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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 Kid! of the Month for June, 2007: Amazing Young CEO and Philanthropist, Talia Leman, RandomKid; Iowa
Quotes
of the Month:
“There
are people everywhere who can’t help
themselves, and as fellow humans, we have to always be
in a place of taking responsibility for each other.
“By helping kids help others, they will know what they are capable of, and be able to use those skills all their lives. Plus, nothing feels better, or teaches you more about your own power and worth. “I have learned that anyone is someone. I allow myself to think big, and then I take all the small steps to get there, one after the other, never stopping. When I hit an obstacle, I see it as a wrong-way sign and head a new way.” June's Amazing Kid! of the Month: Have
you ever dreamed of helping make the world a better place, but weren't
quite sure how to go about doing so? In our June Amazing
Kid! of the
Month feature below, you'll read about one amazing 12 year-old
girl from Iowa, Talia Leman, who dreamt of making the world a better
place, and started her own non-profit organization to do something
about it. With the help of her mother and her mentor, Talia knows
how to make good things happen...and how to inspire others to join in
to help! Read her amazing story below about how she started "RandomKid" and who knows?
You just may be inspired to become one of her "RandomKids" too! 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, visit our AKOM nomination information page (http://www.amazing-kids.org/nomination.htm#nomination)
or email us!
When Hurricane Katrina caused immense devastation along much of the north-central Gulf Coast in August of 2005, damages exceeded $80 billion dollars, nearly 2000 lives were lost, and the nation was changed forever. Amidst the destruction and despair rose many anonymous heroes, those who helped and changed the lives of individuals affected by the disaster. Talia Leman, now twelve years old, is one such hero. Talia is the CEO and founder of her own non-profit organization “RandomKid”, whose mission is to “take the goodness of a child and turn it into goodness for the world.” Talia began her pursuit of helping others by working to raise money for hurricane relief, realizing that many victims could not sufficiently support themselves. In 2005, Talia rallied and reported $10 million for hurricane relief from kids nationwide. Her organization received reports from an estimated 5,000 school districts. Locally, she created a campaign called: "TLC" (Trick-or-Treat for the Levee Catastrophe), in which she enlisted trick-or-treaters to ask for donations of coins rather than candy. Talia’s contribution to the total was $226,000. Gradually, Talia expanded her project into helping the homeless, AIDS and cancer patients, those who did not have access to education, American soldiers overseas, and well as people who live in the absence of clean water. RandomKid successes could not have been achieved by Talia alone. Initially, her mother became her mentor. Talia also received guidance and support from Anne Ginther, now a partner of RandomKid, as well as Katie Scolari-Borden, who works for UNICEF (the United Nations Children's Fund). Although RandomKid was created just two years ago, Talia’s accomplishments thus far have been truly amazing! In addition to working in conjunction with other children philanthropists from around the nation to raise $10 million for hurricane relief, Talia also established the “RandomKid National Task Force to Rebuild the Gulf” in 2006, which has raised $45,000 to date. She held a press conference with Iowa Governor Vilsack to ask him to rally the support of governors across the United States in the effort. She also designed and manufactured house-shaped key chains, which will be sold in 445 stores in thirteen states starting on August 29th, 2007, the mark of the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
Talia has also arranged a fundraiser that raised $25,000 for a four-year-old leukemia patient who lives with his unemployed single mother by sewing and hanging 50 over-sized Christmas stockings in local businesses. This year, Talia’s “For Each Other” project raised nearly $6,000 for AIDS. Talia has been featured on national television including the TODAY show, MSBNC, FOX, and CNN. She has also been featured in various magazines and newspapers including Family Circle Magazine, TIME magazine, the LA Times, USA Today, and the Chicago Tribune. She has won the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes, was named UNICEF’s first National Youth Ambassador, and has received recognition from the Point of Light Foundation, President Clinton, and President Bush!
Through
her work with RandomKid,
Talia has realized that everyone
is significant and possesses the power to make a
difference in the life of another. She believes that the important
thing is to begin somewhere
and to take the first step in making a change in our society. Today,
Talia is as busy as ever! She has started a campaign for schools
across the
nation to develop, label, and market their own bottled water products
in order
to raise money for technologies to bring sanitary water to deprived
areas
around the world. Schools from three states are currently involved in
Talia’s
efforts, and she is looking for more to join in the near future. Talia's ultimate goal? To simply continue what she is doing, helping children help those in need, and to bring more schools involved in the collective effort, enabling young individuals to realize their capabilities and worth. Go, Talia! Amazing Kids! is honored to feature your story on our website, and we are proud of your outstanding efforts. You are truly one inspiring and amazing kid! Keep up the amazing work!In Her Own Words Here, in an Amazing Kids! interview, is
Talia's story in her own words: AK: What inspired you to get started doing the project or activity, Talia? Talia: There is a saying that goes,
"Do not stand idly by." I began RandomKid by working to raise
money for hurricane relief, because I realized, after Katrina hit, that
our neighbors in the gulf could not help themselves. We had to step up
to help them. After that, I began noticing that there are people
everywhere who can't help themselves, and as fellow humans, we have to
always be in a place of taking responsibility for each other.
AK: How did you get started? Talia: I got started with Katrina,
and that grew into helping the homeless, people with AIDS and cancer,
people without access to education, our soldiers overseas, and
people without access to clean water.
AK: Why do you like to get other kids involved in your projects? Talia: The reason I help kids to help others is because I want to give them the tools and skills I gained from my first project (hurricane relief). By helping kids help others, they will know what they are capable of, and be able to use those skills all of their lives. Plus, nothing feels better, or teaches you more about your own power and worth. AK: Did you have a mentor, or someone else who helped you? Talia:
My mom was my mentor in the beginning, and then I met Anne Ginther, my
adult partner at RandomKid, and Katie Scolari-Borden from UNICEF. They
all have guided me and taught me so much about the needs in the
world, how to really believe in myself, and how I can make a
difference.
AK: What have you learned from your experiences as a RandomKid? Talia:
"I have learned
that ANYone is SOMEone. I allow myself to think BIG, and then I
take all the small steps to get there, one after the other, never
stopping. When I hit an obstacle, I see it as a wrong-way sign,
and head a new way.
"For most people
the biggest problem is thinking that they are only one person and one
person can't make all that much difference. Well, the whole ocean is
made up of single drops. The power of ONE is understood best
through Mother Theresa, who reminds us that 'the ocean would be less
for that one missing drop'."
Talia: "My goal is to continue to help kids help others, and to continue unifying kids and schools--enabling them to realize their power and invaluable worth." AK: "What words of inspiration do you have for other kids who might be thinking of doing something to help others?" Talia:
"'If you think you are to small to
make a difference,
you haven't been in bed with a mosquito!' Anita Roddick
"There are great
words everywhere to inspire
you. The main thing is just to start! Register your goal(s)
to help others on our website,
or join in one of our on-going projects, and let us help you from
there!"
Get Involved! Related
Links <--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!
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: |
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