If you were to walk into the language hallway during December, you would find students wrapping boxes and books, sorting books, and writing letters until 5 pm or later each day. You may even mistake C315 for the North Pole. However, these aren’t elves working away to deliver books to children, these are volunteers.

For the last 5 years, the Spanish Club has organized a book drive with Berkeley Lake Elementary School in Duluth. Berkeley Lake is a school with 80% minority students, and more than 50% of students come from low income families. Many students at the school do not have English as their first language. 

Before December, first and second grade students at Berkeley Lake requested books to their teachers. The teachers then sent these requests to Spanish, French, and German teachers at Marist, who then encouraged students to bring the books. Students brought books throughout December, and they wrapped and decorated the books on Friday, December 13th during Activity Period. Students also wrote personalized letters to Berkeley Lake students at this time and the week of December 16. 

Finally, books were distributed to 247 Berkeley Lake Elementary School students on Wednesday, December 18th. Officers from Spanish Club and French Club along with involved teachers got to experience the pure joy from Berkeley Lake students as they opened their books after a suspenseful countdown. 

All of their hard work had paid off when officers and teachers got to see the Berkeley Lake students’ faces light up after opening their book. The students received books such as The Cat in the Hat, Knuffle Bunny, The Essential Taylor Swift Handbook, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and much more. 

Mrs. Buchanan described her thoughts on the project. “Berkeley Lake is a local school with which we have a connection, and as a community, we feel like our schools are in it together to promote literacy,” Buchanan said.

This project further advances the language department’s mission to teach language to all. For many students at Berkeley Lake, the gift of a book helps them along their journey to learn English. 

This book drive is truly a selfless project that brings joy to many at Berkeley Lake Elementary School. Buying and donating a book may seem like a small action, but it has great effects.

287 different students in the foreign language department donated books, and many more helped to wrap and write letters. Club officers and teachers for Spanish Club and French Club gave ample time and money to make this project a success. 

Berkeley Lake Elementary is a Title I school, and it opened on August 29, 1983. Ashley Coughlin is the current principal. 

This year, Madame Penn and Mrs. Buchanan coordinated with Mrs. Kraeling at Berkeley Lake to put together the book drive. Spanish Club Presidents Erin Davis and Ella Weber and Spanish Honor Society Presidents Becca Jose and Brent Porter contributed greatly to the success of this project.