There’s a certain magic that happens when young students interact with their older peers.
There’s another kind of magic when you interact with a good book filled with story, illustrations and truth about life.
Magic collided Tuesday when 20 or so Chaparral High School students from the Chick-Fil-A Leader Academy delivered books to first grade students at Alice Douse Elementary School.
They visited four classes, introduced themselves and read one-on-one with the younger students before leaving them each with a bag of five books they could keep as their own.
First-grade teacher Nicole Byers saw the magic immediately.
First, she said, the teenagers upended the stereotype of selfish, screen-addicted young people.
“This shows the younger ones you can be productive and do fun things,” she said. “Just because it’s educational doesn’t mean it has to be boring. This was awesome, and it makes my heart proud to see they are out there giving back. They are being role models, and I love it.”
Chaparral is one of three KISD high schools that hosts a Chick-Fil-A Leader Academy. They receive leadership instruction and resources from the local restaurant to conduct service projects.
The group at Chaparral, about 28 students, is also planning its second senior citizen prom, in addition to more literacy-centered activities.
Chaparral Librarian Barbara Kelly is the educator sponsor. To her, the push to improve literacy is powerful, as well as the community outreach. It’s always positive, she said, to see students reading.
The benefits go both ways.
“We get to come out and they get to see high school kids interact with them and when we give them the books it has meaning because it’s coming from us,” said Chaparral senior Adi Patel, now in his second year in the leadership group.
“The books teach leadership. I think we’re coming back and will talk about what they’ve learned. We see the little impact, which is nice,” he said, explaining that the little impact will grow into something more substantial.
Sophomore Jasmin Garraway, in her second year in the leadership group, said she’s learned as much as the younger students through service.
“I love talking to the kids. I love seeing their different personalities,” she said. “It’s great to interact and teach. It’s great (for them) to have someone older to talk to.
“It might be helping me more than the kids. Last year, I wasn’t as confident. I was nervous talking to the kids. I didn’t know how to be a leader. Talking and listening to the kids, I realized I should be more confident and not be afraid.”
Junior Faith Chapman, one of the group’s presidents, is a fan of reading and knows that COVID caused a decline in learning to read.
“I love seeing the smiles on kids' faces. I love seeing their reaction to the books. I love to give back to the community and help to raise literacy rates,” she said.
“Reading is one of my favorite things to do, and I hope to share that with the kids, and I love seeing the smile on their face like they’re saying, ‘I love reading.’ That makes my heart happy. Good. You need it. It helps so much with intelligence, just everything.”
https://www.flickr.com/photos/killeenisd/albums/72177720321588493
