Incoming freshmen at Louisiana State University (LSU) who signed on for the Student Tigers Rallying, Interacting and Promoting Education and Service (STRIPES) Program are partnering with Volunteers In Public Schools (VIPS) and the East Baton Rouge Parish School System as part of the program’s community service. After learning of the challenges faced by the district in improving reading skills and the work of the Reading Friend volunteers who tutor them, STRIPES volunteers crafted 300 pencil boxes for the Reading Friends to give their assigned students.  STRIPES is a four-day, three-night retreat designed to prepare first-year students for the transition to LSU. 

The colorful boxes are decorated with bright stickers and feature an encouraging message, such as “Never Give Up” and “Believe In Yourself.” The LSU students said they hope when a student receives a pencil box, he or she will look at it and know someone cares.

Hope Dawan, VIPS’ EveryBody Reads coordinator, (pictured in front of the EveryBody Reads Library in the Montgomery Center VIPS office) said the pencil boxes will be presented to the Reading Friends who attend the EveryBody Reads Kick-Off Celebration at 8 a.m. Monday, September 26. “We are so appreciative of the gifts from these LSU students. Our volunteers can’t wait to see their students’ faces light up when given these special boxes,” Dawan said.