Dept. Of Education Receives Large Shipment Of Books Through Donation From Better World Books

ST. CROIX — The Virgin Islands Department of Education Thursday on St. Croix was among several recipients of a large donation of books from Indiana-based non-profit, Better World Books, a press release DOE issued on Thursday has revealed.

The books will be used to advance a number of the Department’s literacy initiatives that are expected to roll out in the coming months.

A ceremony was held at the Sunshine Mall to announce the donation, which was made possible through the efforts of the Rotary Clubs of the Virgin Islands that arranged for the shipment of the approximately 70,000 books to the Territory. The books arrived on St. Thomas on July 21. St. John received 10,000 books, and both St. Croix and St. Thomas received 30,000 books each. The shipment was paid for by a generous $9,000 donation from Mark VanNess and his wife Julie Edwards, residents of St. John.

Of the 30,000 books arriving on St. Croix, the school district received three palates.

“We are excited to get the books into the hands of our students,” said St. Croix Insular Superintendent of Schools Colleen Williams. “Our Commissioner Dr. Sharon McCollum is very excited about literacy in our public schools, so she thought about wonderful ways to get books into our community and we are looking forward to the excitement these books are going to create.”

The books will be used as part of the Education Department’s Books in Barbershops initiative, which will see books being distributed to barbershops and beauty salons throughout the Territory in order to engage youngsters receiving these services. In addition, books will be placed in pediatric doctors’ offices, as well as be distributed to students and schools.

On July 23, the St. Thomas-St. John School District received its donation of books at a similar event held at the Department’s Curriculum Center warehouse. The district’s Deputy Superintendent of Schools Michael Harrigan expressed gratitude for the donation.

“The donation of thousands of books to our children is an amazing opportunity, and the St. Thomas-St. John School District is very grateful to the Rotary Clubs of the Virgin Islands and Better World Books,” he said on July 23. “Because this donation gives us more opportunities to put books in the hands of children, this initiative contributes toward reaching the District’s goal of having all students reading on grade level. The donated books also give us an additional chance to promote the value of reading with families and children. The books will be provided not only at schools and libraries, but also in barber shops, beauty salons, and doctors’ offices – where families are often found together.”

Deputy Superintendent of Schools Faith George and District Director of Curriculum and Instruction Maria Encarnacion also attended the St. Croix event.

Feature Image: St. Croix District Insular Superintendent of Schools Colleen Williams (center) speaks at reception for books donated to District on Thursday, July 30 at Sunshine Mall.

Image Credit: Department of Education.