| Amazing
Kids! of the Month
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.
Amazing
Kids! of the Month for May, 2007:
Amazing
Young Environmentalist, Eric Blend;
Buckhannon, West Virginia
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Amazing
Young Environmentalist, Eric Blend
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Quotes
of the Month:
"Previously
I had
decided to major in business and computers, but found that my heart in
with the outdoors. I have been motivated
to make a difference and have found that one person can be a catalyst
for change.
"Several
of my friends joined my project, and I hope my actions will
influence others to volunteer in any area.”
~ Amazing
Young Environmentalist Eric Blend, age 17
The
May Amazing Kids! of the Month:
Have
you ever gone fishing, canoeing, or simply jumped into a lake on a hot
summer day, only to find you were swimming in trash-infested
waters? What would you do if that happened to you?
Take a
look at our May Amazing Kids! of the
Month story below and get ready to be amazed and inspired,
as
you read about Eric Blend, an amazing young environmentalist who is as
passionate about protecting the environment as he is about having fun
in the great outdoors!
Don't
forget: If you, or a young person (or persons!) you know, has an
amazing project you are involved in, or a special skill, talent or
ability you want to tell the world about, be sure to let Amazing Kids! know about it! Simply complete our Amazing Kids! of the Month award online nomination form, (www.amazing-kids.org/nominate.htm)
or email us!
Table
of Contents
 About
Eric Blend
Get
Involved!
Related
Links
About
Eric Blend
Eric
Blend with friend,
and fellow river
clean
up crew member, Michael Ellis
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Eric
is a seventeen-year-old from Buckhannon, West Virginia, and like many young
people, he enjoys being outdoors, especially fishing and canoeing.
Because of his love for Nature, it is upsetting to him when he sees
trash and old tires floating in the water.
Earlier
this year, Eric went to Conservation Camp and Forest Industries Camp,
where he learned about the detrimental
effects of littering on the environment and its wildlife. He was happy
to discover that the Department of Natural Resources would dispose of
old tires, should volunteers be willing to remove them from the rivers!
As
a result, his time spent at the camps, in conjunction with additional
information he had learned about how kids and teens can help clean up
the environment subsequently inspired him to do his own river cleanups
with the help of several of his friends, Michael Ellis, Kevin Sturm,
and Connor McCauley.
Unfortunately,
tires weren't the only things he and his friends found polluting the
water. Eric says:
“Some [additional]
things we found were: campaigning
signs, golf balls, construction cones, cans, bottles, a metal drum,
side paneling, and much more. After looking at the huge pile of
junk in the back of my truck, I was relieved that it was out of the
river and felt very proud.”
In
just two short weeks, Eric has removed about fifty-five tires in a two
and a half mile section of the Buckhannon River
that flows behind his house! His heroic efforts has made Eric
somewhat of a local hero. Eric received an award from his hometown
mayor for his efforts to help
clean up and preserve the environment.
Eric
Blend
with friend Kevin Sturm stand next to
a truckload of tires removed from the Buckhannon River
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Eric
says:
“West
Virginia is a very beautiful
state with
numerous streams and rivers. I love the outdoors and am an avid
fisherman. I noticed countless tires littering the Buckhannon
River that flows behind my house
and decided to do something about it. I didn’t realize I was doing
that much until it captured the attention of the others.”
Needless
to say, Eric’s accomplishments not only changed
the rivers and the environment, they have also changed him as a person.
For now, Eric wants to continue removing litter that is not only
polluting rivers but also endangering wildlife habitats. In the near
future, Eric hopes to attend West Virginia University and major in
Wildlife Management or Fisheries Management. His wish is
to become “a conservation officer or work in any career where I can
help be an advocate for the environment.”
For
kids and teens like Eric who are interested in helping make a
difference in improving the environment of their own local communities,
Eric comments: “Why wouldn’t you want to do something like this?”
he questions. “On a hot summer day, who doesn’t want to jump into a
cool river and help the environment in the same way?”
Eric admits that
“It’s also awesome to get
compliments from everyone because they have seen the results in the
river as well as reading about it in the newspaper.” But most of
all, Eric says he has been “motivated to make a difference” and reminds
others that “one person can be a catalyst for change.”
His advice for others who’d like to follow a similar path? “Never
give
up.”
Get Involved!
You
can help clean up a river too! Check out National River Clean Up
Week
on June 2-10, 2007.
Check out the official
website and the Connections Action Group
website below, for more information on how
you can help!
Back to Table of Contents
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Related
Links
National River Cleanup Week website:
http://www.nationalrivercleanup.org/
Creek
Connections Action Group website: http://www.cleanacreek.org/
Back to Table of Contents
<--Back to the
Amazing Kids! of the Month Index
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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.
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