Inside a warehouse on South 111th Street, teacher Susan O'Neill walked through a treasure trove of children's books. O'Neill is taking 150 of them back to her elementary school in Lincoln as gifts for her students."I'm hoping it's going to feel kind of like Christmas day or something exciting like that," she said.As O'Neill, other teachers, and more advocacy groups discover the perfect stories for kids, Amy Southerland and her fellow members of Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women feel they are helping mold the next generations on Nebraskan leaders."I've had tears in my eyes three times already today. so excited, they're so thankful," she said. Southerland, the organization's vice president alumnae, said this effort in Omaha was part of Pi Beta Phis's national day of service - its goal is to promote literacy among younger students who may not otherwise have access to books at home."It's not just about them loving to read -- reading is how we learn how to do things, and so we want them to feel comfortable with it," Southerland said. For teachers like O'Neill, it was a wonderful opportunity for the community to make an impact."It's easy to take for granted something as simple as books," she said. O'Neill said parents also have a role in developing a child's love for reading."Read with your children.Parents are the first teachers, and so, if we can help more kids reading at home and reading with their families, we're going to help kids learn how to read," O'Neill said.Including the Omaha chapter, Pi Beta Phi donated 80,000 books to children in four major U.S. cities, as part of the national event.

Inside a warehouse on South 111th Street, teacher Susan O'Neill walked through a treasure trove of children's books. O'Neill is taking 150 of them back to her elementary school in Lincoln as gifts for her students.

"I'm hoping it's going to feel kind of like Christmas day or something exciting like that," she said.


As O'Neill, other teachers, and more advocacy groups discover the perfect stories for kids, Amy Southerland and her fellow members of Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women feel they are helping mold the next generations on Nebraskan leaders.

"I've had tears in my eyes three times already today. [The teachers are] so excited, they're so thankful," she said.

Southerland, the organization's vice president alumnae, said this effort in Omaha was part of Pi Beta Phis's national day of service - its goal is to promote literacy among younger students who may not otherwise have access to books at home.

"It's not just about them loving to read -- reading is how we learn how to do things, and so we want them to feel comfortable with it," Southerland said. For teachers like O'Neill, it was a wonderful opportunity for the community to make an impact.

"It's easy to take for granted something as simple as books," she said. O'Neill said parents also have a role in developing a child's love for reading.

"Read with your children.Parents are the first teachers, and so, if we can help more kids reading at home and reading with their families, we're going to help kids learn how to read," O'Neill said.

Including the Omaha chapter, Pi Beta Phi donated 80,000 books to children in four major U.S. cities, as part of the national event.