Established in 2006, the Diverse Minds Youth Writing Challenge is a B’nai B’rith International program designed to encourage young authors and illustrators to promote tolerance and communicate a message of equality among all citizens, regardless of race, religion, national origin, gender or sexual orientation.
In it’s eight years, the program challenged students in nine cities and regions, and published 24 books from 33 authors and illustrators. It also awarded more than $200,000 in college scholarships, $23,000 in school grants and donated 36,000 books to schools, programs and libraries in need.
One of those worthy book recipients was Schoolhouse Supplies, an award-winning nonprofit that supports public education in Portland, Ore. by giving students and teachers free classroom supplies.
After receiving a shipment of books from B’nai B’rith International, they thanked the organization in an email and in a post on their blog.
The post can be read in its entirety, below:
Don’t we look bookish!?
We are thrilled with a recent donation from B’nai B’rith International. With titles like “We are all Atoms” and “Pepper the Porcupine,” these very special books were published as part of the Diverse Minds Youth Writing Challenge.
This program invites high school students to develop innovate ways to teach lessons of diversity and tolerance to elementary-aged school children. Students working individually or as a team are asked to think about how tolerance and diversity can improve our world. The top three winners receive a college scholarship prize.
Books reflecting the diversity of our community are in high demand at the Free Store for Teachers, and with these great messages of tolerance and diversity, we feel very fortunate to have made a connection with Melanie Marconi, of BDI-Events who in turn helped to secure these great books.
We can’t wait to put these out on the shelves of the Free Store, (if we can pry them away from the staff).
Read to a child. Read often.
