The Bel Air High School English Department is hosting a book drive to donate new and gently used books to local children’s hospitals. The drive started May 6th and ends June 7th. To donate, gather books from home that you don’t read anymore, preferably books for young adults and under that are in good condition. Bring the books to school, and give them to your English teacher for collection. In the end, the books will be distributed to John Hopkins Children Center, and Nemours Children Center. This drive is sponsored by the National English Honors Society.
The John Hopkins and Nemours Children Center are the main children centers on the east coast. They have children with conditions like cancer, tumors, and long-term sicknesses where they must stay hospitalized for extended amounts of time. The hospitals provide rooms with different activities and games, but the most encouraged thing to do is read. Reading helps them take their minds off their treatments and puts their mind in a different place.
According to Here to Serve, reading enables a person’s imagination and helps with learning development. During extended periods of hospitalization, they usually do not go to school. If they aren’t in school, spending time reading can help keep their brain sharpened and reduce stress. In a study conducted by an academic group called Journal of College Teaching and Learning, they found that 30 minutes of reading helped reduce high blood pressure, heart rates, and stress levels of students. During this stressful time of these kids’ lives, reading can help them take it away even if it’s temporary. That’s why this book drive is so important.
For more information, reach out to Mrs. Forbes or Ms. Lyman, English teachers in C222 and C224.