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March 1, 2024

Third through fifth graders at McWillie Elementary School now have a new space to kick back and relax while reading.

The Soul Café, a signature program of the United Way of the Capital Area, is designed for students to experience a “coffee house vibe” where they select a book, read while relaxing in a comfy, quiet space with a cup of hot chocolate or juice, and can share their reading with others via verbal, written, artistic, or other modes of expression.

There are more than 30 different (appropriate grade-level and reading-level) book titles in the Café featuring diverse characters, topics, and genres with 2-3 copies of each book, which allows organic “reading groups” to form based on the book a student chooses to read.

Students will engage in Literature Circles, a “book club” format which allows them to serve different roles, such as the summarizer, illustrator, and connector, to set a variety of purposes while reading, with the ultimate goal being to foster a love of reading and connecting with others.

The Soul Café at McWillie Elementary School is a product of partnership between the United Way of the Capital Area and Trustmark Bank, with the initial funding provided by United Way and the supplemental funds provided by Trustmark.