KEEP Liberia, U.S. Church Dedicate Reading Room in Barnesville | News

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The Kids’ Educational Engagement Project (KEEP Liberia) has dedicated a fully equipped reading room containing more than 2,000 books at Barnesville Public High School, marking a significant step in efforts to expand literacy and improve learning opportunities for students.

The initiative, supported by Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in the United States, also includes the donation of five HP laptops to KEEP Liberia’s Digital Literacy Program, strengthening access to technology and digital education.

The reading room is part of KEEP Liberia’s Promoting Literacy Pillar, which seeks to improve reading skills among children and young people by expanding access to books, creating welcoming learning spaces and supporting literacy instruction.

For Barnesville Public High School, the dedication carries particular significance. School authorities disclosed that the institution, established in the early 1930s, had never previously had a library.

The new facility provides students with a dedicated space to read, study and conduct research, while supporting improvements in reading fluency, comprehension and vocabulary.

Speaking at the dedication ceremony, KEEP Liberia Executive Director Brenda Brewer Moore expressed gratitude to Mount Pleasant Baptist Church for its continued partnership and investment in education in Liberia.

“We are deeply grateful to Mount Pleasant Baptist Church for partnering with us to invest in the future of Liberia’s children. This reading room is more than just a space filled with books; it is a gateway to knowledge, imagination, opportunity, and lifelong learning (wealth),” Moore stated.

She urged school administrators, teachers and students to make regular use of the facility and take collective responsibility for maintaining it.

“The better this reading room is maintained and utilized, the stronger our commitment will be to continue supporting this institution through our Digital Literacy Program and the establishment of reading clubs that will host regular Saturday reading sessions,” she added.

The commitment to establish reading clubs and organize Saturday sessions is intended to encourage consistent reading habits beyond regular classroom activities.

The five HP laptops donated by Mount Pleasant Baptist Church will support KEEP Liberia’s Digital Literacy Program, complementing the reading initiative by widening students’ access to digital learning resources.

The combined investment in books and technology reflects the organization’s approach to literacy development, which links traditional reading skills with the digital competencies young people increasingly need for education and future employment.

Education officials, including the District Education Officer, the school principal and the Parent-Teacher Association chairperson, commended KEEP Liberia and its U.S. partner for investing in the school’s learning environment.

School representatives described the reading room as a historic development for Barnesville Public High School, noting that generations of students had attended the institution without a dedicated library.

“This is a historic moment for our school. For decades, our students have gone without a library. Today, KEEP Liberia and Mount Pleasant Baptist Church have opened the doors of literacy and opportunity for our students,” a school representative said.

The Barnesville facility is the 53rd reading room KEEP Liberia has established in schools and communities across the country, extending the organization’s efforts to make books more accessible to young learners.

Through its Promoting Literacy Pillar, KEEP Liberia continues to establish reading spaces, provide books and support literacy instruction, while increasingly incorporating digital learning into its programs.

The organization says its approach is designed to help young people develop strong reading skills alongside the technological knowledge needed to navigate an increasingly digital world.

Moore reaffirmed KEEP Liberia’s commitment to building partnerships that strengthen schools, expand access to educational resources and create lasting opportunities for students.

The dedication at Barnesville Public High School adds to the organization’s ongoing efforts to promote literacy and improve learning conditions, while providing students with a facility school authorities say had been missing for decades.