Helping students succeed at Los Medanos College is the No. 1 priority of many on campus.
“The goal of Reading and Education Advance Dreams is to encourage book donation and raise funds to create a textbook loan fund for Financial students, promoting both reading and education in the Los Medanos Community,” said James Spagnol, adviser of READ.
The club was founded by Reiko Kubota in the fall of 2011 partially in response to the fact that many students on financial aid are unable to purchase textbooks because their awards did not arrive soon enough.
“We all got started because we all had someone from out class who are financial aid students whose checks go messed up,” said Reiko Kubota. “Some classes had participation points by being in class and having your books, and one lady from our class got a zero for about three weeks and I thought, ‘that’s not right’.”
READ is currently looking for permanent funds for students who cannot afford their books and who also can’t afford to lose class participation points, but until that happens members are working to raise money to buy textbooks for students. Fundraising efforts include hosting barbeques through Student Life and attending Contra Costa Library functions, and money raised help create textbook loans for students on financial aid.
READ also plans to have a drawing for book prizes, a Mother’s Day fundraising event and will also discuss what to do for Earth Day.
“Our advisor James Spagnol got up at five o’clock in the morning to go to a fundraising book sale, and any books that did not sell were donated to Los Medanos College. We are very [lucky] to have James who puts in as much time as the students do,” said Kubota.
READ is always looking for new members and has weekly meetings Wednesday at 2 p.m. inside the Drop-In Lab CO-211 on the second floor of the College Complex. Club members are also considering adding meetings on Tuesday and Thursday.
“The more students who join the and the more money the club can raise,” said Kubota, “the fewer students will go to class without books.”
