Charlotte Mendes, a senior at High School South and a Girl Scout in Troop 71500 for 10 years, earned her Gold Award with her project “Project Reading,” a program run by the Children’s Home Society of New Jersey. She created a mobile library for an afterschool program at the Washington Elementary School in Trenton. Her troop leaders are Wendy Kramer, Elizabeth Carnevale, and Gina Finnie.
“I wanted the project to be based around something that I love doing, so my first step was to help kids,” says Mendes. “I already had contacts with the Children’s Home Society from working on projects with them through my church.” They gave her contact information for Washington Elementary School afterschool program. When she spoke with Denise Wentzler, director of marketing, communications, and funds development at the Children’s Home Society, she learned that what the kids really needed was books. Mendes came up with the idea of a mobile library because there was no space for bookshelves. Wentzler was extremely supportive and became her project mentor.
The children can read the books either at school or sign out a book to bring home. “I hope to encourage a love of reading in the children,” says Mendes. “I know that the children in this afterschool program will benefit from the mobile library, because they now have easy access to a library of their own.”
Mendes spent many months organizing, making posters, talking to audiences, and promoting her project. As part of her fundraising effort, she initiated Project Reading for the Dutch Neck Presbyterian Church’s Vacation Bible Camp, where she collected donations of books and money from church members, family, and friends. She also raised money babysitting and dog sitting.
“The mobile library is perfect for our students to have more books to read and supports our literacy initiatives,” says Gloria Tunstall, the principal of the school.
The books are displayed on mobile carts that can be easily transported and stored. Mendes created a color-coded system to enable the kids to select skill level appropriate books. The mobile library will allow the kids to enjoy the books during the afterschool program and at home. Mendes purchased book carts to display the books.
“The students were excited about the presentation of the 1,000 books and when they met Charlotte they were totally impressed by the books and especially her Girl Scout vest with all the badges,” says Louise McCants-Shabazz, Washington Elementary School’s program administrator. “We are thankful to Charlotte for her diligence and dedication to making the library so diverse and tailored to everyone’s reading level. We could hardly contain the students; they began reading shortly after the presentation and have not stopped yet.”
“All the hours were worth it once I saw the enthusiastic reactions from the kids, when unveiling the mobile library,” says Mendes. “I hope that the books will improve the children’s reading and writing skills, as these are the basic building blocks of a good education.”
Mendes is involved in activities at First Presbyterian Church of Dutch Neck and volunteered to be music director for the church’s bible camp. She also served as a church youth deacon. “One project I especially enjoyed was organizing the collection of Christmas gifts for the Children’s Home Society,” she says. At South she plays clarinet in Advanced Band.
Mendes said that the most successful aspect of her project was when she presented the mobile library to the kids. “I felt so exhilarated when the kids crowded around me to talk to me and thank me; they were all so enthusiastic and very thankful. Some kids even ran to the book carts and asked if they could take home a book that day,” says Mendes. “Looking at their faces, I felt really thankful for choosing to create the mobile library for them, as I know how much it means to them.”
