Book Buddies Program Unites Local Volunteers with Students

Volunteers are teaming up with students at Mesnier Primary School to promote reading in a relatively new program called Book Buddies.

Community members visit the school’s library once a week and share their love of reading with kindergarten, first-grade and second-grade students who are enrolled in Mesnier’s before-school-care program. Volunteers are assigned one student each semester, and many of pairs have been together since the program began, which is now in its second year.

“I love to read, and it’s wonderful to be in a program that promotes reading like Book Buddies,” said Carol Buck, a volunteer. 

Depending on the child’s reading level, volunteers either read to the students or read with them through the program’s interactive “We Both Read” books.

“It’s great to be able to help these young folks with their reading,” said Ken Bauer, another volunteer.  “Reading is so critical, and in this day and age, it isn’t done as often, so it’s very important to stay active with it.”

Laverne Sebben, a librarian at the school, came up with the idea for the program after attending a Missouri Association of Librarians conference.

“Another librarian at the conference presented a similar program, and I modified that idea to fit our school," she said. “I then enlisted the support of some retired teachers and neighbors to be volunteers.” 

Currently, there are 17 active volunteers in the program, including a board member from the Affton School District, a retired high school administrator and a few women from the St. Dominic Savio Parish quilting group. 

“We are so lucky to have some of the most active and vibrant seniors and retirees involved in the program,” she stated. “Many of them volunteer with several other causes, so I am really appreciative of their time and commitment to Book Buddies.”

Steve Brotherton, the school’s principal, said it was beneficial for the children to have one-on-one time with the volunteers.

“It definitely is a mentoring program, and it’s also great for the adults to see what’s going on in the school,” he said.

Brotherton, Buck, Bauer and several other volunteers credit Sebben for making the program work.

“She just goes above and beyond her duties as a school librarian to make this program a reality,” Bauer said. “It’s really remarkable.”

For more information on the program or to volunteer, call Sebben at 314-849-5566.