For my Northern Nevada school district, many students are preparing to go on fall break. Fall break marks the end of the first quarter of the year where students have to push to wake up early in the mornings and get back into the mindset of school after a long summer break. When I first started thinking about ways to support libraries in my community, I wasn’t sure where to begin. The idea of making real change in my community was daunting to me as just a high school student. For my next initiative to raise money for libraries, I decided to partner with my school’s National Honor Society. These students were eager to help their community and after explaining the budget cuts affecting our local libraries, they were eager to help in any way they could.
We decided to start a 3 day bakesale called the “Bakesale for Books!” The bake sale ran for a total of 3 days during school lunch. As fall break was creeping up on us, we decided to make all of our treats fall-themed. Pumpkin and mummy cake pops were decorated for the spooky spirit, cupcakes adorned with candycorn had hints of pumpkin in the batter, we even had fresh banana bread loaves, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, and delicious fudgey brownies. We set up our table right in the main hall where all students meet after rushing out of their classrooms for lunch.
At first, I thought we would be lucky to raise a few hundred dollars if things went well. But once people understood why we were doing it, the response was incredible. Teachers, parents, and students all wanted to help. Many volunteered to help bake goods and some stopped by just to buy something sweet and support the cause.
What stood out most to me, though, were the conversations I had during those lunches. As students bought treats, a surprising number of them admitted that they never used their public library. Some said they didn’t have time, others just hadn’t thought about it. These conversations reminded me that part of helping libraries isn’t just about funding but also about raising awareness. Many people don’t realize how important libraries are until they’re gone.
By the end of the bake sale, we had raised $1,712, and every dollar went toward supporting local libraries facing budget shortages. All proceeds were donated to Friends of Washoe County Library, a nonprofit organization that shared Green Elephant Books’ mission to support the Washoe County Library System in Reno, Nevada.
At the end of the week, we completely sold out! What started as a small lunchtime fundraiser turned into something much more meaningful. The conversations over selling baked treats showed me how powerful small community efforts can be, especially when they bring people together for a shared cause. The Bake Sale for Books showed me that it’s possible to raise awareness for libraries one baked good at a time, showing that students really can make a difference.
-Anna Lee