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  • The Powers sisters, Sydney, Ashley and Amber, roll in a wagon full of books they donated to Woodrow Wilson Elementary as part of their 4-H project. Rebeka Rutledge/The Duncan Banner

    They all pitched in
February 2, 2012

4-H member gives gift of reading

Powers’ project fills bookshelves at Wilson

Rebeka Rutledge The Duncan Banner

DUNCAN — After experience great success from a Stephens County 4-H Teen Leader Project, Ashley Powers and her three siblings donated dozens of books for use by students at Woodrow Wilson Elementary Wednesday afternoon.

Having gathered over 1,300 books to be distributed to schools in the county, the delivery to Woodrow Wilson was enough for  books to go around to almost every class from grades kindergarten to sixth.

Wilson Principal Carol Phipps took the Powers family to each classroom, where they presented the books.

“We’re very grateful to get the books,” Phipps said. “We provide everything the students need here, but it is nice for them to have these books they can take home.”

While the entire Powers family helped out with the drive from which the books came, 15-year-old Ashley was the one to come up with the idea. She wanted to do something to help illiteracy among young people, because reading is important to her family.

“I wanted to share (the importance of reading),” said Powers. “I thought it would be wonderful for the students to have books that they could take home, because several of them don’t have a single book at home.”

When Powers began the project, her younger siblings Amber (13), Murray (12) and Sydney (9), all jumped in to help. They are all home-schooled by their mother, Wendy, who was also in attendance for the distribution.

“I think it’s incredible and an amazing community service project,” Wendy Powers said, about her children’s involvement in the 4-H project. “That’s the reason we got involved with (4-H), it helps them reach outside themselves.”

Although Wilson was the only elementary in Duncan to receive books this year, books were also donated to Comanche Elementary and Empire Elementary.

“We wanted to spread them across the county,” Ashley Powers said.

This was the second year Powers has organized the book drive. In its first year, only 300 books were contributed, while this year they received 1,300 donated books. These donations came from all around Stephens County, with a large donation coming from Duncan.

Because of the remarkable increase in donations after only one year, Powers hopes to continue the project for years to come.

“I had fun doing it,” she said. “Seeing the looks on the kids’ faces is priceless.”

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