Number of Participants: 200
Hours Donated: 1
Value of Time Served: $6,958
Event Type: Education & Literacy
Activity: Schools
Date: March 9, 2026
Location:
Alfred G. Berner Middle School
Carman Mill Road, Massapequa
NY
About:
Students and staff at Berner Middle School in Massapequa recently came together to support literacy efforts beyond their own community through a meaningful book drive organized by English Language Arts teacher Kristen Urban.
Working with her sixth grade classes, Ms. Urban encouraged students to collect new and gently used books to benefit students at Savanna-la-Mar Primary School in Jamaica. The initiative was inspired by Ms. Urban’s ongoing work supporting literacy instruction in the Caribbean nation, where she has traveled multiple times over the past four years to collaborate with educators.
The need for books became especially urgent after Savanna-la-Mar Primary School suffered severe damage during Hurricane Melissa in October, leaving the school community in need of additional educational resources.
Through the generosity of Berner students and staff, the school community collected more than 200 books, which will soon be sent to Jamaica to help students rebuild their classroom libraries and continue their learning.
The project provided Berner students with an opportunity to connect their classroom learning with real-world service, demonstrating how small actions can have a meaningful impact on students across the globe.
By supporting literacy and helping fellow students recover from a natural disaster, the Berner Middle School community showcased the power of compassion, global awareness, and the shared belief that books can open doors to opportunity.
