By ROSEGALIE CINEUS
Beacon Media Workers Author
Melissa Gonzalez Gutierrez, freshly graduated from Cranston Excessive Faculty West, is sharing the ability of studying with deprived children, and she or he’s gotten slightly little bit of assist: $1,000,000.
Successful the 2025 Remodel Rhode Island Scholarship, 17-year-old Gutierrez’s million-dollar thought is to advertise literacy in underserved communities by constructing inventive and personalised little libraries.
A little bit library is a small, community-run book-sharing station – normally a adorned field – the place anybody can freely take a e-book or go away one to share.
Born in Spain, Gutierrez mentioned she didn’t communicate English properly as a toddler. Then, in second grade, her trainer informed Gutierrez’s mom she must keep again as a result of her studying wasn’t robust sufficient.
Decided to go the grade, Gutierrez mentioned she started studying books on daily basis. A number of months later, she moved on to the following grade. It’s a transition she remembers vividly.
“Studying was the factor that pushed me to maneuver on to the following degree,” Gutierrez mentioned. “I feel books are very influential and highly effective when you’ve got the appropriate one.”
Now she is paying it ahead. She says her little libraries program might be for teenagers statewide, from third to twelfth grade.
Gutierrez says her program might be led by lecturers impressing upon children the significance of studying and literacy. These courses might be hands-on, and whereas studying about studying, the youngsters will work on constructing their very own little libraries.
As soon as the little libraries are constructed, they are going to be positioned in low-income neighborhoods so children in these communities could have quick access to the enlightening world of books.
Gutierrez mentioned the three communities she centered on in her thought have been Central Falls, Pawtucket and Windfall.
Out of greater than 600 purposes, Gutierrez’s thought received the million-dollar funding competitors held by the Rhode Island nonprofit scholarship organizer Papitto Alternative Connection.
Stephanie Kaffenberger, Cranston West’s English Language Arts division chair, had Gutierrez in courses as a freshman and a senior. Gutierrez was a standout, she mentioned.
“I feel she sees plenty of the issues that want to alter in society, and she or he might be one of many folks to do this,” Kaffenberger mentioned. “And this scholarship will give her the boldness to do it.”
Gutierrez was introduced because the winner on the scholarship ceremony held on the Graduate by Hilton Windfall on Might 28. Along with the monetary backing, Gutierrez will obtain a $25,000 scholarship and could have a seat on the Papitto Alternative Connection’s board of administrators.
Gutierrez mentioned she felt immense gratitude for being there within the first place. She was grateful for the folks supporting her and was excited her thought was chosen because the winner.
“To even make it this far, thanks,” Gutierrez mentioned about her being a finalist for the scholarship. “My aim wasn’t to be first place.”
However what turned out to be a shock for Gutierrez started as a devoted effort to create a undertaking that spoke to her ardour for studying.
She first utilized for a similar scholarship two years in the past with a last-minute sports activities thought, however she didn’t win. After, she made a promise to herself to turn out to be a prime 10 finalist with an concept that was true to her.
What adopted was greater than six months of preparation and planning centered on one theme: books.
From a listing of any concepts that got here to thoughts, on-the-street interviews with group members on how they felt about studying to creating a web site about her thought for the judges, Gutierrez felt prepared to use when purposes opened in January.
Following her entry into the highest 10, Gutierrez was chosen because the winner of the scholarship by a panel of judges that included state Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Schooling Angélica M. Infante-Inexperienced and the managing trustee of POC, John Tarantino.
As Gutierrez develops the little libraries program, she will even be getting ready for a brand new chapter of her personal: school. She is going to attend Windfall Faculty this fall, finding out political science and planning to turn out to be a lawyer.
