The holiday rush of 2007, a ‘fresh’ memory soon to be forgotten in anticipation of returning to school, Easter holidays, etc. However, in 2007 during those warm, easy going, days of early summer the Ascension Parish 4-H Junior Leader Club created memories that will rebuild lives and last a lifetime.
Ascension Parish 4-H Junior Leader Club members initiated a book drive; and requested that school 4-H clubs began collecting books. The book collection and donation drive, sorting cataloguing and delivery had been set as a Community Service Learning goal. The junior leaders challenged 4-H clubs throughout the parish to collect books. Each school club collected books turning them into 4-H agents at club meetings during the 2006-2007 school years.
The Ascension 4-H Junior Leader Club is an open project club. These teen leaders bind together by choice. This elite group of teens is motivated by a need; they may not be completely aware of in the maturation process. It is the natural instinct to 'flock', nurture and sustain.
The Community Service Learning activity was organized by members in the Junior Leader 4-H club that are in the 7th grade and above. A Community Service Learning activity is a hands on activity, which provides a service to the community and provides an educational learning activity for the 4-H teen group,
While Ascension Parish students were busily collecting books the Junior Leaders were learning about literacy, the impact of literacy and how to determine reading levels of books. Junior Leader Vice President, Will Fox, led the educational aspect of this project.
Junior Leader Club President, Michele Hullum guided the junior leaders into action prompting, assisting and encouraging the use of the knowledge gained in the educational dimension of the service project. Applying the knowledge and skills, with approximated 4000 books collected, junior leaders began sorting the books into appropriate age categories, finding donation sites, packing books and delivering books. This book drive provided an opportunity for the entire parish to get involved in this community service event.
The initial book donations were delivered to the new Library at Camp Grant Walker in Pollock, Louisiana. The age appropriate books for children in 4th – 8th grade. Many 4-Her’s attend Camp Grant Walker th
roughout the year, a good age appropriate book, and cozy reading nook is a positive alternative camping experience on a ‘rainy’ camp day.
Dr. Mary Sciaraffa, University Professor in Child and Family Students and Education at University of Louisiana, Lafayette, contacted junior leaders about donated preschool books to the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Hurricane Katrina destroyed all the books at the Preschool located at NOBTS in 2005.
On September 21, 2007 the Junior Leaders delivered 38 boxes of preschool books along with the donation of playground equipment, children toys, arts and craft materials and preschool furniture which had been collected by East Bayou Baptist Church community members.
To complete their hands on learning community service activity the Ascension Parish Junior Leaders had an opportunity to read to each class at the preschool. This was a great learning experience for these Junior Leaders who also had the opportunity to tour the school and learn the affects of the devastation caused by the hurricane Katrina.
According to Kim Craig, Director of NOBTS Preschool Education Center, the students and their families are enjoying many benefits from the Junior Leader
Club Donation. “One Mom of a kindergartner was able to pick out some books and take home and read to her child. He has not had books of his own since Katrina took their trailer home in St. Bernard.” Or the fact that “this is book report time for many school age kids and we were able to supply some children with reading materials for their book reports.” Perhaps his mom is reading him a book about “Papa Joyel’as this Christmas holiday passes.
“Lesse le Bon Temp Rouler
” is something else our Jr. Leaders were saying as they completed their delivery in New Orleans. Upon leaving the preschool a stop was made so they could enjoy a little taste of the Big Easy at Café’ Du Monde and enjoying the Jazz music in Jackson Square.
On behalf of the Ascension Parish Junior Leader club we would like to thank everyone in Ascension Parish that contributed to the over 4,000 books that were donated and made this service learning activity a success. We would also like to thank Junior Leader Club President Michele Hullum for her dedication to seeing this project through, Junior Leader Club Vice President Will Fox for his research and providing the education aspect of this project; to Dutchtown Baptist Church for allowing the Junior Leaders to store their books while collecting, sorting and delivering the books and to Dr. Mary Sciaraffa and her husband for their assistance in delivering the books to New Orleans.
4-H is a Youth Development Organization of the LSU AgCenter for more information contact the Ascension Parish office at (225)-621-5799.