For over 16 years, the Southwest Backpack Literacy Program has quietly made a big impact on young readers across the 9-R School District. Spearheaded by Terry Hutchison, a longtime educator and owner of the Durango shop, YESS The Book Hutch, a community-driven effort, has helped thousands of students discover and/or enhance the joy of reading.

A Mission to Spark Literacy

The program began with a simple but powerful goal: to increase reading productivity. With the help of local grant funding and community support, that goal has remained central to the program’s mission to place high-quality, personalized books into the hands of young readers who need them most.

What started modestly has now grown into a full-school initiative. This year alone, the program packed and delivered 122 backpacks filled with carefully selected books. In total, the program has provided over 1,600 backpacks and 10,000 books to young readers.

Tailored for Every Child

The effort begins in early Spring, when participating teachers provide information about their students’ reading levels and interests. From there, Terry curates book selections designed to engage and inspire each reader. In May and April, the books are ordered, sorted, and packed—alongside journals, crayons, pencils, and puzzles—into backpacks that are ready to go.

This year, 122 Fort Lewis Mesa Elementary School students in PreK through 5th grades received their own customized backpack, packed with literary treasures and learning tools to fuel summer learning.

The Educator Behind the Effort

Terry Hutchison brings over 40 years of educational experience to the table. She spent 21 years teaching in Summit County, Aspen, and the University of Colorado’s School of Education, prior to returning to her hometown to work for the Durango 9-R School District for 15 years, serving as Director of Elementry Curriculum, Staff Development and Title 1 Reading before returning to teaching children and providing graduate courses for local educators.

In 1993, Terry founded YESS The Book Hutch, a local resource for teachers, parents, and students. The store’s abbreviation, “Your. Education. Support. Service.”, reflects her lifelong commitment to helping children learn and grow. In 1997, her little shop “expanded” its content to offer literature for everyone, all ages, with a multitude of genres.

Powered by Community

The Southwest Backpack Literacy Program wouldn’t be possible without the help of local organizations and everyday citizens. Generous support has come from organizations such as:

• High Noon Rotary
• Durango Elks Club #57
• Durango Area Association of Realtors (DAAR)
• Cedar Networks
• The Bank of the San Juans

As well as individual community members, like Ryan Cox, who has written grants to help finance the program, and deliver the materials to schools; Debra Parmenter, who has helped fill and deliver backpacks every year, former educators Sandra Mapel and Paulette Giambattista, as well as countless community members, who contribute when they witness the program’s signature backpacks being filled in the bookstore.

Thanks to this network of support, hundreds of local students head into summer with backpacks full of books and the tools they need to keep reading and learning.

Want to Help?

To support the Southwest Literacy Backpack Program or learn more, visit YESS the Book Hutch in Downtown Durango at 143 E 9th St or reach out to Terry Hutchison directly. Every book, backpack, and bit of encouragement helps build a brighter future, one reader at a time.