Little Rock School District scholars attending Metropolitan Career Technical Center (Metro) are literally using their handiwork to impact the community. Dontavious Johnson, Matthew Bradford, and Leovardo Huerta joined forces with the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (AKAs) in a unified effort to enhance literacy in the Morrilton community. Together, they built and donated an outdoor library to the city, a testament to their shared commitment and dedication to supporting reading.
Metro scholars are actively involved in career and technical student organizations (CSTO) SkillsUSA, where they hone their technical, personal, and workplace skills to support student success. Johnson, Bradford, and Huerta recently won a gold medal at the SkillsUSA State and Leadership Competition in Hot Springs and will compete at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills competition in Atlanta, Georgia, June 24-29.
The outdoor library they recently constructed was part of a community service project undertaken with the sorority to serve a much broader purpose. While initially designed for children, it will ultimately provide a space where individuals of all ages can access free books and contribute books they no longer need. This initiative aims to serve as a beacon of hope, promoting the joy of reading to everyone, especially those who may not normally have access to books and wish to enhance their literacy skills.
The scholars and their teacher expressed their appreciation to Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, a sisterhood of more than 355,000 members across global chapters.
“The AKAs are an exceptional organization that focuses on empowering communities and advocating for social justice,” said Metro construction instructor Toyoshima Gray. “This partnership has been a constant source of inspiration for us. The AKAs have substantially contributed to this project by providing the resources and support to effect positive change. The outdoor library project is a testament to their influence and mission to equip individuals with tools and encouragement to make a difference. We are proud that our scholars were able to be a part of this powerful project,” Gray added.