Group honors year of focusing on literacy

The Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women has once again wrapped up the school year with a big push for literacy sponsored by the Lowcountry S.C. Alumnae Club.
This year’s efforts kicked off March 2 on Dr. Seuss’ birthday, when the club hosted an assembly at Riverview Charter School celebrating the life of the famed children’s author. Riverview students gave poetry readings from the works they created in the 2011 Pi Beta Phi reading program, and the club installed a collection of reference books for the library. This gift, generated in part through an educational grant by the National Council of Youth Services America, recognized student Henry Harper for his literacy leadership in leading a student committee in selection of the materials.
The Dr. Seuss fun continued as the Alumnae Club kicked off their 2012 program that evening at the Wardle YMCA. This year’s initiative, known as Read Your Way Around The World, was presented in a two-week reading and writing workshop for students in second through sixth grad. Volunteers worked with the children in writing groups to create a chapter poem book titled “The Marvelous Meanderings of Montague Miller.” Program participants received certificates of achievement and a copy of their published book.
As the program closed in a celebration Wednesday, May 30, the young authors were also presented a book of their choice for summer reading. These books were provided through the Pi Beta Phi Foundation. Since 2007, the foundation has donated over 2 million books through its Champions are Readers program. In 2010, Pi Beta Phi and First Book launched the Local Literacy Initiative, a program that allows alumnae clubs to directly provide new books to schools and programs in their own communities.
Outgoing Lowcountry Alumnae Club President Cece Boyne passed the gavel to incoming President Janet Gregory after a diligent year in support of community efforts. Philanthropy and Literacy Chairs of 2012, Judy Johnson and Nina Bass, will be joined by Mary Foster in 2013 service projects.