reading among PCES students

By JAINE TREADWELL

Features Editor

Nov. 27, 2000 10 PM

Troy State University’s Student Government (SGA) Association joined forces with the Association for Childhood International (ACEI) and the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) to encourage students at Pike County Elementary School in Brundidge to increase their reading levels – by reading.

The organizations participated in an intensive week-long book drive which netted hundreds of new and used books for students in grades K-5.

PCES student representatives gathered on the Bibb Graves quad last week to accept the books and express appreciation to the organizations for their interest and support.

Katie Peel, vice president of legislative affairs for the SGA

said students participated in the campus-wide book drive and collected books and also donated about $400 to purchase leveled books for the students.

"We were aware that Pike County Elementary School is involved in a reading initiative

and has set aside two hours each day for reading," Peel said. "We wanted to do something to show our support of the reading initiative and to encourage the students to read. By donating books to them, they would see that we believe reading is important and we hoped that would make a positive impression on them."

Peel said some students donated used books and some bought new books for the children.

"The books are not for just one grade level," Peel said. "They are for every student, so each class had a representative at the presentation. They seemed excited about receiving the books. I hope they will read them and enjoy them as much as we enjoyed giving them."

The participating organizations will have representatives in Montgomery in February for Higher Education Week. They hope to increase awareness of the plight of education in the state.