Wantagh Middle School Donates Books To Troops

l recently volunteered in the Books for Soldiers program and provided U.S. troops and Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals with literary materials through community donations. The goal of the program is to provide active soldiers with enjoyment and a mental escape through literature during their downtime.

Wantagh Middle School organized a school-wide drive to donate new and used books along with magazines. The school collected more than 200 books and 50 magazines, which will be shipped to four different groups of soldiers serving overseas as well as two local VA hospitals.

The program started when an English teacher approached Wantagh Middle School Principal Dr. Timothy Piciullo. They found the organization Books for Soldiers online and submitted an application to volunteer the school. “Once we were approved we were given access to a message board where we could communicate with troops stationed throughout the world,” said Piciullo.

While he was unable to disclose what troops received from the donation, Piciullo said that books were sent to units or groups of troops stationed overseas, some of which are utilizing them to setup a library system. They also donated books to local VA hospitals.

Different school organizations helped the program including the PTA, which sent out a mass e-mail to parents, encouraging participation. The Wantagh Middle School Student Council and School Store helped fund the shipping cost.

Students were urged to participate to not only benefit soldiers, but also to benefit themselves. “We have found that by engaging our students in service learning opportunities,” said Piciullo. “They have a greater sense of pride in their community as well as their academics.”