LaSalle student is Santa of textbooks

Students in Nigeria have textbooks and other reading materials because of the efforts of a LaSalle Institute student.

Garrett Rappazzo, a senior at LaSalle Institute in Troy, has collected more than 180,000 new and used textbooks, reading books and reference and educational resources and had them delivered to people in need in Nigeria.

His efforts recently earned him an award from the Association of Nigerians in the Capital District. The award was presented to him by Chief Edwin Kaliku, president of the association of Nigerians in the Capital District.

"He is an excellent young man," Chief Kaliku said. "He is a very hard-working young man. He is the tree that makes a difference in the forest. He is a blessing to the African community."

Chief Kaliku said the books, which were valued at more than $6 million, were sent to schools and libraries throughout Nigeria. The donations are being used at schools and libraries in the cities of Agbor, Asaba, Owa and Delta State.

Books to shelves
The chief said the donations are especially important be-cause the schools and libraries receive no government funding and depend on private donations. Education is critical to changing the lives of the people in Nigeria, he said.

Garrett said he spends on average an hour each week collecting books. He picks up books from individual donors, schools and libraries across the Capital District. Garrett said that Questar III BOCES, an agency that provides special services for school districts, has been especially generous.

"They call me when school districts change textbooks," he explained.

At times, Garrett said, the family garage is stacked with books. They also use a storage unit to hold the books until they have enough to ship overseas.

He said he first became interested in helping collect books for those in need when his older sister, Allie, became certified to tutor people in English as a second language. "The amount of people who are illiterate is mind-boggling," he told The Evangelist.

Garrett and his sister, who is now a college student at the State University of New York at Cortland, formed an organization called "LEAP" - "Literacy Education for All People."

Spreading words
Affiliated with Literacy Vol-unteers of Rensselaer County, Garrett and Allie coordinate events that get school-aged youth involved with literacy activities. The two have organized events that raise the awareness of young people about literacy issues, as well as raising funds to help pay for needed services and supplies.

Garrett said new and gently used books of all kinds are needed. "We take all sorts of books," he added, "from preschool to college level."

He has had several book drives at LaSalle and his peers and their families have been generous.

In addition to his interest in literacy, Garrett is a member of the school's cross-country and track teams as well as the drill team. He plans on attending Cornell in the fall and will major in biological engineering.

He is confident that his efforts to collect books can continue. "We have a good system for book donations," he said.

Garrett believes all young people can make the world a better place. Said the student: "You need to find a cause you believe in and put your heart into it."

(12/17/09) [[In-content Ad]]