Teaching Values to the Next Generation: ORU’s Drew Formsma Launches the Generous Kids Book Club

Drew Formsma on set during recent book promotion

With the help of television star Candace Cameron Bure, ORU junior Drew Formsma is on a mission to instill values in a generation of children. Drew believes that values are critical for shaping a better world, which is why he recently launched the “Generous Kids Book Club,” a teaching series that begins with the first book, “Jasper G and the Me-Thinking Madness!” The launch is being supported by actress Candace Cameron Bure, who’s helping to promote Drew’s global mission.

“I had the opportunity to pitch this to Candace,” Drew said, “and now she’s helping us as a spokesperson. She’s endorsing the power of transformational generosity, which is what the Book Club teaches. In the first book, Jasper G is the generosity giraffe who changes from a me-thinker to a big-hearted giver. The switch happens when he takes the focus off himself and directs it to the people around him.”

A Path Laid Out by God

In spring of 2022, we sat down with Drew (then a freshman) to talk about his book, “Everyday Generosity: Becoming a Generous Family in a Selfie World.” Since then, Drew says his time at ORU has helped define his path for both leadership and entrepreneurship. It’s a path that, at first, wasn’t entirely known to him, but by trusting the Lord and the Spirit-filled community that surrounds him, Drew discovered who he was meant to be.

“I tried to push in one direction,” Drew said, “but at ORU, I found out that God had something very different for me. I want to be a leader, and I want to fulfill my calling, and on this campus, there are people who’ve stretched me to be the person I am today, and there are leaders who’ve supported my potential. For me, ORU has been the greatest college experience, and the environment here has facilitated the opportunities I now have.”

One of the opportunities Drew continues to follow is teaching children to live purposefully and give joyfully. This teaching is based on “The Seven Ways of Living Generously,” which includes generosity of thoughts, words, time, attention, influence, money, and sharing your belongings. For Drew, generosity helps reveal the character of God and acts as a vehicle for representing Jesus to the next generation.

“The way to move children,” Drew said, “is to help develop their worldview and their morals before the world gets to them. So I decided to create a platform that's going to transform the lives of families and embed values that truly matter. Childhood is a unique period in everyone’s life, and during that time, I want to bridge the gap by having conversations around values and generosity.”

Generosity: It’s What We Need to Be Teaching 

To start conversations that are important for the next generation, Drew created the “Generous Kids Book Club,” a monthly “experience” that includes children’s books, stickers, collector’s cards, and access to digital resources. Right now, Drew plans to release multiple books in the series, each written in the style of Dr. Seuss and each representing a different aspect of generosity.

“One of the books in the series,” Drew said, “is about Ellie the elephant and her stinking thinking.  Ellie’s story represents generous thoughts. There’s also Polly the parrot and her wonderful words, which is a story about generous words. Right now, a lot of parents have the mindset of hunkering down and bubble wrapping their kids, but I want to use these books to change that. Giving and gratitude are values we should teach, and I want to show children how to embrace opportunities—opportunities that come their way every single day—to step out, give back, and practice generosity as a lifestyle.”

UNIVERSITY BRIEF

ORU is a Christian, Spirit-empowered, interdenominational university in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with 15 years of consecutive enrollment growth. Regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, ORU offers over 150 majors, minors, concentrations, and pre-professional programs at the bachelor’s level, ranging from business and engineering to nursing, ministry, and more. Under the leadership of President Dr. William Wilson, ORU is preparing students from all 50 states and 151 nations (from 2019 to 2023) to be whole leaders for the whole world.

The Wall Street Journal ranked ORU as the #8 university in the nation for student experience and one of America's Best Colleges (2024). This new category rates the best colleges in the U.S. to have a great experience while attending. This ranking is powered by one of the largest ever independent surveys of verified college students and recent graduates in the United States. Niche recognizes ORU as one of the top 25 most diverse colleges in America, # 1 best Christian college in Oklahoma, and # 1 in Oklahoma for diversity. Princeton Review ranked ORU as the best regional college, and College Raptor ranked ORU as a Hidden Gem in the Southwest.

ORU has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as:

• #1 in Undergraduate Teaching
• #2 in Most International Students
• #3 in Best Value
• #6 in Best College for Veterans
• #7 in Best Regional Colleges in the West

For more information, visit www.oru.edu.