A 16-year-old student from Pennsylvania, Annie McIntyre, turned an idea to help children prepare for school into a community initiative that reached seven schools across three school districts. Through a project called Build-a-Backpack, the Scranton Preparatory School student collected 60 backpacks filled with school supplies, along with hundreds of additional stationery items. She also created four “Kindness Karts”, stocked with supplies that students could take after performing an act of kindness, encouraging them to help others in return. The initiative grew through contributions from family, friends, local businesses and restaurants. What began as a school-supply drive also inspired other students to seek McIntyre’s advice on starting their own community-service projects, extending the impact of her efforts beyond the backpacks themselves.
How Build-a-Backpack grew from an idea into a community project
McIntyre developed the idea for Build-a-Backpack in March 2026, with help from her teacher, Dominique Preate. She began seeking donations in June, using social media to spread the word and placing collection boxes at local businesses and restaurants. Family members, friends and other community supporters contributed money and supplies. The collection included pencils, pens, notebooks, highlighters, crayons, erasers, glue sticks, sharpeners, scissors, rulers and markers. McIntyre organised and labelled the backpacks with supplies suited to different age groups and genders, ensuring the donations were prepared for the children who would receive them. Her project eventually reached elementary and middle schools in the Dunmore, Riverside and Scranton school districts in Lackawanna County.
Image: WVIA News
Four ‘Kindness Karts ’ encouraged students to help others
Beyond the backpacks, McIntyre created four “Kindness Karts” stocked with school supplies that students could take after completing an act of kindness. The idea encouraged children to help someone else and continue the cycle of generosity. The project therefore combined practical assistance with a message about community responsibility. Rather than limiting the initiative to distributing supplies, McIntyre created a way for the recipients to participate in spreading kindness themselves. The karts were placed as part of the wider effort to support students and encourage positive actions within their school communities.
Why the student wanted to help children prepare for school
McIntyre’s motivation was rooted in her appreciation for education and her wish to help younger students feel prepared to learn. Her mother, Kirsten McIntyre, told WVIA that schoolwork gave her daughter a sense of control when other parts of life felt uncertain. Annie wanted children to have the supplies they needed so they could concentrate on learning, particularly during the challenges of middle school. Lisa Owens, principal of Charles Sumner Elementary School in Scranton, praised the thought that had gone into preparing the backpacks and said pupils were excited to receive them. She also noted that the donations provided useful supplies while showing children that people in their community cared about their success.
The project inspired other students to start helping
According to WVIA, Build-a-Backpack was McIntyre’s first major independent service project, although her mother said she had previously asked her parents to help send pizzas to nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. McIntyre was also involved in school activities, including soccer, lacrosse and several clubs. After the backpack project, she began considering another initiative focused on summer-safety supplies, such as sunscreen. Her mother also said other students had approached Annie for advice on organising their own community-service projects. The response suggested that the initiative’s impact extended beyond the supplies distributed to schools, encouraging other young people to consider how they could contribute to their communities.