Making a Difference: Spanish Club students spearhead effort to add books to school libraries

Twelfth-grader Victoria Escobar-Martin has not always felt comfortable with her Cuban heritage, but through a project she initiated as part of the Plymouth Whitemarsh High School Spanish Club, she has come to take great pride in her Hispanic roots and her connection to the nation where many of her family members still live.

And she is hoping that her project, which resulted in the addition of several books featuring Hispanic characters to elementary school libraries, will help other young students to feel the same.

“Growing from hiding my heritage to sharing it with others has been such an exciting journey. It’s something I’m passionate about and puts a smile on my face,” said Victoria.

Victoria, along with fellow Spanish Club member Natalie Lieberman, came up with the idea to purchase library books representative of the Hispanic experience last year. When the club decorated the bridge area of the high school to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage (celebrated every year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15), Victoria said she realized how much she enjoyed educating her fellow students about Hispanic culture and wanted to do more - especially since in doing so, she was able to put aside some of her own negative feelings about being Hispanic. 

“When people that look like me are represented in movies, books, and television shows, we are often shown to be illegal immigrants or prisoners behind bars. I feel that the media does not accurately show what it really means to be Hispanic. This incorrect depiction of my people led me to hate my heritage for years. It wasn't until high school, mainly by joining Spanish Club, that I felt that I could finally be me,” she said. “I never wanted another kid to feel the same hatred against themselves that I did. I decided I wanted kids to accurately see themselves portrayed on the pages of books at our school library.”

Natalie said she and Victoria brainstormed some ideas on how to reach children, and while they considered reading books aloud to younger peers, they eventually settled on the idea of donating books. Then the questions became how they would fund this idea and have the books ordered and delivered to libraries for National Hispanic Heritage Month 2024. They worked quickly at the end of last year to organize a fundraiser called the Nacho Bar. 

The two students took charge of publicizing the April 2024 event in every way possible, and their efforts paid off. They had so many visitors that they ran out of nachos and drinks and collected approximately $170. With the money available, the students then did some research to determine how many books and, more importantly, which books would be donated. 

“I really spent a long time looking at the authors, characters, and their main ideas,” said Victoria. “I wanted the books that we did pick to each be different in their own way.”

With the help of Spanish Club Advisor Katy Geare, the students decided on “My Two Border Towns,” “Areli is a Dreamer,” “Paletero Man,” and “Pledge of Allegiance.” All of the books are approved texts in accordance with the District’s library acquisition policy, and they will be on display in elementary school libraries with other books throughout the remainder of National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Natalie was impressed with Victoria’s earnest efforts to find books that were relatable. The 12th-grader said she gained a lot of perspective in the process, even though she is not Hispanic. 

“Through this, I was able to see the impact these books had on Victoria and will have on the kids in elementary schools. It felt amazing to know that I had a role in helping students see themselves in the books they read and I'll never forget this project,” she said. “I hope that the kids reading these books will be able to connect to the stories and the characters inside in a way that they may not have been able to before. I want students to read our books and either learn, relate, or at least take something new away from the experience.”

Victoria said she has come to realize just how much representation matters. When researching her book choices, she became excited when she felt a connection to the characters she was reading about. 

“When I first started to read the book, ‘My Two Border Towns,’ I was astonished at how much I could relate to the main character. I felt so happy to see brightly colored houses, mango-flavored ice cream, and people playing soccer on the pictures of every page. Through the pages of the book, it felt like I was in Santiago de Cuba. I felt like I was home,” said Victoria. “I want kids to do exactly what I did while reading these books; I want them to point out the parts of their lives that they can relate to. They deserve to get excited and smile when people who look and talk like them are shown on a page of a book.”