Living the Mission Every Day: 8th Graders Spearhead Book Drive

This winter, eighth graders Paige Blanchard and Mollie Schmid spearheaded a book drive in Middle and Lower School to benefit the library at North Side Community School. For four weeks, they collected new or gently-used books suitable for ages 4-12. The drive brought in several boxes of books.

The girls and their classmates have visited North Side on many occasions and saw firsthand the need for more books. They were introduced to North Side as fifth graders, when they participated in a class trip, helping out in classrooms and guiding crafts and other activities. “We really liked how the kids were attentive to us and how they loved having new people to interact with and have fun with,” says Paige.

Both girls understand the importance of reading to a student’s overall education. “Once someone begins to read, new doors open,” says Mollie. “Reading can bring a whole class together or a family together. We want North Side kids to be able to read whenever and wherever they like.”

MICDS has many connections to North Side – students from Middle and Upper School volunteer there on a regular basis, and in 2012-2013, the MICDS community raised funds to construct a new playground on campus. North Side was founded in 2009 by St. Louis Country Day School alumni John Grote ’67 and Ross Woolsey ’67.