The Bibliophilic Penguin

Since I was a child, I've been interested in using the power of reading to improve lives. In eighth grade, everyone in my class had to choose a social justice issue to explore and come up with a way to help improve the lives of those affected. While researching various social justice issues, I came across the story of a man who had recently been released from prison. Books, he said, were what helped him get through his sentence; and the education program he enrolled in behind bars helped set him up for success after his release. But it was difficult for him to get the books he needed: prison libraries around the country are usually understocked and underfunded. We take books for granted, but those who need them the most can't access them. 

Immediately, I knew which issue to choose. For my project, I developed a plan for a middle-school-wide book drive for a local prison. I decided to actually implement my plan, and after getting in touch with some incredible people in the criminal justice system who helped me bring my idea to life, I held the first Books Behind Bars drive in 2022. It was a huge success!

Since then, I have held annual book drives at my school, and my goal is to expand the project to other schools and community centers in the area with the help of the dedicated Books Behind Bars team and our partners in the criminal justice system. You can help by donating!