Alexa Grabelle is not your average high school student.
  Winning the Selfless Student award, the Community Involvement Recognition Award, and the Presidential Volunteer Service Award all by the age of 16, Grabelle is the difference maker our world desperately needs.

  When Grabelle was 10 years old, she learned about the dangers of the summer slide. The summer slide is the tendency for students to forget valuable skills they learned in the previous school year, which leaves students at a disadvantage at the beginning of the next school year.

  The summer slide is more severe in low income families where literature is not easily obtained, and Grabelle saw this as a major problem that needed to be solved.

  To combat losing skills during the summer, Grabelle started an organization called “Bags of Books”, which collects and then distributes books to underprivileged children.

   As of December, 2017, Grabelle has collected and distributed over 130,000 books.

 To promote book donations, Grabelle goes into many schools, colleges, and companies. After the books are donated, she brings them to her house, where she sorts through them by grade level. When the sorting is complete, Grabelle sends the books to schools in need.

  Grabelle says the students are ecstatic when they receive their books. “They are always overcome with joy,” Grabelle said. “I’ve had students hug me and say it’s the best day of the year.”

  Along with the radiant smiles from the students, Grabelle says she receives many notes thanking her for her contributions.  

  Running a successful program is hard work for Grabelle. She is constantly checking her email, updating social media, and contacting companies for potential donations.

 Through her networking, Grabelle was able to come in contact with the founder of the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP), Mike Feinberg, who manages over 200 charter schools across America. Because of her connection, Grabelle is now able to donate to the KIPP charter schools.

   Despite being young, Grabelle is confident in her ability to make a positive change.

  “The program makes me feel like even though I am young, I have the ability to make a difference in the world,” Grabelle said. “It inspired me to teach others that they have the possibility to do the same.”