St. Mary Academy - Bay View sophomore Caroline Kanaczet has received a $5,000 scholarship from Transform RI for her Big Idea, to expand and provide basic resources and services to local and public libraries, focusing on people in need.

The Papitto Opportunity Connection has invested more than $3.4 million in Rhode Island students through the Transform RI Scholarship. This marks the third year that they have done this.

Kanaczet was one of 400 students who had applied for a Transform RI Scholarship. The prompt for the essay was “If you had a million dollars to improve the lives of those who need it most in Rhode Island, how would you do it?” Kanaczet’s Big Idea is to expand resources to local libraries across Rhode Island.

By enhancing services in local libraries, Caroline feels the community could focus on those in the community who need assistance. Her idea is multifaceted and includes providing free vaccination clinics to those who do not have healthcare, access to community gardens along with nutrition education, a traveling social worker who offer assistance to patrons, and a summer reading ramp-up program for children in kindergarten and first grade. Kanaczet’s program would last a couple of weeks during the summer.

In her Big Idea, Kanaczet would also like to install and provide free access to washers and dryers, in local libraries.

 “I have noticed an increase in homeless patrons using the library and I thought that these resources might really improve their lives,” Kanaczet said. “I think if washers and dryers were available free in libraries, people would use them and be able to access useful information at the same time. I believe if these resources were made available for free, more patrons might feel more confident and more able to apply to new jobs.”

Kanaczet credits her inspiration for this idea from her time at the Warwick Public Library, where she volunteered and spent time there growing up. She said, “I have grown up in my community library both through story times, activities, and volunteer work. I think investing funds into the implementation of these resources in libraries in high-need areas could truly improve the lives of many Rhode Islanders most in need.”

Kanaczet plans to host her Big Idea at any library in Rhode Island willing to have them.

When asked if she would like to continue her idea past high school and college, Kanaczet said, “I would like to, I don’t know if it’s possible, but I would like to try.”

When asked what it means to receive the scholarship, Kanaczet said, “I am happy to represent my school.” She continued, “People know that there are changes that we could make and that’s one way to do it.”

Kanaczet will put the $5,000 scholarship into her 529 fund of college.

 “I am very grateful to have received this scholarship because it will help my family afford college.” A sophomore at St. Mary’s Academy – Bay View, she is thinking about majoring in business and finance.

 Kanaczet’s advice to students who may want to apply for the Transform RI Scholarship is, “Don’t hesitate, be confident in your abilities, and put out any idea that you have.” Kanaczet continued, “This is such a great opportunity that you don’t want to pass up. I didn’t really think that I was going to win but then I did, but then I did, so any idea you have, just put it out there.”

St. Mary Academy - Bay View Academy sophomore Caroline Kanaczet’s Big Idea is to help others and expand resources to libraries in Rhode Island, and to help others in need, and this is a great goal to aspire to achieve.