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Stories of Kids Who Cared
Everyday young people are making a difference in their community through service. Through the Foundation's Daily Point of Light Award Program young people are recognized for their outstanding contributions. Read their stories and get inspired to make a difference in your community. Rebecca, Alexandria,
VA REBECCA
SKLEPOVICH Rebecca Sklepovich has been striving to make a difference in the area of human needs in a variety of ways. In 1998, Rebecca was elected co-chair of the Youth Service Coalition, a youth volunteer group, and was also elected vice president of the Inter School Council, a branch of the American Red Cross. In both organizations, she worked to address vital concerns in the community by mobilizing teen volunteers to commit themselves to a number of service projects. Projects included holding food drives for the needy, participating in crafts and games with nursing home residents, organizing parties and art projects for underprivileged children, assisting with major community events, and having numerous fundraisers to buy holiday presents for the needy in the community. These projects benefited others, provided a sense of satisfaction to those who volunteered, and contributed to the alleviation of serious social problems. Rebecca continues to co-chair the Youth Service Coalition, and continues to participate with the Inter School Council after completing her term as vice president. She has also become the youth representative for the Red Cross Board of Directors, and voices the concerns of Alexandria’s youth to the adult board members. She also serves as a youth HIV educator for the Red Cross – teaching other youth in her community about HIV prevention through organized presentations and informal outreach. Rebecca spends weekly time working with the children of her city. She has been a Brownie Girl Scout leader for four years now, and helps them form into young ladies by teaching them fundamentals for life, introducing them to the idea of service and helping them to achieve their goals. Her work has helped these children to build confidence in themselves and spread happiness to others. Rebecca also serves on a weekly basis as a 4th grade religious education instructor at her church, teaching children morals, values and reinforcing the basics of religion. This helps them to strengthen their faith and love for others. Lastly, Rebecca has begun a service organization at her school called the Christian Student Association. Though this club is very new, they have already assisted the Red Cross with a toy drive and have several projects lined up for the upcoming months including helping ship bikes to third world countries and making bookmarks for child abuse awareness. Rebecca is a cooperative and hard working young woman whose ideas for service are innovative and original. She not only has a personal desire to serve, but motivates others to serve as well, which is perhaps her greatest contribution of all.
COURTNEY
COX When just about five years old, Courtney Cox first collected for a drive at church, and now at the age of eleven, , Courtney Cox has accomplished extraordinary things. In 2000, she logged more than 100 community service hours and nearly 40 hours for the 2001 school year. She is also trying to surpass her own collection totals for the previous three years and has gathered more than 450 personal care items from hotels and thrift stores for use at homeless shelters so far this school year. Courtney displays her leadership, initiative and caring for the greater good through her participation in activities such as collecting toys and sporting goods for disaster victims, suitcases for foster children, supplies for animal shelters, adopting families and hosting parties at shelters for the holidays, performances for the elderly and helping to build a community playground. Courtney’s selfless giving and energy sets her apart. Last summer, she volunteered more than 65 hours for a nonprofit agency that funds free or low cost mental health help for members of the community. Last October, Courtney learned the significance of pink ribbons and the importance of breast cancer awareness. She was amazed that a monthly self-exam and early detection could save women’s lives, yet not everyone performs them. Courtney decided she had to do something. She wrote to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and received a generous gift of materials to educate and raise awareness. She recruited volunteers she worked with over the summer and provided more than 150 women with awareness materials. Making our mothers, grandmothers, daughters, sisters and friends aware of the importance of self-examinations, may have saved a life. Last November, inspired by the church’s appeal for food donations and to help alleviate hunger, Courtney sought and received permission from her school and church to organize two food drives. Both were successful and altogether collected an estimated 600 pounds of food, enough to feed one meal to nearly 1,500 people. Last winter, Courtney organized a drive to benefit the St. Jude’s Ranch for abused and neglected children while at the same time reducing the amount of waste to our landfills. One of the largest fundraisers for the Ranch is to recycle greeting cards into postcards and then sell them. When Courtney learned of this project, she organized a collection drive at her school and at several businesses. Through her efforts, approximately 7,500 cards were saved from landfills and St. Jude’s Ranch was able to raise more than $5,000. It is too early to know the final results of her 2001-2002 drive for the Ranch, but early donations are promising. In response to the September 11th terrorist attacks, Courtney made ribbons and distributed them at church to raise funds for the children of the victims of the disaster, and raised $1,100 for the American Red Cross.
KYLE ALDERSON Kyle has been instrumental in lighting the flames of community service in the youth of Muldrow. Kyle Alderson is an honor student, athlete, Eagle Scout, Black Belt in karate and a community volunteer. Besides organizing blood drives, renovating his church, painting handicapped symbols in parking lots, collecting food for the needy and volunteering at the American Legion Post, Kyle has also created and initiated two of his own service projects - READ (Reading Encourages All Dreams) and "Saving Timmy" (A School Bus Awareness Program). When Kyle became aware that 45 children die and about 8,000 are injured in school bus-related accidents each year, he decided to survey 657 students in his district to determine their safety awareness. He found that not one student could ever remember having any school bus safety education. In order to educate the children and parents in his community, Kyle created "Saving Timmy," which includes a puppet show that tours elementary schools. This puppet show, written by Kyle, features Timmy and his friends who learn about school bus safety along with the children in the audience. The puppeteers are volunteer students who have performed for more than 600 students this year. READ was created when Kyle discovered that only 42% of the adults in his rural community had a high school diploma. Realizing that reading is an essential component of a successful education, Kyle decided to use his own love of reading to combat the graduation problem in the community by creating READ. READ pairs elementary children who struggle with reading with a volunteer high school mentor. These students meet each week at the public library to strengthen reading skills and youth relationships. READ has had a huge impact on the community. In its first year there were 21 mentors and 30 elementary students who directly benefited from READ, and this year the enrollment has significantly increased. The children's reading scores have improved as high as two letter grades. Many of the mentors have helped their children deal with issues such as a parent's death and peer bullying. In addition, the mentors discuss the importance of academics, handling peer pressure and avoiding drug and alcohol abuse with their children. For at least one hour each week the children are pleased to know there is someone who thinks they are special and cares for them. The local library has also benefited from READ. During the spring of 2001, the program was chosen as a national Make a Difference Day Project and the library was the recipient of a $10,000 prize. Kyle is a role model of words and action for the children and adults of his community. Through his community projects, children and adults have learned the power of words and have learned to be giving and caring community members.
JEFF SCHIEFELBEIN As a senior at Texas A&M University, Jeff Schiefelbein created one of the most innovative and effective designated driver programs in the nations. Jeff’s idea for the program began after he received a Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) citation in 1997. Jeff researched other safe-ride programs and began to think of a unique approach that would attract college students. He continued to plan and strategize for about nine months and created CARPOOL – Caring Aggies R Protecting Over Our Lives. Prior to its “kickoff” he collaborated with students, faculty, administration, local authorities, and sponsors to create a network capable of supporting such a task. Jeff spent an average of 60 volunteer hours per week working on CARPOOL, and now, after two years, Jeff has gained the full support and trust of the students and staff at the University. Each semester, 255 student volunteers make a commitment of their time on weekends to CAR POOL. Before participating, each volunteer member undergoes a 6-hour training program designed by Jeff. It includes alcohol awareness, defensive driving, and first aid. From its inception, it has included both freshmen and upperclassmen in its leadership positions. As Jeff prepares to graduate, there are 20 other experienced student volunteers ready to take over. They will also have the assistance of a 100-page Operational and Risk Management Manual for CARPOOL. Jeff sponsored sponsors to offset one-half of CARPOOL’s $100,000 annual budget with in-kind donations, including free cell phones, a free apartment for headquarters, discounted rental rates for vehicles, free cable advertising, and free training. He also travels to cities throughout Texas to publicize his cause. CARPOOL has been an overwhelming success. It is completely student-run, is nonjudgmental, and is available for both intoxicated and sober students in need of a safe ride home. One male and one female volunteer are in each car to assure the safety of the passengers. Rental vehicles are also used so each vehicle is clean, new, and in good repairs. CARPOOL is free to use and it operates from 10 p.m. to 3a.m. Thursday through Saturday nights during the fall and spring semesters. They average 100 safe rides each night. Now, in its fourth semester, CARPOOL has already given over 11,000 safe and sober rides home.
CHRISTIAN
WHITTON Christian Whitton has been a role model in his community since the age of nine; at that time he began to serve his community as an advocate for those who needed aid. He has learned about the government and private, local, federal, and state laws so that he can assist the poor and elderly. When Christian was nine, one of his friends who was physically challenged wanted to play sports. The football league and coaches turned him away. Christian did research and fought to get the league and coaches to allow his friend to play. Since that day, Christian has worked for the rights of the physically challenged and the disabled. Christian has worked with the State Office of Disability Affairs and the United States Justice Department, seeking and notifying violators of the American with Disabilities Act and the Civil Rights Act of the Disabled. Christian takes the time to give his own written notices to violators; and if he does not receive a reply, Christian files a complaint with the United States Justice Department in Washington DC. They can issue fines up to $50,000 for first time violators and up to $100,000 for subsequent violations. He has been successful in getting wheelchair accessible walkways, handicapped parking spaces, handicapped restrooms, and handicapped facilities. Christian takes the time to visit places to ensure they are not in violation. He makes preliminary inspections of certain areas with the acknowledgement of the Justice Department. On these visits, he lists possible violations, researches his findings, and sends violation notices if violations are still present after further visits. Christian is 17 years old now, but he is just as passionate as he was when he was nine. Since the summer of 1995, he has donated half of his summer income to buy smile alarms and carbon monoxide detectors for neighbors and friends that do not have them or are not able to buy them. He did this as a result of a house fire not too far from his home in 1993 that claimed the life of two people. The fire department advised the community that smoke alarms could have stopped these deaths. Christian then took $200 he won selling candy at school and bought smoke alarms as opposed to the bike he had been saving for.
JENNY EVANS Jenny Evans has been involved in service and volunteerism her entire life. She has traveled to foreign countries to offer aid and has always worked as a valuable volunteer within her local community. She is currently serving as the President of the South Summit High School Interact Service Club, and in September 2000 Jenny organized a mentoring program that utilizes high school students as positive role models for every seventh-grade student in their district. South Summit School District is located in a small town called Kamas where the youth were struggling with drug abuse, teen pregnancy, and crime. With the help of other concerned youth, Jenny established this program as a preventive measure to address the issues that were facing these young people. With the recommendation of the principal at the school, and because of the generally impressionable nature of that age group, Jenny and the club chose to focus their efforts on the seventh grade class. The volunteers help the children feel accepted while teaching them about the benefits of service. They join together monthly to participate in the service endeavors that are planned and carried out solely by members of the Interact Club. The younger children are given important responsibilities that help them feel a sense of ownership for the projects they participate in. This program truly connects not only the middle school and high school students, but also affects the entire community. The youth carried out a program for local senior citizens for Halloween and joined with other clubs at the school to collect money to sponsor a Sub-for-Santa project for needy families in their area. They are currently planning a hunger banquet involving the entire community to raise awareness about world starvation and invite attendees to make a monetary pledge to a charity of their choice. The effects of this program are significant and enduring. Although this particular program began in September of 2000, the Interact Club has been participating in service since 1997, and club members plan to continue their mentoring efforts into next school year. Most importantly, as these young people realize the wonderful benefits of service, many will embrace an attitude of service that will continue throughout the rest of their lives. The young people that are participating in this program are gaining self-esteem, learning the value of service, and are truly helping to improve the lives of others. These volunteers are positive role models to the children they teach, yet they themselves learn of the powerful impact of selfless service. The idea of a mentoring program is not new, but the approach taken by these youth led by Jenny Evans is very impressive. They have integrated numerous goals into one program that addresses many needs and benefits everyone involved. Through innovative service ideas that reach out to a variety of people and address a plethora of community challenges, they truly are making a difference. |
