Amazing Kids! is proud to highlight the Amazing Kids! of the Month!

Each month, we showcase kids who are accomplishing amazing things.  We hope that by telling their special stories, we will inspire other kids to accomplish their own amazing achievements. 

"My goal would be to find a cure for cancer!  If it were only that simple!  After helplessly watching my two grandfathers die with cancer, I knew that one day I was going to do everything I could to help raise enough money to find a cure.  The good news is that today there are over 9 million cancer survivors and this number is growing.  So the money we are raising is helping.

"Some of my proudest moments are when I am asked to mentor a new team who wants to get involved.  Especially youths.  You are never too old or young to volunteer and it can be so much fun!"

Happy Spring from Amazing Kids!  Spring is joyous time, when hope is born anew. Our inspiring April Amazing Kid! of the Month is helping to bring this hope to cancer patients, survivors and their loved ones throughout the year, by selflessly donating her time to raise money for the American Cancer Society.  Read about amazing Jena Sims, age 14 from Winder, Georgia, and be inspired to help bring hope to others by getting involved in your own good cause!

Be sure to visit the "Related Links" section at the end of the story to learn more about how you can get involved in helping find a cure for cancer.

Table of Contents 

Amazing Jena and Ornaments4Cure.org
Related Links

Amazing Jena and Ornaments4Cure.org

 Jena Sims' tinsel-filled ornaments bring sparkles to children's eyes while helping to find a cure for cancer. At only 14 years old, Jena designed, created, marketed and sold $5,000 worth of original Christmas ornaments that benefited the American Cancer Society. How did she get involved at such a young age?

At 9, Jena attended Relay for Life as a fun overnight event to play games, and stay up all night long. Her priorities changed at 10 after losing both of her grandfathers to cancer, She stepped up her involvement and became Barrow Counties youngest Team Captain ever for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. In her first year she raised over $4,000 and recruited 10 members for her team. Her current total is over $36,000 with 26 team members!  She is also currently mentoring 5 new team captains. Jena has led over 25 fundraisers in 4 years and has a goal of raising over $75,000 before she graduates from high school in Winder, Georgia.

Jena's Relay for Life team, 2004, "Kiss Cancer Goodbye,"
wearing "kiss"-themed boxer shorts

Her latest project, ornaments4cure.org, originally brought in over $5,000 for the American Cancer Society (ACS), but that was not enough for amazing Jena. She saved several ornaments and created her own "Joy of Giving" campaign. She went to local hospitals with a few of her teammates and held ornament workshops for pediatric patients and made personalized ornaments for the adult cancer patients. The nurses would tell Jena that her workshop would take the kids' minds away from the hospital environment for just a little while.

Amazing Jena with David Gallagher,
star of 7th Heaven

Along the way, Jena has received much recognition and honors for her outstanding achievements, such as being named a Prudential Spirit of Community Awards 2003 State Honoree.  Her experiences have been memorable and a lot of fun, and have allowed her to meet several celebrities, including former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and star of 7th Heaven television show, actor David Gallagher. Jena with former New York Mayor Rudy Guiliani at the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, 2003 Jena has a goal of selling 1500 more ornaments in the next 12 months to bring the sales to $20,000 and will provide another 200 to deliver to hospitals. You can read more about Jena at:  www.ornaments4cure.org. We know a cure for cancer can't be far off, with the awesome efforts of young people like amazing  Jena.  Keep up the great work, Jena!   Back to Table of Contents RELATED LINKS: Jena's website:  www.ornaments4cure.org American Cancer Society's Relay for Life Back to Table of Contents <--Back to the Top <--Back to the Amazing Kids! of the Month Index .............................................................................................. A Special Message from Amazing Kids! for all you kids: It's no secret...every person has an "amazing-ness" inside of them, just waiting to be discovered.  (Sometimes we just need a little help in finding out what that "amazing-ness" is!)  If you are doing some amazing things too, we want to hear about it!  Send us your stories about your amazing accomplishments, so we can tell the world just how amazing you are!  We are always looking for new stories.  And don't be shy!  We'd love to hear from you! Here's an idea you might want to try: WHY NOT HELP OTHERS SEE THEIR OWN POTENTIAL? If you know someone who needs a little encouragement, why not tell them what you think is special about them?  Maybe you can be the one to help them uncover their own special talents!  Amazing Kids! is looking for teens to be Amazing Teen Volunteers and Ambassadors . If you'd like to join Amazing Kids! in helping to spread the word, please email us at: info@amazing-kids.org HELP US SPREAD THE WORD:   It's cool to be an Amazing Kid! For more information about Amazing Kids! , please contact us at:  info@amazing-kids.org.