RTDM: Lucy Godwin
Lucy Godwin
Teacher, Founder of Beverly Bookmobile
Huttonsville, WV
We want to get to know you! Briefly tell us about yourself: Where you came from, where you've been and how you live your dream (or are working toward it).
I grew up in a rural West Virginia town, attended college in a neighboring county, taught English in South Korea as a Fulbright Scholar for a year, and returned to teach in my home school district. I've been a teacher for 9 years. After teaching at Beverly Elementary for a year, I realized how much our students relied on our school library because we did not have a community library. In an effort to bring books and healthy snacks to our families during the summer months, we started the Beverly Bookmobile. We began in 2017 as a caravan of cars, and expanded last summer, collaborating with numerous community partners to retrofit a school bus into a real mobile library.
How do you define success and how do you stay motivated to keep working toward it?
Success is trying to the best of your ability to use your resources, time, and talents to better yourself and your community.
What’s been your biggest challenge, perceived failure or fear and how did you overcome it?
I found out I was expecting my son the first summer of the project. My biggest challenge has been balancing giving my best self to my family while fulfilling my desire to serve my community in a meaningful way.
What’s the best advice you’d give to a younger you?
I would tell the younger me to be confident and surround yourself with people who listen, encourage, and celebrate your unique talents and passions.
Share a book, quote and/or idea that's impacted you the most:
As overused as this phrase my be the quote that really resonates in my personal and professional life is "It takes a village." The Beverly Bookmobile has been a true community effort. Many hands and hearts have shared unique talents and ideas that have made our project a success. And- let's be serious, if I didn't have an incredibly supportive husband, family, friends, and colleagues I couldn't accomplish much of anything.
What are you most proud of? Go ahead, boast a little!
When I think back to our first summer of the Bookmobile, I almost laugh at how ridiculous we looked! I am most proud of how far we have come in a short amount of time. After a few months of searching for our school bus, we had the bus in our possession and two months later it was transformed into a beautiful mobile library and farmer's market.
What is something surprising about you?
I am quite disorganized!
What is your favorite vice/guilty pleasure/strange habit? Come on now, we all have them!
Chocolate....too much.
Share a time when a perceived failure was actually a blessing in disguise.
The Sunday night before our grand opening of the Bookmobile's retrofitted school bus, volunteers met to take the bus on a practice run. As we were traveling to one of our last stops, the bus started blowing blue smoke and wouldn't accelerate over 25 miles per hour. We immediately turned around and went back to Beverly Elementary. The bus driver contacted our district mechanic, and things did not look optimistic. The bus driver commented that our bus may not be able to run for several weeks. We all started crying...and then laughing. We decided that our inaugural run, would become a stationary Open Bus and Ribbon Cutting. This change ended up being a blessing in disguise! Cheryl Ware, a WV author, was there to sign books, community members were able to leisurely visit the bus, children had time to pull books off the shelf and enjoy reading time, and great conversation was had. If our bus hadn't broke down, our opening day would have been too rushed and not as enjoyable! The bus was fixed by our second week, but a teacher made a bumper sticker for the Bookmobile that says #topspeedof25 to remind us of the evening the bus broke down!
What’s MOST important to you right now?
Spending quality time with my family
Who is the Risk Taker Dream Maker(s) that inspires you? Why?
Kate Reed & Valerie Hart Warner- they have founded Wonder & Grow West Virginia, and have provided amazing outdoor nature mindfulness experiences for my students!
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