By pushing for individuals to begin reading at a young age, Pi Beta Phi hopes to play a role in improving those statistics.

Daniels said there are initiatives under the Read > Lead > Achieve platform designed to further advance the cause.

“Through Pi Phi, it goes to First Book and Champions are Readers (CAR), so we get to do hands-on work with kids, and we also get to donate books, which is awesome,” Daniels said.

First Book is an non-profit organization aimed at helping children in need get access to new books. According to its website, the organization has provided more than 135 million books and education resources to schools and programs serving low-income families in Canada and the United States.

On the other hand, Champions are Readers is an original reading initiative under Read >Lead >Achieve targeted at enhancing the reading abilities of children in pre-kindergarten through third grade. Pi Phi members mentor and read with children as part of the program.

Bowman said that she and other chapter members are actively involved in the Champions are Readers initiative.

“I volunteer on Thursdays at a local elementary school with a bunch of other Pi Phis, and some of the money we raise goes to helping so more programs like that,” Bowman said. “It’s really great to see the impact the money we raise can make on those kids.”

According to the Pi Beta Phi national website, other reading initiatives under Read >Lead > Achieve include Fraternity Day of Service, in which Pi Phi members and alumnae from across the nation gather in various cities to distribute books and host events to boost children’s interesting reading, and Arrow in the Arctic, the sorority’s Canadian national philanthropy that helps supply books in libraries in northern Canada, a region with high illiteracy rates.

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