Recently, students of St. Joseph Primary School achieved their ‘bookworm‘ status.

This was the outcome of a collaborative service initiative by the University of the West Indies’ (Cave Hill campus) International Affairs Committee (IAC), Library Committee and Medical Students’ Association (MSA) in observance of International Literacy Day 2018 (September 8th).

The ‘Bookworms: World Literacy Day Book Drive?,’ ?conceptualized by MSA Community Outreach Officer, Chelsi Bannister, received 174 book donations from University of the West Indies (Cave Hill campus) students and faculty.

“(It’s an) extraordinary response. Beyond what we envisioned. We are proud to donate books which will have a lasting impact on the children of St Joseph Primary,” IAC representative, Darius Edwards, noted when asked about the outcome of the drive. Edwards urged the children to take good care of the books, so they can pass them down to incoming students in the years to come.

In his presentation of over one-hundred books to Principal Evans Hinkson, the Infants and Class 3’s of St. Joseph Primary School, Guild Librarian, Akeenie Murray encouraged the students to enjoy the new additions to their library:

“View reading as another form of play or entertainment, not just for schoolwork. When you read you can imagine far away places. You can visit Trinidad, Bermuda and all sorts of other countries, while sitting in your room.”

Bannister later expressed her gratitude for the amazing support shown by the UWI Cave Hill campus toward this initiative, “Literacy is so much more than reading, it is a mechanism for social uplift. Falling in love with reading changed me significantly as a young student. Our heartfelt thanks to the students and staff of the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill campus and also the Medical Students’ Association, Library Committee and International Affairs Committee, who encouraged and collaborated in this seed idea.”