Academic and Behavior School West educators Tammy Gakou and Daniel Etter are bringing books and joy to Harris County students. The duo is facilitating a book drive to collect new and gently used stories for students to create a “library on wheels” that will travel to classrooms around campus. 

“I hope the books we collect will not only improve our student’s literacy but also provide an escape or world they can immerse themselves in,” Etter said. “This cart is going to be something that not only the students currently enrolled will enjoy but also the students in the years to come.”  

The project is more than a chapter in their teaching journey; it’s part of Gakou and Etter’s curriculum as candidates in the teacher residency program. Harris County Department of Education’s (HCDE) Special School leaders partnered with Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) to launch the inaugural cohort in August. The nearly two-year initiative culminates in candidates earning their teacher certification and master’s degree in education.  

Blending hands-on experience with advanced academic training, candidates maintain busy schedules with their full-time positions as HCDE educators and attend weekly online classes at PVAMU that provide insight into classroom management skills, instructional planning and content methodologies.  

“It’s definitely been challenging to balance everything, but I think we are all pushing forward because we have a passion to work with these students,” Gauko said. “The program itself is excellent, and I’m excited to be stepping into this next phase of my career.”  

Gakou and Etter contacted community partners to express the importance of childhood literacy and secured donations and sponsorships from Scholastic and Seoul Baptist Church of Houston. The books collected will build ABS West’s first official library and help students improve their reading, writing and communication skills through literacy activities across academic subjects. 

“I think this is going to be great for our students, and I hope our effort will inspire the other campuses or that we have enough books to share with them so their students can benefit from this drive,” Etter said.  

The teacher-resident candidates organized drop-off locations at ABS West and HCDE’s Irvington and North Post Oak locations where employees and community members can donate books through Dec. 20.  

“We serve a wide range of students at our facilities, from Pre-K to 23 years old, and we want our donations to reflect that demographic,” Gauko explained. “So, these books can be anything from activity books, coloring books, chapter books and the fundamentals of ABCs.”  

Upon completion of the project, the pair will be on track to obtain their teacher certification by May 2025.  

To learn more about HCDE’s Special Schools, visit hcde-texas.org/special-schools.