By Ni Baliness
Giving back is the foundation for business graduate student Quinn Bentley and his goal of collecting 1,500 books for students at Carl E. Gilbert Elementary School in Buena Park.
From April 28 to May 16, Bentley has designated the first floor of the University Library, the campus housing villages and the Associated Students, Inc. government offices in USU-229 as donation drop-off locations.
The inspiration behind the drive, Bentley said, was from the 10 years he spent working in public education, including at Gilbert Elementary.
During his time working with students, he taught in Title I schools, which are schools that are federally funded and serve a low-income population.
“Out of all the schools I’ve worked at, this was one where I thought there was the biggest need,” Bentley said. “But the school community itself is a thriving community.”
Along with community partnerships that help students find food, shelter and housing, Bentley thought he could contribute academically – to boost the school’s reading scores and so the students have books of their own.
For Bentley, the book drive is personal, as he considered himself “functionally illiterate” until he was 19 and 20 years old. Having ADHD, it was hard for him to focus.
“I kind of had to learn, to learn,” Bentley said.
Due to this, Bentley said he has spent a lot of his career helping kids “learn how to learn,” which he feels is an extension of giving back.
The drive’s focus is on transitional kindergarten to fifth grade levels, with Bentley calling for more early reader books, picture books and books that interest students including those about dinosaurs or sports.
One of the donation boxes for the “1,500 books for kids in need” book drive, taken on April 30 on the first floor of the University Library. Quinn Bentley, the drive’s organizer, said there is “no rhyme or reason for what makes a school enjoyable to work at,” as he looks favorably upon his time spent with students, leadership and teachers at Gilbert Elementary. Photo credit: Ni Baliness
Aside from teaching, Bentley has been able to harness what he has learned as a business student into the book drive.
Learning about business development and its teachings of partnering with others to further your own brand, Bentley hopes to implement that idea between Long Beach State and Gilbert Elementary.
“If [the students] do decide to go to college, CSULB is going to be top of their list because it’s going to be what they can afford,” Bentley said. “So let’s get in there now and make a presence in these communities now.”
Planning the drive alongside Bentley, is fourth-year molecular cell biology and physiology major, Huy Pham. Pham teamed up with Bentley because of his own history of growing up and not having enough books to read.
For Pham, the book drive is not just to give books to children – its to provide opportunities for children to disappear in the world of reading and “erase the gap” in education inequality.
“I want to make sure it doesn’t just stop with Gilbert Elementary either,” Pham said. “I want to start trying to see if there are other low-income or less fortunate elementary schools that may also need some books.”
