Loyola honors students are helping children put pen to paper to write and publish their own bedtime stories.

Mission Imprint is a program designed by students of the University Honors Program and the Renew Cultural Arts Center to help foster a love of reading in local children from grades K-2 who come from highly disadvantaged backgrounds.

For 10 weeks, the young writers have been working with Mission Imprint to create their own book. On Thursday, April 23, the honors students hosted a reading for the completed book.

The program received the National Collegiate Honors Council’s Portz Grant to fund the books’ printing cost, transportation for students to come to Loyola, and a writers’ celebration.

Naomi Yavneh, director of the honors program, said that the purpose of Mission Imprint is to not only shape these children into prosperous readers but writers as well.
“In insisting that every child not just read but write, our program seeks to empower the children served by helping them to see themselves as published writers,” Yavneh said.

According to Yavneh, by bringing this program to the Loyola community, not only does the honors program embrace the talents of New Orleans’ youth, but they also raise awareness about the literacy level in the city.

“In New Orleans, 39 percent of the population 16 years and older cannot read at a fifth grade level. An additional 31 percent is reading below the eighth grade level. We know that students who fail the third grade tests are at higher risk to enter the ‘school to prison pipeline,’ and we want to help them before they have a chance to fail,” Yavneh said.

Shravya Sanagala, psychology pre-health senior, said she joined because of the opportunities provided by the honors program and said that her work with the students is very fulfilling.

“I have loved the program mainly because of the kids we were privileged to work with. Their imagination is something that can be admired by all ages. To see excitement from a child creating something is really exciting,” Sanagala said.

Rachel Comeaux, program leader and sociology junior, said she was proud of all the hard work the kids put forth and the excitement they expressed at the reception.

“My favorite moment was watching the children find their stories in the book and seeing the excitement in their eyes when they realized that their writings and their drawings were published,” Comeaux said.

Even though Mission Imprint will not be continuing the project next year, Comeaux said that the volunteers will continue assisting the literacy center at the school.

“We were able to do this project because of the grant we received, but that was a one time thing. So next semester, we will be going back to our original role as volunteers,” Comeaux said.