Bookmarks made to support literacy

Students gathered in the library to make a difference.

There was an assortment of paper strewn out across the library table in an organized mess while everyone was hard at work. Scissors, glue, ribbon, and any other item that could be used to create amazing bookmarks were used. People split up into groups with the goal of making a certain number of bookmarks per a table in order to win cupcakes or chocolate covered pretzels. As more people handed in the bookmarks covered in fancy designs the pile kept getting bigger.

This bookmark making challenge was the  third Students Rebuild challenge in Curtis High School.  Students Rebuild is a collaborative program of the Bezos Family Foundation, born in January 2010 in response to the devastating Haiti earthquake. With the help of schools like Curtis High School they have mobilized thousands of young people in 65 countries and all 50 states and raised more than $2 million in matching funds for rebuilding schools in Haiti, youth facilities in Japan and livelihoods in Africa.

Ms. Newman and Ms. Rodriguez supplied the materials for the event and supervised the students during the three week workshop with a goal of 1,000 bookmarks. The Bezos Family Foundation will donate one dollar for every bookmark sent to them before the deadline of February 14th. With the help of sixty or so students we created 864 bookmarks.  Léa Jean-François, an IB Sophomore baked all the delicious cupcakes each week as well as coordinated the project.

Kimberly Vega, one of the attending students said, “It was a nice knowing that what I was doing could make a difference in a child’s education.” All the bookmarks will be given out to Literacy Boost students, and the money donated by the foundation will provide books for Save the Children’s International Book Banks. Students that receive these books will be able to improve in their reading comprehension as well as maintain a higher school attendance.