PHS Sending Books Around The World To Kenya

Books by the ton, and no better place to find them in other than the library.

"I am a huge bookworm myself, and it's like being sucked into another world when you read," Petal High School, student, Alyssa Foster said.

Stepping into another world through reading is one of the many reasons why Petal High School believes a book drive can help people halfway around the world.

"Some kids who live in these countries are dealing with a lot of hardship," Foster said. "They just need that kind of escape."

That's why Petal High School's library decided to host a book drive.

"We have joined with the African Library Project to collect 1000 books for a boys boarding school in Kenya," Petal High, librarian, Sue Sorensen said.

The African Library Project matches schools and organizations in the United States with African communities to help create libraries.

"This is something we would like to do because we love to spread literacy all over the world, and we felt like this would help our students have a connection with another country," Sorensen said.

Currently, Africa has the highest percentage of illiteracy in the world. However, Petal High believes that can change by simply exposing people to other cultures through books.

"They also get to learn more about all the cultures around the world," Sorensen said. "To read literature that would broaden and open their minds, and connect them with the world."

Petal High currently has 150 books in its collection to donate, and will be accepting donations until Nov. 17.