Students building Little Free Libraries for low income schools are finding a way to help their community and use their skills.
Geometry students at RiseUp Community High School used real world mathematics to help the underserved communities where many of them are from to encourage reading opportunities for elementary school children in low income areas.
“We talked about what it’s doing for the kids,” student Loyd Martinez, 15, said. “It can open doors for students.”
According to principal Lucas Ketzer, the school has emphasized practical activities to reinforce what students learn. Many student enter RiseUp at a fifth grade level in math.
“There’s a strong focus on social justice issues, in particular, ones that students face in everyday life and in their community,” Ketzer said. “I think allowing our students to practice real-world applications with math is really important. Our students have struggled historically in math. There are lots of skill gaps there.”
20 students in Kate Sneed’s geometry class built six Little Free Libraries, which are small book depositories that allow people to take a book or leave one there. The libraries were then given to elementary schools, and they stocked them with books.
The libraries were given six charters by the Little Free Library organization, and appear on that group’s website.
“For the most part, they loved it,” Sneed said of her students. “I’ve learned a lot, and I think the students have as well.”
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