Student transforms lockers into library

By Bri Pacelli

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    TUCSON, Arizona (KGUN) — At BASIS Tucson North, senior Lavinia Sepe is turning her passion for reading into a lasting legacy. With no traditional library on campus, the STEM-focused high school now has a “locker library,” thanks to her initiative.

The idea came to Sepe during her junior year, when she realized students lacked access to free literary resources. As the student council vice president, she set out to change that.

“BASIS is a very STEM-oriented school, and our campus is pretty small,” Sepe said. “We don’t have a library, so I wanted to start something where students could get free literary resources.”

The project began with a two-week book drive, collecting donations from students and families. Over five months, Sepe, her friends, and the student council worked after school to transform three lockers into a creative space filled with books. They added shelves, artwork, and literary quotes to make it inviting for all students.

“Students are reading less in general,” Sepe said. “As someone who reads a lot, I love learning about different characters and authors’ life stories. Sharing that with students is super great.”

Now a senior, Sepe hopes the locker library will continue to grow after she graduates. “Hopefully future students will expand this and maybe fill out more lockers with books,” she said.

The library currently holds over 200 books and students are able to check them out with a simple sign-in sheet.

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