C-N honor society project to help promote literacy at Mt. Horeb Elementary

Carson-Newman’s Xi Lota chapter of Sigma Tau Delta, an English honor society, will use funds from a grant to promote literacy at newly opened Mt. Horeb Elementary. Pictured from left to right are Dr. Bethany White, faculty advisor; Abi Parker chapter president; and Tiffany Delias, vice-president, who applied for the $500 grant from the national Sigma Tau Delta organization.

Carson-Newman University’s English honor society recently was awarded a $500 grant to supplement literature at Jefferson City’s newest elementary school.

Mt. Horeb Elementary opened its doors in August 2012 to help alleviate overcrowding in the Jefferson County school system. The young school caught the attention of the nearby university.

Carson-Newman students with the Xi Lota chapter of Sigma Tau Delta wanted to show their support of the new elementary school and help promote literature. They applied for a grant through Sigma Tau Delta’s national organization and were awarded $500 to use toward their literature project.

“The main thrust of the organization is to foster a love of books, so each semester I encourage students who have the time to dedicate it to the pursuit of literacy locally,” said chapter faculty sponsor Dr. Bethany White, a C-N associate professor of English. “The students were very interested in pursuing a grant that would enable them to financially help out a local school as well as collaborate with each other on fun projects for students.”

White suggested they partner with a new school in need of resources. Mt. Horeb was the logical choice.

The students hope to purchase 35 to 40 books for the school library and initiate a monthly library story time.

Sandra Austin, principal of Mt. Horeb Elementary School wrote a letter to be submitted with the grant application. “If they are awarded this grant, we will gladly accept the books and the time that will be donated to the students of Mt. Horeb Elementary School,” she said.

The program is scheduled to begin with the new school year.