BP America recently donated $25,000 to Cocky’s Reading Express, the literacy outreach program organized at USC. Traveling to elementary schools across the state, student volunteers from USC promote literacy and a love of books and reading through the program.
“We are so thankful for the contributions from BP that will help us as we celebrate our 10th anniversary on the road to providing 100,000 books to South Carolina children,” said Kim Jeffcoat, executive director of the South Carolina Center for Children’s Books and Literacy, home to Cocky’s Reading Express.
The donations from BP have been used to cover various expenses, including the purchase of books, supplies and the bus Cocky’s Reading Express uses to travel to schools around the state.
Larry Thomas, BP General Manager of Government and Public Affairs, believes the program is a great way to engage BP employees in a meaningful community program.
“BP started its relationship with Cocky’s Reading Express a number of years ago, and we’ve been pleased with our involvement,” he said. “We were approached by the university to be a sponsor of the reading program, and were thrilled with the idea of helping kids develop a love for reading.”
Cocky’s Reading Express, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, has provided nearly 77,000 books to students in over 46 counties in South Carolina and is on track to pass out its 100,000th book this year.
“It is a great program that allows our employees the opportunity to assist in helping kids understand the value of books and reading,” Thomas said. “Our investment also helps defray program costs and allow the program a statewide reach, which is very important.”
Thomas hopes to see the donation made by BP encourage other corporations to involve themselves with the program’s efforts.
He believes the program can also help to inspire other states and communities to adopt a similar outreach program.
“The real value of this program is that it can be duplicated in any state,” Thomas said. “The problem of illiteracy is found throughout the nation. It has great potential for growth.”
“It is truly inspiring to be a part of a CRE team that is motivated to fix the problem of illiteracy in society,” Jory Fleming, second-year geography and marine science student and Cocky’s Reading Express volunteer, said.
“I had never really thought of the fact that I knew how to read. I took it for granted,” he said. “The kids that CRE visits may not have had the same experiences with reading that I did, and I think that CRE is crucial for reaching out to them. When you really think about it, life would be a continuous obstacle course for anyone who can’t read.”
Addison Barrack, third-year elementary education student, has seen the impact of Cocky’s Reading Express come to life through her involvement with the program.
“Each child makes a promise to Cocky to read every single day and goes home with their very own copy of a children’s book,” she said. “The program purchases popular books that are intended to nurture a love of reading in the children and encourage further reading, so support from corporations like BP allows us to continue passing out books at the end of the program that have the potential to impact a kid’s life.”
Through donations from companies like BP, Cocky’s Reading Express is able to reach even further and give the gift of literacy to students around the state.
“Cocky’s Reading Express has an actual impact on the lives of children who would otherwise not have access to books,” Barrack said.