Harpur Fellows n Maura
McDevitt also used her
funding to connect with youth through language by reviving a Staten Island library summer reading program, whose budget had been cut to $100 for the entire summer. With ice cream socials, prizes and raffles to bring children into the library and read on their own, the program attracted more than 250 students. McDevitt got to know some well and loved helping them keep up with their reading between school Sarah SanGiovanni taught kids how to express themselves through writing.
years. “Some of the
Maura McDevitt revived a summer reading program.
most rewarding n Harpur College senior Sarah SanGiovanni is not an imposing
shares a chair with one of the kids, even
when these 6- and 7-year-old kids
figure. She’s thin and smiles easily, but
though there are plenty of higher stools
would come up and give you a hug and
when she stands up, every one of the
around.
be like, ‘thank you,’” she says. “That’s
SanGiovanni returns to the table and
eight girls around the table at Java Joe’s cool-kid coffee house notices.
“I got to really love those kids,”
one of the most sincere forms
SanGiovanni says later. “I got to know
of gratitude that you can get.”
“Where you going, Sarah?” one asks.
their families and their stories. I was
“Are you leaving?” another frets.
amazed by their stories.”
“No,” she responds as she walks over to a nearby countertop and picks up a
SanGiovanni is one of this year’s four Harpur Fellows who received up
bag. “I just didn’t want to lose my purse.” to $4,000 each — supported by donor funds — to pursue a passionate interest Over the summer, SanGiovanni
n Student gratitude struck
Santino DeAngelo during his project, too. As a Binghamton-area native, DeAngelo grew up seeing kids
connected with these kids (and a few
by working on self-designed summer
too familiar with violence and
more who couldn’t make it that day)
projects that better a community.
not familiar enough with art
as she taught them how to express
She chose this project because she
and theater. So he put on a
themselves through writing. She’s just
remembers how hard it was to find a
play for them.
handed out a book compiling their
creative outlet at that age.
work — comic strips, character profiles,
14
moments were
“It’s so important, especially at that
Working with Spanish majors, DeAngelo helped
poetry, etc. The girls, between the ages
age, for them to have the chance to
translate Federico García
of 11 and 16, are taking turns standing
look into themselves and find what they
Lorca’s 1933 Blood Wedding,
up and reading their favorite entries to
think is worth talking about and then
which is about a groom who
each other.
write about it,” she says.
takes revenge after his bride
Harpur College of Arts and Sciences
Fall 2011