Jackson Free Press

Mi Isha Lowe still remembers her high school's summer reading program. She explains that while all the books she was required to read were good, her favorite was "Gifted Hands," the story of Dr. Ben Carson's journey from growing up in Detroit's inner-city to becoming a professor of neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University.

"No matter what your level of education or your learning style is, ... you can learn the material, you just have to work hard at it," Lowe, a Jackson native and Callaway High School graduate says about learning.

As director of youth programs and volunteer services at United Way of the Capital Area, Lowe, 26, leads a variety of programs focused on educating middle school, high school and college students about the importance of philanthropic work.

Last year, a grant from the America's Promise Alliance helped the United Way launch Pages of Promise, a book drive to provide Jackson Public Schools students with books for their summer reading list. Lowe explains that by making more books available to students, Pages of Promise will allow students to stay focused on school throughout the summer and be better prepared for reading tests at the beginning of the year.

"We're going to have summer reading workshops to assist the students in understanding the books so they can really pass the tests in the fall," Lowe says, adding that the program's goal is to collect 1,000 books this summer.

For Lowe, who holds a bachelor's degree in social work from Jackson State University, her motivation to make Pages of Promise a success is personal.

"It's so deep to my heart because I still have cousins that are in school, so making sure they are reading their summer reading books and doing the projects that are required is something that I believe is very beneficial," she says.

And about "Gifted Hands," the book she read in high school?

Lowe laughs. "I love that book. I still have mine," she says.

The Pages of Promise book drive runs year-round. Drop books off at all McDonald's restaurants in Jackson, at City Hall, the Jackson Medical Mall, the United Way, the Margaret Walker Alexander, Medgar Evers, Richard Wright, Charles Tisdale, and Eudora Welty libraries. Visit the Jackson Public Schools website to find a list of summer reading books. For more information, contact Mi Isha at [e-mail missing] or (601) 965-1355.

Previous Comments

ID

158035

Comment

this sounds great! I will see what I have at home.

Author

Izzy

Date

2010-06-03T12:42:10-06:00

ID

158037

Comment

Mi Isha.. You are the girl that I neva had And I want to get to know you bettah Mi Isha.. You know I want you so bad And there's nothing anyone can do To keep me away from you

Author

DrumminD21311

Date

2010-06-03T15:44:31-06:00

ID

158046

Comment

i encourage everyone to donate to the book drive. A list of the books is on the JPS and United Way websites. You'd be amazed at how few of the books are available in our libraries. what a statement it would make to the rest of the country if the people of Jackson stepped up to the plate in providing the basic neccessities to support our children's reading achievment...

Author

eyerah

Date

2010-06-04T13:06:22-06:00