By TYLER METZGER
Missourian (Columbia, Missouri, USA)
Proceeds from Hickman High School’s book fair will go toward starting six libraries in Cambodian public high schools
Hickman’s first book fair in five years, which started Tuesday and ends next Tuesday, is raising money to start six libraries in Cambodian public high schools.
Communist dictator Pol Pot gained control of Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, after the United States withdrew its military support in 1975. He destroyed all foreign language materials, shut down radio and television stations, and stopped all forms of education.
“He wanted to destroy anything and anyone that provided education or knowledge,” Dixie Grupe, a history teacher at Hickman said. “You were murdered even if you wore glasses.”
According to the United Human Rights Council, Pol Pot’s attempt to create an agrarian society killed 2 million people — about a quarter of the population — from 1975 to 1979.
The book fair is working with Teachers Across Borders, a nonprofit organization that attempts to better the educational quality for students and teachers across the globe, Grupe said. The organization has helped build schools in the Dominican Republic, started an English language curriculum in Mongolia, and donated books to Louisiana schools after Hurricane Katrina.
“We all have responsibilities in this world,” Grupe said. “Now, our responsibility is to help the Cambodians dealing with tragedy.”
Last summer, the Cambodian government started working with the organization and identified the need for English books, Grupe said.
“There are no public high school libraries with English books in Cambodia,” she said.
During the book fair students have the option of adding extra money to their purchase. The money can either go to their favorite teacher or to buying books for the Cambodia project, said Tranna Foley, a library media specialist at Hickman.
Hickman juniors Michael Fairchild and Sabrina Feltych, both 17, skim through a book while visiting Hickman High School’s book fair during their Tuesday lunch hour. Feltych was the first student to make a donation to Cambodian educational programs during the fair’s opening day. (ZACH HONIG/Missourian)
After the books are purchased, they will be sent to California and organized by Teachers Across Borders. The group will then send the books to Cambodia, Grupe said.
“Students understand that they have a responsibility to the larger world community,” Grupe said. “This will hopefully extend that idea.”
The book fair wasn’t originally designed to raise money for Cambodia until a representative from Teachers Across Borders e-mailed Grupe in November.
“The fair was already planned but we saw a chance to help out and took it,” she said.
Next semester, Hickman plans to do a book drive solely devoted to the Cambodia project, she said.
After two days of the fair being opened, $20 was raised for the Cambodian project, said James Kome, a library media specialist at Hickman.
“The first day it was $4 and the second $16, so speed is picking up,” he said.
A fresh approach to book fairs, like the ability to use debit cards, are making them more popular, Foley said.
“Not many high schools have book fairs but there is a market for them,” she said.
Items like computer games, bracelets and pens are making the fairs more popular, but most students are still buying books, Foley said. She said about 65 students attended the fair the first two days it was open.
“We’re blessed in the country with good education and spreading that is the least we can do,” Grupe said.
HICKMAN BOOK FAIRGenocide and book fairs are not usually mentioned in the same sentence. But staff at Hickman High School are collecting books for Cambodia, a country ravaged by a dictator who killed millions of his own people and destroyed the academic system while in power.
When: 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. today, Monday and Tuesday
Where: Hickman’s Media Center, 1104 N. Providence Road
Hickman’s first book fair in five years, which started Tuesday and ends next Tuesday, is raising money to start six libraries in Cambodian public high schools.
Communist dictator Pol Pot gained control of Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, after the United States withdrew its military support in 1975. He destroyed all foreign language materials, shut down radio and television stations, and stopped all forms of education.
“He wanted to destroy anything and anyone that provided education or knowledge,” Dixie Grupe, a history teacher at Hickman said. “You were murdered even if you wore glasses.”
According to the United Human Rights Council, Pol Pot’s attempt to create an agrarian society killed 2 million people — about a quarter of the population — from 1975 to 1979.
The book fair is working with Teachers Across Borders, a nonprofit organization that attempts to better the educational quality for students and teachers across the globe, Grupe said. The organization has helped build schools in the Dominican Republic, started an English language curriculum in Mongolia, and donated books to Louisiana schools after Hurricane Katrina.
“We all have responsibilities in this world,” Grupe said. “Now, our responsibility is to help the Cambodians dealing with tragedy.”
Last summer, the Cambodian government started working with the organization and identified the need for English books, Grupe said.
“There are no public high school libraries with English books in Cambodia,” she said.
During the book fair students have the option of adding extra money to their purchase. The money can either go to their favorite teacher or to buying books for the Cambodia project, said Tranna Foley, a library media specialist at Hickman.
Hickman juniors Michael Fairchild and Sabrina Feltych, both 17, skim through a book while visiting Hickman High School’s book fair during their Tuesday lunch hour. Feltych was the first student to make a donation to Cambodian educational programs during the fair’s opening day. (ZACH HONIG/Missourian)After the books are purchased, they will be sent to California and organized by Teachers Across Borders. The group will then send the books to Cambodia, Grupe said.
“Students understand that they have a responsibility to the larger world community,” Grupe said. “This will hopefully extend that idea.”
The book fair wasn’t originally designed to raise money for Cambodia until a representative from Teachers Across Borders e-mailed Grupe in November.
“The fair was already planned but we saw a chance to help out and took it,” she said.
Next semester, Hickman plans to do a book drive solely devoted to the Cambodia project, she said.
After two days of the fair being opened, $20 was raised for the Cambodian project, said James Kome, a library media specialist at Hickman.
“The first day it was $4 and the second $16, so speed is picking up,” he said.
A fresh approach to book fairs, like the ability to use debit cards, are making them more popular, Foley said.
“Not many high schools have book fairs but there is a market for them,” she said.
Items like computer games, bracelets and pens are making the fairs more popular, but most students are still buying books, Foley said. She said about 65 students attended the fair the first two days it was open.
“We’re blessed in the country with good education and spreading that is the least we can do,” Grupe said.
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