Meet Rebekah Clark: a talented BSAC lifeguard, Girl Scout, and Blue Wave Swim Team Member who has made a lasting impact right here on our campus. With the help of her family, Rebekah created a mini library called Readbox, inspired by the Redbox video rentals located in popular stores in our area.<\/p>\n
\u201cI started this project back when I lived in Maryland because I really wanted to spread literacy and encourage kids to read outside of school,\u201d said Rebekah. \u201cWhen I was growing up, I was home-schooled. We would go to the library and I\u2019d come home with a stack of books a foot tall and read all of them. It helped me with my schooling later in life.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rebekah attributes her excellent vocabulary and writing skills to reading, and she wants to help younger children understand the potential benefits it can bring throughout life. She believes reading will not only help kids in school, but will also help them in the future when it comes time to apply for jobs or go to college.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve seen how people write through reading, and I\u2019ve been able to see other people\u2019s perspectives on different issues,\u201d said Rebekah. \u201cI can learn about global issues through books people have written, and other historical things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Through her role as a lifeguard at BSAC, Rebekah saw an opportunity to make an impact in our after-school program. By building a Readbox, she could encourage children to spend more time in the BSAC homework room, where we have a specialized teacher available for tutoring and help on assignments. They can now find and share new books they like, or contribute to the Readbox and bring books from home.<\/p>\n
\u201cKids look through books, and they can either read while in the homework room and put it back, take it home and bring it back, or they could even switch it out with another book they have at their house and keep the one they found here,\u201d explained Rebekah.<\/p>\n
This project originally stemmed from her involvement in Girl Scouts for the past 13 years. The Readbox is her final project, which will help her earn the Gold Award. This project took more than three years to complete, requiring she use all the skills she developed through her time in the organization.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve looked forward to this project for so long. It\u2019s kind of nostalgic, but I\u2019m also very excited to see it happen. Before now it had been an idea on paper but then getting to build it, paint it and see it, and then putting this first one in, it\u2019s really exciting but also kind of sad because I know it\u2019s all coming to an end,\u201d said Rebekah.<\/p>\n
She was first introduced to BSAC through meets when she was a swimmer at Strawberry Crest High. She later joined the BSAC Blue Wave Swim Team and became a lifeguard. Coach Rich Rogers has been a great help to Rebekah in overcoming struggles she faces both in the pool and in everyday life. During practice, it\u2019s common to hear him say: \u201cYou have to make sure you push yourself because no one else is going to push you as hard as you can push yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her impact doesn\u2019t end with BSAC, she also built Readboxes to be placed at two other locations. One is located at the North Brandon YMCA, and another is at the revolution Ice Cream on 60. Students are encouraged to visit the other locations for more options.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy grandfather, father, and I have always been woodworkers,\u201d said Rebekah. \u201cIt runs in our family to build cabinetry. My great uncle has a C & C milling machine, so I designed the logo with a 3D printing software and we converted the files so it looks clean and chic. We made sure to use the right measurements so that it\u2019s not super high so that the kids can\u2019t reach, but tall enough that older students can comfortably see it.\u201d<\/p>\n
If you would like to donate children\u2019s books for Rebekah\u2019s Readbox, please visit Member Services.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Meet Rebekah Clark: a talented BSAC lifeguard, Girl Scout, and Blue Wave Swim Team Member who has made a lasting impact right here on our campus. With the help of her family, Rebekah created a mini library called Readbox, inspired by the Redbox video rentals located in popular stores in our area. \u201cI started this project back when I lived … <\/p>\n