Reading rooms reach west Houston students in apartments

David Resendez, 8, gets lost in a beanbag and a book at the Kids' Reading Room at Hammerly Walk Apartments David Resendez, 8, gets lost in a beanbag and a book at the Kids' Reading Room at Hammerly Walk Apartments less David Resendez, 8, gets lost in a beanbag and a book at the Kids' Reading Room at Hammerly Walk Apartments David Resendez, 8, gets lost in a beanbag and a book at the Kids' Reading Room at Hammerly Walk ... more Photo: R. Clayton McKee, Freelance Photo: R. Clayton McKee, Freelance Image 1 of / 6 Caption Close Reading rooms reach west Houston students in apartments 1 / 6 Back to Gallery

Now that her grand vision to ensure all children have access to books and encouragement to read outside school is being realized, Patricia Schappell has the gratifying challenge of trying to keep up with her expanding nonprofit The Kids' Reading Room.

Schappell is seeking regular adult volunteers to oversee and read to children who drop by reading rooms she set up at three Spring Branch apartment complexes. There's a need for more books, more storage and in the future for more shelves and furniture as she expands her efforts into other apartment complexes.

"Our No. 1 need is adult volunteers to work the rooms after school on certain days," said Schappell, who goes by Trish. "The second need is for books for children in prekindergarten through fourth grade."

Schappell opened her third reading room in August at Hammerly Walk Apartments, 8787 Hammerly, with help from Boy Scout Josh Castro, who collected 3,000 books for his Eagle Scout project.

The large second-floor room is furnished with couches and tables and lined with full book shelves, offering a homey atmosphere for the children who live in the complex. Students from Spring Woods High School Key Club come to read to the children, who on any given Monday afternoon when the room is open, number around 25.

"The purpose is to promote literacy and instill a love of reading in their own apartment community," said Schappell, an interdisciplinary coach at Rummel Creek Elementary in Spring Branch Independent School District.

Schappell, who for most of her 21 years in education taught math and science, founded the nonprofit with her husband, Vincent, two years ago after attending a weeklong reading training program, taught by University of Houston professor Margaret Hale.

She had an epiphany about low-income children and reading.

"I realized these kids have got to read," she said. "I felt like I had to do something. I thought, 'Wouldn't it be amazing to set up a room in an apartment complex?'"

With books donated by friends and colleagues and a $1,000 start-up grant, Schappell launched the first reading room in November 2013 at Castlewood Apartments, 7000 Westivew.

"It's a great amenity that really shows we are interested in our children," manager Joei Hayes said. "We want (the children) to feel at home here and be a part of our community and give them a place like it belongs to them."

The second reading room opened in February at Gentry House Apartments, 9001 Kempwood.

Hale said the reading rooms reinforce the value of reading especially with children who don't have books at home or whose parents are busy or don't speak English.

"If we can get them to enjoy reading, we can get them reading not only in the classroom but outside the classroom, so they can become a self-guided learner," she said.

Meanwhile, other developments are propelling the Schappells' nonprofit.

With help from University of Houston business students, the website is up and running. Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation has listed The Kids' Reading room as a partner on its Website www.connect4literacy.org, and a small storage area has been made available, thanks to Good Steward Global Initiative and The Houston Food Bank.

"My goal is to grow and have a reading room in every apartment complex," Schappell said.