturday, Oct. 22.

The United Way of Central Virginia will distribute these donations to schools in Central and Southwest Virginia.

“It was a really rewarding experience,” said Mackenzie Nadeau, president of Liberty’s chapter. “It was great to have it be a joint effort with another school. And I think it was really nice for our students to be able to work together, and that’s what KDP is all about. So, we love helping the community and doing that sort of outreach.”

“There are many children who aren’t able to access reading at home,” she added. “These kids really do enjoy learning and reading, especially when the books are interesting to them and are topics they like to read about. Receiving new books of their own brings the kids joy and helps them grow in their love for learning.”

Efforts began between BYU and Liberty in the summer, and it culminated at the football game, where the Flames took down the Cougars 41-14. KDP members and other School of Education students worked in two-hour shifts from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Fans of both teams brought donations to the Liberty University Barnes & Noble Bookstore as well as the BYU tailgate outside the Liberty Mountain Conference Center.

“Dr. Michelle Goodwin (Associate Dean for Licensure and Residential Programs with the School of Education) thought it would be a great opportunity to collaborate two schools together for a common good, that being to support children in the Central Virginia area,” said Dr. Pam Griffin, faculty advisor for Liberty’s KDP chapter. “Liberty bookstore manager Stephanie Ernest was very gracious in allowing us to use their real estate to collect the books.”

“I think all the ladies and gentleman did an outstanding job working that day, organizing, and doing their part to make it successful,” Griffin said. “It’s a very strong student-led organization that really highlights our top honors students. It was a great opportunity to work with all those students in that.”

Liberty’s chapter has a lot of exciting events on the horizon, including another book drive during Literacy Alive Day in the spring, and a 5K, where all proceeds are going to Miriam’s House. The chapter meets regularly to discuss industry trends, emerging technologies, and anything pertaining to the trajectory of education.

Nadeau said the Pi Sigma Chapter of Kappa Delta Pi awards two teaching scholarships per semester to students who are going into their student teaching. To be eligible for the Educating Tomorrow scholarship, students must have been an active KDP member at least one year prior to student teaching and must reach certain academic requirements. They also must fill out an application with questions about their service to the community, profession, and to the chapter.

“I hope that our collaboration with BYU encouraged people in the School of Education and the community to work together for these initiatives,” Nadeau said, “because truly when we all come together for one common goal, it makes it happen so much quicker and easier than it ever would.”

For more information about Liberty’s KDP chapter, contact Dr. Pam Griffin at pjcorbett@liberty.edu or visit the School of Education website.