Country School Eighth-Grader Collects and Donates 6,000 Books to Horizons

“When I was younger, I participated in a buddy program which paired me with a Horizons student, and we became good friends. That’s when I first realized that not everyone had access to books or the ability to take them home and cherish them, the way that I did,” said Michael. “Later, in the sixth grade, I was helping to set up a fundraiser at my school, and I became familiar with the idea of used book fairs. I thought - this is a great idea! If everyone just donated and recycled their books, other people could enjoy them too. So I held onto that idea.”

Meanwhile, Michael became active in Boy Scout Troop 70 of New Canaan, over time working his way through badges and developing the skills to be a contributing member of a community. “The Eagle Scout project is like a capstone of the entire scouting experience where everything we have been learning comes together. I knew right away that I wanted to focus my project on reading and getting books into the hands of children with limited access. I just wasn’t entirely sure how I was going to get enough books together to hold a book fair.” So he started out small, reaching out to friends, family, and his neighborhood; then his school and eventually people from all over began to offer help and words of encouragement. 

Michael is quick to point out that the kindness of the community “blew him away” and he was so surprised by what happened once news spread. “Good Morning Wilton ran a great piece about what I was trying to accomplish, and it really helped to get the word out to everyone. Elm Street Books of New Canaan and the Wilton Library were also amazing and gave me a lot of brand new surplus books and gently used books. I am so grateful to them.” 

“My school allowed me to put donation bins around campus and everyone there started dropping off books,” he continued.

His favorite, most poignant donation came from a person who showed up at his house with a box of dusty old adventure classics. The person dropping them off explained that they had belonged to a deceased relative who had been very active in Boy Scouts in his youth. “The person said that they could think of no finer way to honor his memory than to donate his collection of books to an Eagle Scout project,” said Michael. “That really choked me up.” 

Additional support came by way of words of encouragement and daily check-ins. “My seventh grade math teacher, Mr. [Andrew] Johnson, would ask me every day how my scouting was going,” recounted Michael. “He always wanted to know what badge I was working on and we talked a lot about it. I really valued —and still do today— his interest in my project and in me as a person.” 

Once the books had been collected and organized, Michael approached the Horizons at Country School administrators about the logistics of holding a book fair. “We were delighted to help Michael with this project,” said Horizons Office and Development Manager Ginny Pracilio.”I’ve known Michael since he participated in our buddy program and I’m so pleased that his love for reading and commitment to service have led him back to us.”

The book fair will be held on the Country School grounds, is free of charge and open to the 400 under-resourced students served by the Horizons at New Canaan program.