I am always up for a good fight, especially against anything that prevents children from achieving reading proficiency. I am 18 years old and have spent most of my teenage years fighting to end book deserts — areas where books are difficult to come by — for disadvantaged preschool children through The LiTEArary Society, my entirely youth-led 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization.
October 20 marked a crucial step in our quest to win the battle against book deserts for children everywhere. After years of advocacy, research, and resolution drafting, I established the very first National Early Childhood Literacy Awareness Day. I became the youngest person ever to author a successful US Senate resolution.
The purpose of this bipartisan resolution, sponsored by US senators from both sides of the aisle, including Joe Manchin (D-WV), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Angus King (I-ME), and Susan Collins (R-ME), was to establish a day to raise awareness about early-childhood literacy issues at the national level and encourage greater public support for helping children achieve reading proficiency — one book at a time. The resolution was also backed by the governor of West Virginia, first lady Cathy Justice of West Virginia, West Virginia Head Start, and National Head Start.
I was compelled to create this commemorative day after seeing an alarming National Assessment of Educational Progress statistic (NAEP, the Nation's Report Card): I couldn't believe that in 2022, only 33% of all fourth graders in public schools were proficient in reading. After I learned the facts, I knew I had to do something to increase awareness about childhood-literacy rates.
According to the Department of Education, over 2.5 million children do not live in districts with libraries, and two-thirds of American children cannot read proficiently. As shown through many research studies and highlighted by the Department of Education, it is indisputable that “children who have access to print reading materials have better literacy outcomes.” Higher literacy rates can also influence socioeconomic status and provide access to more opportunities, especially career-wise.
When I embarked on large-scale book-donation projects and traveled far and wide in the United States to bring books to Head Start classrooms, I brought brand-new, beloved children's books to thousands, many of whom did not have any age-appropriate books at home. I wrote each child's name inside their new book, which brought squeals of joy that only a person who lives in a book desert could understand.
I saw enough of the struggle to want to be part of the solution for the rest of my life. At every classroom I visited, there were new stories and new faces, but always the same question: "Can I take this book home?"
"Yes," I reassured each child. "It's your book."
I thought about the purpose of reading: wandering, meeting new characters, perspectives, and schemes for tumbling out of challenging places. But books are not the end; they are just the beginning. To inspire the children to dream about their futures, after reading them a magical story, I often asked them what they wanted to become.
Jimmy would become a knight. Emma wanted to live in a real house with a pink door. These were happy futures that whisked them somewhere new. Instead of waiting in the anteroom of their destiny, books could one day help make their dreams a reality.
The LiTEArary Society created an informational website for National Early Childhood Literacy Awareness Day, where the public can get the latest Department of Education/NAEP facts and learn about ways to collectively help address early-childhood literacy issues while promoting the love of reading among young children. Parents, caregivers, and teachers can even download a special DIY template to make a signature paper "bunny rabbit listening-ears hat," because good listening skills go hand-in-hand with becoming a good reader.
At age 13, I founded the LiTEArary Society with a mission to end book deserts for disadvantaged preschool children. To date, my organization, which has grown from 25 members in the first year to over 2,000 members, has donated more than $326,000 worth of brand-new books to more than 28,000 children in Head Start programs in all 50 states, plus Washington, DC.
After a series of smaller community new-book donation projects, I launched a statewide project in 2021 called the West Virginia Head Start Road Tour, where I donated a brand-new book to every single child in West Virginia Head Start: 6,778 new books, total.
After my appearances on Good Morning America and The Kelly Clarkson Show last year, and receiving generous donations from Scholastic and Pilot Pens, I was able to expand nationally and donate thousands of new books to Head Start programs throughout the nation.
It's hard to believe that book deserts abound in a nation like the US. Despite the complexities and underlying socioeconomic issues, there are so many ways to get involved in the battle against book deserts, such as donating age-appropriate, beloved books to children who are just starting their reading journey, volunteering in classrooms, and even having book-drive themed parties where guests bring a book for donation.
Recently, I was among 15 girls honored by first lady Jill Biden in a Girls Leading Change event at the White House. With the passage of the National Early Childhood Literacy Awareness Day in the US Senate, I finally feel like a girl leading change. I learned that early-childhood literacy brings us all together, regardless of political affiliation, and we must work together to increase childhood literacy rates for future generations.
Younger people often ask me how to start advocating for a cause or create change to help others. My advice is always the same: Combine your passion with a purpose. Once your passion has found purpose, there is truly no limit.
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