For more than 10 years, S³ has donated books for elementary school students to the Detroit Public Schools. This year Carl Bentley, executive vice president and Shalini Lawson, Detroit branch manager, were on-hand to deliver hundreds of these books to Carver Elementary School on Detroit’s west side.
arl Bentley and Shalini Lawson presented books to Carver students
The books were donated by guests attending the S³ annual holiday party last December.
It was ideal timing for the delivery as a group of fourth and fifth grade girls of the LitWorld literacy program happily greeted Bentley and Lawson. Flanked by Principal Sabrina Evans and other Carver Elementary staff, the young hostesses of the LitWorld program listened intently to Bentley and Lawson as they spoke about the importance of literacy and S³’s role in helping promote that mission.
Bentley believes that S³’s continued dedication to improving literacy in students will be beneficial to the city of Detroit as a whole.
“Our commitment to academic excellence in the classroom helps instill discipline in our young people which in turn makes for better leaders in the community,” he said.
Principal Sabrina Evans and Carl Bentley
Principal Evans welcomed S³ executives with opened arms. “We are excited for the opportunity to have more books added to our accelerated readers’ inventory,” she said. She also spoke highly of the LitWorld program, “Our girls love it. I want the program to be extended to boys so they can also grow a love for reading.”
Detroit Public Schools teamed up with LitWorld, an international non-profit literacy organization, to enhance literacy in metro Detroit. LitWorld has established programs that encourage self-confidence and leadership in students. There are eight LitClubs in the district at Carver, Davison, Detroit International Academy for Young Women, Earhart, Garvey, Gompers, MacKenzie, and Palmer Park Academy.
Shalini Lawson helps stack books with students
Lawson was hands-on with the students. She shuffled through stacks of books as the girls looked on with excitement.
“This is what community service is all about,” said Lawson. “I love that I work for a place that can create this much enthusiasm for reading.”The program has positively impacted the girls at Carver.
“It’s great for kids my age,” said Adriana Smith, a fifth grader who loves the program. It teaches you about literature.”
The girl’s LitWorld group at Carver also helps organize the other students in the lunch room and auditorium. Because of this program Adriana says she wants to help more people in the future.S³ is committed to its mission in furthering culture, helping children succeed and giving back to the communities in which it does business. The company fulfilled a bit of that mission at Carver Elementary School. With the company’s unwavering dedication to charity and community work, the S³ team looks to continue donating books to schools in the metro Detroit area.
