North Bay prisoners to receive gift of self-help books from high school students

Peopleincarcerated at the North Bay jail will soon have new educational opportunities thanks to the efforts of two high school students from southern Ontario.

A book delivery program called Bright Pages is the product of efforts between Anthony Li from Toronto and Feiyang Lao from Waterloo.

The two became friends after meeting at debate tournaments.

The issue of inequities in education became a hot topic of discussion between the two and they delved into the idea of coming up with some solutions.

They've started to network with correctional facilities to offer deliveries of books to help prisoners cope and even prepare for life outside.

Li, who is a grade 11 student at St. Robert Catholic High School is planning the first delivery of books to the North Bay jail next week; primarily books about science and self-help.

First book shipment to North Bay jail to happen next week

According to its website, the jail is a 121-bed maximum security facility housing both men and women awaiting trial, sentencing, transfers, immigration hearings or deportation or for people serving sentences of less than 120 days.

Li says they've already provided books to the Stratford jail and the Vanier Centre for Women in Milton, Ont.

The two high school students hope to highlight the lack of educational resources in prisons and a shortage of books or textbooks for prisoners who want to improve themselves and who will someday be released and expected to lead regular lives.

Lao, is going into Grade 12 at Cameron Heights Collegiate and was elected as the student trustee for the Waterloo Region District School Board.

He says even novels can help interest inmates in reading more and picturing lives different fromthe ones they've led.

"People who are within correctional facilities can also very well be your neighbour when they're finished with these sentences, he said. "They could very well be people who are within your society and it's a very great alternative if they are able to enter society with access to education they got previously within these correctional facilities. They mayhave this better outcome when they're entering the world and will be a better neighbor."

But this project hasn't been an easy one.

Li says it's become clear that there are logistical issues in sending books to prisons which are overcrowded and don't have infrastructure to manage libraries.

"Even if there's a library system that's set up, that doesn't really necessarily mean that there are books going to these libraries on a consistent basis, said Li. "So that means the books that currently do exist in the library system are oftentimes outdated for these prisoners to use. And, therefore, the library system is actually not super sufficient for them to access a good supply of books".

The pair apply for grants to buy used books and they also accept donations.

So far, feedback from inmates has been positive, citing a letter that came from the Stratford jail.

"One comment said that this book takes our minds where our bodies can't go," said Li. "So I think that was a very deep phrase in that he (the inmate) says that by being able to read these books, he's sort of able to escape the reality of prison life and they're able to see these books as a way to cope and and spend the time."

Li said personally, he finds the work rewarding because he and Luo both come from diverse neighbourhoods and their friends have different backgrounds, which he says drives home the need to provide equal opportunities to all.