The Black Belt Book Drive has been designed to help increase the value of reading and education in the Black Belt communities by increasing available resources to local schools. The drive will benefit seven different Black Belt counties, including Greene, Hale and Choctaw.
Backed by the Center of Economic Development, the SGA and the Community Service Center, the Black Belt Book Drive is now being held for the second year in a row. The book drive collects monetary donations and children's books, all of which will be sent to elementary schools in the Black Belt region.
The book drive began in January and will continue until April 16, said Marion Armstrong, a senior majoring in international marketing and Spanish. Armstrong is the education and youth development advocate for the Center of Economic Development.
"Elementary and junior high schools are such a critical time for children. If children are not taught the value of reading then, their success is limited," Armstrong said.
She said the Black Belt Book Drive uses slogans such as "Reading is Succeeding" to help encourage reading for the students.
Students interested in helping the drive can contribute monetary donations and books to the Community Service Center.
"There are no collection bins this year, but we just got it approved to use Dining Dollars toward the drive so students can just swipe their ACTion card," said Armstrong.
The dates in which students can use their ACTion card to donate have not yet been released.
The goal for the Black Belt Book Drive was originally 31,000 books. Armstrong said the number of books was determined by trying to have at least one book per student. Because last year's book drive did not gather enough books, the Black Belt Book Drive was continued this year as the Center for Economic Development hopes to reach the goal.
Armstrong said everyone was thrilled with the items collected last year and, even though the goal was not reached, she is hopeful this year more students will become involved and donate.
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