Serving with a Willing Heart: Pi Phi’s Champions are Readers
Written by Jessica Kidwell
This winter, Hillsdale’s Pi Beta Phi sorority resumed its unique reading enrichment program for kindergarten through third-grade students at Gier Elementary School in Hillsdale, Michigan. The Champions are Readers (CAR) program was designed to create an interactive reading and mentoring relationship between Pi Phis and children from their local communities
Resuming the CAR program following the pandemic was a major highlight of Pi Phi’s 2023 spring semester philanthropy efforts. “This initiative brought our sisters together, and we were able to fully embody philanthropic service to others,” said current Chapter President Hannah Allen, ’24.
Abby Fleming, ’25, current Pi Phi vice president of community relations, put a lot of work in with her other sisters to revive the program. After approving the idea with Mrs. Ashley York, ’06, a first- and second-grade looping teacher at Gier Elementary and Michigan Alpha Pi Phi alumnae, Abby helped coordinate the week with Mrs. York to enact CAR.
Pi Phi sisters showed great interest, with about 10 different members attending each day, amounting to nearly 50 girls participating in activities and reading with the students. Mrs. York arranged activities with the students’ work, making it a beneficial and fun way to spend the week.
“On the first day, we arrived early and gave Mrs. York the books we received from Pi Phi headquarters along with the snacks for the ‘celebration’ on the last day,” Abby said. The students split into groups of five and had two “Pi Phi girls” go with each group; they did this every day until the final day, “the graduation ceremony,” where each student received a certificate, shook hands with all of the “Pi Phi Friends,” received a book, and got to build snowmen out of marshmallows, Hershey’s Kisses, and frosting to commemorate a successful CAR program.
“The kids were so sweet; one student told me she wishes she had ‘100 Pi Phi friends!’” Abby said. “This demonstrated that CAR is more than just promoting literacy; it’s also about forming friendships and mentorship with young students, too.This program strengthened the bonds between sisters as they served together, and reminded them of one of their core values: philanthropic service to others. “It’s so important to give back,” Abby said. “With CAR, we could directly see the impact on our local community.” Hannah agreed and said, “I learned patience, how to give to benefit others, and a greater understanding of the impact mentorship has on children.”
Abby found that this program also related to her Hillsdale education, as it reminds us that we are part of a greater community. “As a classical education minor, I am learning about education and how to relate to children and my community,” said Abby. “It can be easy to get lost in the college world and forget that there are still needs to be met around us; CAR puts college students back in their communities.” Hannah said in connecting to the city of Hillsdale, Pi Phi was able to make the students’ week brighter and “gave them something to look forward to every morning when they come to school.”
“Hillsdale’s mission is to develop minds and improve hearts, and CAR improved my heart,” Abby said. “I was able to see students grow, not only in their knowledge but also in their joy and excitement to have so many new friends and mentors, even just for one week.”
Jessie Kidwell, ’24, hails from St. Louis, MO, and studies politics. Outside of the classroom, she loves to workout, watch the St. Louis Cardinals, and be with her Pi Phi sisters!
Published in March 2023