At Bernie’s Book Bank, we love celebrating students who are making a real difference in their communities. This month, we’re highlighting Connor Verigan, a dedicated high school student whose efforts are helping get books into the hands of children who need them most. Connor’s commitment to literacy by collecting over 3000 books and giving back is an inspiring example of how young people can create lasting impact. Read below for the full interview to learn more about his journey and what motivates him to give back through books.
What inspired you to start these book drives?
I loved to read when I was younger, and unfortunately after reading was made to feel like an assignment, I lost that love. I noticed I preferred my math and science classes over my classes that required more reading. I did some research and realized this is a national issue, particularly impacting boys and underserved communities and that it has extremely detrimental effects on education. I founded Boys with Books to try and bring positive role models and engaging books into schools and encourage elementary schoolers, particularly boys, to keep reading. Starting Boys with Books and, by extension, these book drives, is my way of trying to prevent other kids from having that same thing happen to them.
How did you first hear about Bernie’s Book Bank?
Bernie’s came up through my initial research about the problems I had experienced. As I was trying to figure out ways to combat the issue, I found Bernie’s website. I loved the idea of helping an organization get books to kids who need them most.
You’ve collected over 3000 books—how does that feel?
It feels great knowing that Boys with Books can make an impact. For me, each book represents a kid who could discover their love for reading, or re-discover it. In addition to our book drives, Boys with Books brings books to local elementary schools and after school programs. Club members read with the kids and they take home books from our curated collection of books we think they’ll love.
What was your favorite part of running the drives?
I loved to count the books and watch the number grow, knowing that every single one would reach a kid. I also loved to watch the community come together to make a difference.
Any challenges along the way?
Yes. We had some bins that would return very few books and that would be discouraging. But with some help from social media and other promotions, we always found a way to pull through.
How did your classmates and community get involved?
We set up collection bins at our school, Walter Payton College Preparatory High School, and around the community and asked people to donate gently used books. North Park Elementary School and the Chicago Dragons allowed us to set up donation bins and also helped publicize our efforts. Friends helped sort, count, and transport the books.
Why do you think it’s important for kids to have their own books?
We can see how excited the kids we meet are when they find out they are taking books home. The feeling of owning something is always great when you are a kid. Owning something makes it yours, you’re free to mark it up and build a real relationship with it. Owning the books makes kids more involved, which is really the most important aspect of reading.
What did you learn from working as a team?
Working with the other Boys with Books officers (Gabriel Moy, Matthew Tong and Brady Eng) and club members, I learned that collaboration makes everything possible. Whether it was planning logistics or sorting donations, every person brought a different strength. For example, we recruited bilingual members and provided books in Spanish so that our programming is more inclusive. We work hard to collect quality books and create a positive experience for the kids we meet.
What’s next for your group?
We are currently working on training the next generation of leaders who will continue to work and expand the impact of Boys with Books. We also continue to seek other locations where we can read to more kids and, of course, we are planning another book drive.
If you could describe this experience in one word, what would it be?
Empowering. It’s amazing to know we are making a difference.
A big thank you to Connor and Boys with Books for supporting Bernie’s Book Bank’s mission through their incredible book drives. Your efforts help us continue fueling a love of reading and expanding access to books for children everywhere.
