The catcher on a baseball team is someone who is willing to do the dirty work, goes out of his way to be supportive of his teammates and is almost always lauded for his leadership abilities.
It’s no wonder that’s the position Andrew Passalacqua plays at Bishop Eustace Prep.
Those traits may go a long way in defining him as an athlete, but he doesn’t have to be in uniform for them to be on display. Passalacqua proved that he is a difference-maker off the field, too, when he started a charitable organization last year that took off beyond his wildest imagination.
Crayons for Courts is a nonprofit that raises money to buy art supplies for children as a way to comfort and entertain them during tense legal proceedings. The idea came to Passalacqua when remembering a trip to court to see his mother, a Camden County judge, when he saw a young child stuck in the middle between two arguing parents.
“I would say around middle school, I don’t know why but I was at my mom’s work and I was in her courthouse watching a case unfold,” he says. “I saw a kid watching a legal proceeding happening, and it always stuck with me through the years. When I wanted to create a charity and make a difference, I couldn’t have thought of a better idea than Crayons for Courts.”
What started as a service requirement for school turned into so much more as Passalacqua went above and beyond with his project. His initial push for support led to nearly $3,000 being raised, and with that money he collected more than 6,000 packets of crayons, 3,000 coloring sheets and 2,000 activity books and stickers that he donated to the Camden County Hall of Justice.
But he didn’t stop there, as he continued his fundraising efforts and was able to contribute to courtrooms all across South Jersey. Passalacqua never envisioned his initiative gathering steam like it has.
“I had no idea,” he says. “I thought I would get some friends and family to donate and that would be it. … As soon as I got it out to everyone, spread it around my school and put it on my social media, the support I got was just unbelievable. So many people helped us out and donated, and we were able to donate to four different counties: Camden County, Gloucester County, Salem County and Cumberland County. Our next drop-off is actually happening pretty soon—it should be in the next month or two and that’s Burlington County.”
A Cherry Hill resident, Passalacqua is now a senior at Bishop Eustace, which he attends with his fraternal twin brother, Dan, a pitcher on the baseball team. One of the aspects he loves about the school is its commitment to community service, which it instills in its students.
“I think they do a really good job with the service part,” Passalacqua says. “It kind of forces you to get involved in your community, and I think it’s super important to give back.
“I like kids and I like making people happy. Sometimes people are in unfortunate situations, and I feel like it’s our job as a community to come together and help out people who need help. Just do your part to make someone else’s day better. I think that’s how a community gets closer, to spread kindness around our world.”
Kat Burke Esposito, a graduate of Bishop Eustace and now its director of institutional advancement, believes that Passalacqua exemplifies the cornerstones of the Pallottine ministry on which the school was built. Saint Vincent Pallotti, the founder, urged people to be of service to others.
“Andrew is one of those kids who thinks of others first,” she says. “He has this ability to engage everyone around him … and he’s so inclusive of everybody. He’s a kid who will say hello to you when you’re walking down the hallway, and not only that but he’ll ask you how you’re doing and mean it. He just does a little bit more than most, and he almost has a certain level of grace and comes across as so authentic. I’m not surprised in the least bit [that he started Crayons for Courts].
“What we love about the service program is that the kids know it’s something they’re going to take with them for the rest of their lives. It becomes infused and almost natural, and that’s what happened with Andrew. He was always a person who was a giver, but now he understands that it’s essential for his life and for our community, and that’s how things are going to get done. Inequities in society are only going to get solved through these types of service programs.”
Passalacqua has extended his reach, relying on family and friends to work their connections to continue the outpouring of support. More information can be found on his Instagram page, Crayons_for_Courts, and donations can be made on Venmo @Crayons_for_Courts.
The feedback he has received inspires him to keep going, and while he doesn’t know exactly what the next step is, the program will proceed following the next drop-off in Burlington County.
“I’ve heard back from the courthouses and they say it’s a huge success and that all of the kids love it,” he says. “It’s a great feeling and it’s very humbling at the same time. I’m happy that kids are able to enjoy it. I can’t imagine how stressful of a day that can be for someone, so anything to make their day just a little bit better is helping me accomplish my goal.”
Passalacqua’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. Earlier this year, he was awarded the 2025 Camden County Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Medal during a special ceremony.
“I was so honored and grateful to receive that,” he says. “To be in the same sentence as his name is very humbling.”
Passalacqua is currently going through the college application process and is hoping to choose a school soon. Having grown up in a family of attorneys and seeing his mom’s influence as a judge, he is strongly considering pursuing a career in the law.
Whatever he ends up doing, he believes that his experience with Crayons for Courts will result in a life dedicated to community service.
“I think it’s so important to give back and it’s so important to spread kindness in our world,” he says. “You never know what someone else is going through, and anytime you can give back, it’s a blessing. I’m very lucky that I’m in a position to give back. It has definitely changed me and I think it’s helped me to look at life from a different perspective.”
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Published and copyrighted in South Jersey Magazine, Volume 22, Issue 6 (September 2025)
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