Local girls travel to D.C. to meet Librarian of Congress

LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- A group of young girls from Louisville, Mississippi recently took a trip to the Nation’s Capitol where they met the Librarian of Congress.

The girls describe the trip as a once in a life time trip. The girls are a part of the non-profit “Back Girls Read” which works on building a foundation on reading.

A group girls in Louisville are bonding over reading. The organization was founded three years ago by Dr. Melissa Davis.

She was teaching 7th grade Language Arts and her students, after being tested, were on a 3rd or 4th grade reading level.

“I literally snapped. I was like this is unacceptable. So a passion just came. Burning inside of me,” said Dr. Davis.

A passion to teach young girls to read.

“You can’t do math without reading. You have to read the word problems. You can’t get your drivers license without knowing how to read, you can’t read a menu. You need to read and be able to comprehend. It’s hard to get through life with out being able to read and comprehend,” said Dr. Davis.

Among reading the group also goes on educational field trips. Most recently they traveled to Washington, D.C. and met the Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden, who knew they had a long journey and first took them to eat.

“She said lets go to her cafeteria. She said is y’all hungry we were like yea. She said she had to feed her children,” said Ny’Lexia Howell.

She calls them her children because she met them in Jackson last summer. The girls sent her a signed poster which she proudly hangs in her office.

“The poster has a lot of different books and stuff a lot of colors and a lot of different things,” said Kennedy Hayes.

It was a trip the girls say they’ll never forget.

“We saw the bureau of engraving and printing where they make money,” said Howell.

The trip cost a 12 grand. For 6 months the girls did fundraisers and with the help of the community made the dream trip a reality.

“Donuts, coke products, calendars, chicken strips. Spicy or mild,” said Damonie McWilliams.

Black Girls Read is more than a reading group.

“Our girls complete community service hours, we work on stem projects,” said Dr. Davis.

All with one goal in mind, working towards a positive community.

This summer Dr. Davis and Dr. Miller have also organized “Black Boys Read,” that launched this summer.

The group meets at Louisville High School but they’re hoping to get a building in Winston County. Enrollment in the group, leaders say has went up.

“Black Girls Read” is a component of the Malachi Project Youth Mentoring Program.

To learn more you can visit The Malachi Project. You can also check out “Black Girls Read” Facebook page.