Champions are Readers!

This semester Maryland Gamma has been busy with our philanthropic efforts, including the literacy program CAR (which stands for Champions are Readers). The program takes place at Govans Elementary School, located close to campus. Read about it through the eyes of sophomore Emily G.

VP Philanthropy Marcella Lunn
showing off some of the program's books

"For me, being in a sorority is much more than hanging out with friends, meeting new people, and getting t-shirts. Being a part of Pi Phi means I get to give back to the community, which is especially important going to school in Baltimore. One way our chapter gets to give back is through a month-long literacy program called CAR (Champions Are Readers). Each week we go to Govans Elementary school, not far from campus, and engage with two different classes on reading and word exercises.
I’ve been working with a few other Pi Phis in a third grade classroom. Each week we read aloud from a book – we’ve been doing Magic Treehouse! – and then use the Pi Beta Phi First Book workbook to fill out sentence structure, vocabulary, and other worksheets. CAR’s main purpose is to encourage students to read at least fifteen minutes a day. Our purpose, as volunteers, is to show them that reading can be fun, too!
At the end of the program, each child gets a book to bring home. We have one week left – and I’m so excited to see the looks on their faces when they choose their new book! The students have been incredibly animated when they take turns reading aloud and working together on the activities. One kid liked it so much that he wouldn’t let me take the book back! It’s been extremely rewarding watching the kids come out of their shells more and more each week. I’ll be sad when the program ends, but who knows? Maybe I’ll end up coming back and volunteering again. And there’s always another CAR next fall!"

Chapter members