Taking Inspiration from Others
Having difficulty with coming up with an outcome? Not sure how you might undertake some meaningful action through your team project? Watch, read and listen to some incredible stories below of young people taking action, both within Island School, and also around the globe. How might you take one of these ideas and develop for your project?
Inspirational StoriesName: Charlie Coons, 12, California
Issue: International Orphans After hearing her 16-year-old brother's firsthand account of working in orphanages in Egypt, Charlie was inspired to take action. Charlie began making fleece blankets to give some comfort to orphans around the world. In less than a year Charlie sent blankets to Egypt, Iraq, Afghanistan, Honduras, Gaza, Jordan and most recently to Rwanda. Her project is called: Hope, Encouragement, Love, Peace (HELP). Name: Melati and Isabel Wijsen, Bali
Issue: Plastic Waste Plastic bags are essentially indestructible, yet they're used and thrown away with complete disregard of what the consequences might be. Most end up in the ocean, where they pollute the water and harm marine life; the rest are burned in garbage piles, where they release harmful dioxins into the atmosphere. Melati and Isabel Wijsen are on a mission to stop plastic bags from suffocating their beautiful island home of Bali. Their efforts — including petitions, beach cleanups, even a hunger strike — paid off when they convinced their governor to commit to a plastic bag-free Bali by 2018. "Don't ever let anyone tell you that you're too young or you won't understand," Isabel says to other aspiring activists. "We're not telling you it's going to be easy. We're telling you it's going to be worth it." Name: Joshua, 13, US
Issue: Feeding the Homeless Citizen Kid Joshua founded Joshua’s Heart Foundation, which has distributed over 400,000 lbs. of food to those in need. Name: Talia Leman, 10
Issue: Various Talia Leman was 10 years old when she and friend Anne Royse Ginther reached out to rally youth to aid survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Raising over $10 million, their effort ended up ranking the giving power of U.S. school children with the top five U.S. corporate donors. Wanting to harness that power for other issues, they founded RandomKid, a nonprofit that empowers random kids to solve real problems by uniting with like-minded youth. Under Leman’s leadership RandomKid has mobilized the efforts of 12 million youth from 20 countries providing aid on four continents funding water pumps, building schools, providing medical care, and fostering peace. A former national ambassador for UNICEF, Leman received the National Jefferson Award, World of Children's Founder’s Youth Award ( the "Nobel Prize” for efforts that serve the world’s children), and the International Youth Talent Award from the European Union and the Spanish government of Extremadura. Name: Developing the community, Bristol, UK
Issue: Poverty and inequality Watch the NCS Social Action Project who helped renovate the local Dings Park. Find out how they transformed the park and the impact it had on the local community. Name: Sam, 12
Issue: Recycling & Waste At the age of 9 Sam set up his own recycling business Name: Jane Engelmann, Peak School, Hong Kong
Issue: Giving Domestic Helpers a voice Tens of thousands of women from Southeast Asia come to Hong Kong to work as domestic helpers, in order to support their families and give their children a better future. Giving Hong Kong domestic helpers a voice, Jane Engelmann, head of Performing Arts at Peak School, created a choir and wrote a song 'I wish I could kiss you goodnight' to pay tribute to the unsung heroes who are putting other people’s children to bed and leaving their own with relatives back in their homeland. Name: Jacob, 10, Triathlete Philanthropist
Issue: Food for the Homeless Citizen Kid Jacob raises money and awareness for local food banks through competing in triathlons. Name: Various, Hong Kong
Issue: Shark Conservation Taking action through Art - An environmentally-focused exhibition showing works from 34 notable international and local artists will go on display at the Hong Kong Maritime Museum this summer to raise awareness for the anti-shark fin movement. Name: Naomi, 17
Issue: Improving Air Quality From the time she was in sixth grade, scientist and #CitizenKid Naomi has been researching indoor air quality. Name: Macallan Durkin, 11
Issue: Fair trade NY high school sophomore Macallan Durkin was just 11years-old when her family returned from three years in Botswana. While living there she had the opportunity to work alongside adults raising orphaned animals in several animal sanctuaries. One day while leaving the sanctuary, she noticed some children eating scraps of food from garbage cans. She asked her mother what they were doing and was told they were hungry. Durkin wondered why there were places for homeless, orphaned animals, but not for children. Once home she decided to do something to help those children. Her efforts turned into the sale of fair-trade products through her nonprofit site Goody Goodies.org. Providing a meaningful vehicle for youth advocacy to provide assistance to children through the sale of fair trade products, presentations, and workshops Durkin’s organization raises awareness and funds education, food, and hope to needy children. Name: Yash Gupta, 16
Issue: Health - Visual Impairment In 9th grade, Yash Gupta broke his glasses and had to attend school without them for an entire week. Sitting in the back of the room he could not see the board, and unable to absorb the information being taught those few days. His dilemma made him wonder if other students had similar problems, especially those with no health insurance or access to eye exams. Wanting to give every student the ability to see and learn he decide to take action. In January 2011, Gupta started Sight Learning, a nonprofit organization which collects and donates used eyeglasses for students who need them in third world countries, and organizes eye-exam clinics in these nations. To date, Sight Learning under Gupta’s leadership has impacted thousands of young students around the world, donating over $100,000 worth of eyeglasses and organizing several eye-clinics in various nations. Name: Christopher Yao
Issue: Various Kids Change the World (KCTW) founder and Executive Director; Christopher Yao began his philanthropic journey at the age of 10 as a result of what was first seen as a physical impediment, an under jaw bite. He recovered with the help of a doctor and felt motivated to help other children with oral problems more severe than his own. His efforts led to the development of Kids Change the World; one of the world’s largest sustainable youth led and impacted organizations. KCTW works to leverage the power of youth to unite, motivate, and inspire young people around the world to take action in their communities and change the lives of children around the world. Yao's work has earned him a series of prestigious awards, including the President George W. Bush Daily Point of Light Award in 2009 and President Obama's Presidential Volunteer Service Award. |
Useful websitesName: Variety of High School Students, Hawaii
Issue: Plastic in our oceans Despite the vastness of Earth’s oceans, plastic pollutants are turning up everywhere, from the deep sea to the Arctic ice pack. In this short film from filmmaker Chris Hanson and 17 Hawaiian students study the impact of plastic pollution on their local beaches and come up with a variety of solutions to tackle it. Name: Teenagers take action to improve local Children's Ward, Ireland
Issue: Health & Wellbeing Young people who are members of the Outrage Foróige Club in John's Park, Co. Waterford are taking positive action for their local Children's Ward. They became aware that the fish tank on the ward was not being maintained. There was no one with the time to commit to cleaning and stocking the tank. The young people decided to take it upon themselves to manage the fish tank for the enjoyment of the sick children. They've had wonderful feedback. One nurse describes how the patients love watching the fish, particularly the smaller children who find it relaxing. It takes their mind off of being ill for a while. Name: Bilaal Rajan, age 4,
Issue: Various Hands for Help founder Bilaal Rajan began fundraising when he was four years-old, selling clementines door-to-door in his neighborhood to raise funds for the victims of the earthquakes in the Gujarat province of India in 2001. He later sold handmade plastic plates to raise $1,200 for HIV/Aids orphans, sold cookies raising over $6,000 for the people of Hurricane-devastated Haiti, raised $50,000 for the victims of the tsunami in south-east Asia, and more than $50,000 for the World Partnership Walk. In 2004, Rajan launched the Canada Kids Earthquake Challenge for UNICEF, raising the total funds for tsunami relief to around $1.8 million. To date, he has raised over $5 million for various causes. Rajan’s motto is "Together we can make a difference” and his confidence and passion for what he does and have inspired kids across the globe to join him and make a difference. Name: Kids helping homeless stranger, Detroit
Issue: Homelessness Kids in Wyandotte are trying to raise money to help a homeless stranger. Name: Loughborough: NCS Social Action Project, UK
Issue: Children with disabilities Watch how a group of students from Loughborough banned together to take a variety of actions to raise funds and awareness for children with disabilities. Name: Kyle Freas, 16
Issue: Homeless, abused, and critically ill children Motivated to make a difference in his community, Kyle Freas started Youth Together when he was 16 years old. The nonprofit organization works with elementary and middle school student councils, Students Thinking of People / Peer Assistance and Leadership programs to help homeless, abused, and critically ill children as well as homeless animals and the Dallas Zoo. The charity also works with local nonprofit organizations to develop kid friendly service opportunities in Texas and New Mexico. His core belief is that while selfless service is wonderful in adults, young children can and should be conditioned to help in their community. To date, Youth Together has raised over $200,000 dollars to help needy children. Freas has received many honors and awards for his efforts, including the Rising Star Award from Governor Rick Perry and over 12 scholarships to help with his college education. Name: Culture Kitchen
Issue: Promoting Cultural Understanding through Our Love for Food Culture Kitchen connects people through their love of food and is proving much more than food gets made in the kitchen. Name: Ron Finley, LA, USA
Issue: Food access Ron Finley plants vegetable gardens in South Central LA -- in abandoned lots, traffic medians, along the curbs. Why? For fun, for defiance, for beauty and to offer some alternative to fast food in a community where "the drive-thrus are killing more people than the drive-bys." Name: Douglas Young and Tang Nannan, Hong Kong
Issue: Ocean Pollution An art-for-awareness project launched by Hong Kong charity Ocean Recovery Alliance aims to show the link between our drains and ocean pollution. Collaborating with seven artists, including Liina Klauss and Man Chi-loy, the charity plans to, as part of the Grate Art project, install ceramic tiles painted with messages on pavements above storm drains throughout the Southern District. And for good reason. Name: Campbell, 12,
Issue: Children that are sick Campbell spends his time making hundreds of teddy bears for sick children. Name: Alanna Wall, 10
Issue: Health & Wellbeing At the young age of 10, Alanna Wall started the nonprofit, PolishedGirlz.org. Through the organization she is able to combine her love of drawing and nail design with her compassion for young ladies with special needs that are hospitalized or just not feeling quite “polished”. Wall’s organization gives peer to peer support by having youth volunteers polish the nails of these very special young ladies. She has a dual mission, to help develop increased self-esteem and improve quality of life by promoting hygiene and self-perception in girls. The organization also seeks to empower its volunteers by offering them opportunities to improve their quality of life and build leadership skills through community service. A true inspiration to others, Wall’s organization has over 75 active youth volunteers and has served hundreds of children through organizations including The Miami Valley Down Syndrome Association, Children’s Medical Center and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Name: Teagan Stedman,
Issue: Health - Cancer Awareness In 2009, when he was only nine-years-old, Teagan Stedman founded Shred Kids' Cancer after finding out that his friend Alex was diagnosed with cancer. Shred Kids' Cancer is a 501c3 organization dedicated to serving the community by offering a solution for kids to help fight kids' cancer and show their peers who are suffering that they are here to help. Stedman who is the Chairman of the Board not only organizes Shred events, but is actively involved in motivating other kids to get involved. He encourages them to serve on the board and committees, help out with flyers, and solicit sponsors and auction items. He educates kids on how to hold bone marrow drives and gives presentations to businesses to get sponsorships for Shred events. Stedman’s efforts continue to inspire kids to unite for the cause and do what they can to help others in need. Name: Peter Larson, 12
Issue: Homelessness Nearly 12 years ago Peter Larson then age 6 heard a presentation from Bob Fischer, the man who started the “Sleep Out” a fundraising effort to provide housing assistance to families in need at a Cub Scout meeting. Learning that just $500 could help one family motivated Larson to get involved. Since then, Larson has spent over 300 nights snuggled in a sleeping bag his grandmother made and collecting pledges for his efforts. Sleeping outside in a card board box during November and December Larson has collected over $500,000 which is enough to provide housing assistance to almost 1,000 families. The money Larson raises goes to Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners, an organization that uses the money for housing needs in the community. In 2008, Larson received a Good Samaritan Award, the top youth award from the Commission on United Methodist Men. |