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. 

AT THE FAIR
Amazing Hunger Fair Hosts from Jordan Small 
and Village Elementary Schools in Maine 

"I liked the Hunger Fair because I could teach all the people I talked to that hunger isn't something that is a one time shot.  It's something that is everyday."

"I thought the hunger fair was a great idea. It gave kids knowledge and that is important because kids are the future. If we influenced just one person then we did our job."

"I think a lot of people now REALIZE what they can do to make a difference."

Visiting students learn about hunger from their peers...

This month, Amazing Kids!  is delighted to shine the spotlight the hard work and amazing efforts of these bright, caring and industrious young elementary students from Maine!

These kids spent many weeks preparing to host their very own Hunger Fair in order to teach other students about the serious problem of hunger, which they discovered is not only in other countries outside the United States, but in their own communities too!   Read their story and who knows?  Maybe you and your classmates will want to organize a Hunger Fair at your school too!

How it All Began...

The kids from Jordan Small and Village Elementary Schools had been studying about hunger in their classrooms, as part of the "Finding Solutions to Hunger: Kids Can Make A Difference" curriculum. The students were amazed to learn about how many people are affected by hunger every day! They were even more amazed to learn that there were many ways to help prevent the daily tragic effects which hunger can have on children and others.  Read some Hunger Facts here.

The students wanted to share their learning with others, so more kids would become inspired to help to fight hunger.  Then they got an idea!  How about hosting a Hunger Fair at their school?!!  That would be a great way to help teach other kids about hunger, and about what they can do to help fight hunger. 
 
 

Amazing Hunger Fair hosts teach others
about the dangers of malnutrition. 

From the beginning, the Hunger Fair was a team effort.  The fair was organized by the efforts of several people and organizations:

• two dedicated teachers, Melissa Martin (sixth grade, Jordan Small School, Raymond, Maine) and Kelly Keene (fifth grade, Village Elementary School, Gorham, Maine) 
• Jane and Larry Levine, the amazing founders and directors of KIDS Can Make a Difference, an organization dedicated to inspiring students to realize that they have the power to help fight hunger and poverty 
• the committed volunteers from "RESULTS," an international citizens' organization working to prevent hunger and poverty.

Television reporters from NBC and other networks
covered the event for their nightly news programs!

The students from Ms. Martin and Mrs. Keene's classes were surprised to find that kids weren't the only people at the Fair they were teaching about hunger!  Many adults from the community attended, including reporters from the local newspapers, television and radios stations.  There was even a representative from the Maine United States Senator Olympia Snowe's office!
 

Some amazing Hunger Fair hosts teaching hunger 
facts to a representative from the Maine 
United States Senator Olympia Snowe's office.

Test Yourself! 

HUNGER QUIZ -Do you know the facts about hunger?  Try taking this quiz, found on the KIDS Can Make a Difference website, and see how you do!
 
 

A teacher learns about hunger from a student 

In Their Own Words...

Did you know...?

Read what the fifth grade students at Village Elementary School said about the Fair....
http://www.kidscanmakeadifference.org/Newsletter/n598d.htm

Read what the sixth grade students at Jordan Small School said about the Fair... http://www.kidscanmakeadifference.org/Newsletter/n598e.htm
 

FOR KIDS: (Please note:  The following links take to you the KIDS Can Make a Difference website.  Please click your brower's "back" button to return to the Amazing Kids! website.)

• What Kids Can Do to Help! - You can help fight hunger too!  Here are some ways to get started.
• Kids Speak - Read what other kids have to say about the problem of world hunger.
• Bulletin Board - Speak out! Add your own thoughts about hunger to the KIDS bulletin board!

FOR EDUCATORS:

KIDS' Teacher's Guide:  "Finding Solutions to Hunger:  Kids Can Make a Difference"

Notes to Teachers, from the KIDS' Teacher's Guide

"How Big Is The Hunger Problem?" - Sample lesson plan from the Teacher's Guide 

KIDS' Teacher's Guide 1998-1999 Update
 

• About KIDS Can Make a Difference 
• History of KIDS Can Make a Difference
• Article about the Hunger Fair by Jan Twombly, New England Regional Coordinator for  "RESULTS."
• Newsletter Archive - Read past issues of KIDS' Newsletters
• Hot Topics - Latest news and findings about hunger

Contact KIDS Can Make a Difference at:
Email:kids@kidscanmakeadifference.org
Snail mail:
P.O. Box 54
Kittery Point, ME 03905
Phone: (207) 439-9588
Fax:(207) 439-4917
 

Or Try These Helpful Resources:

Hunger Facts:

According to Bread for the World (March, 2000), a charitable organization dedicated to fighting hunger, approximately 31 million poor Americans suffer from hunger despite the nation's historic economic boom. 

Read the report: applesforhealth.com: Hunger In The U.S.

More Hunger Facts on the KIDS Can Make A Difference website: http://www.kidscanmakeadifference.org/hunfa.htm

Hunger Links:

World Hunger Year
http://www.worldhungeryear.org/

World Hunger Year's Links to other Hunger websites:
http://www.worldhungeryear.org/whylink.htm

Oxfam America
http://www.oxfamamerica.org

Special Reports on Hunger: 

• applesforhealth.com:  Hunger Still Problem In U.S. (October, 1999)
• Mazon: Hunger in America
• Second Harvest:  Food Banks by Region

• thehungersite.com: Hunger - Make a donation to reduce world hunger by clicking on the "free donation" button.
• Share Our Strength: Hunger - Removing the Roots of Hunger - Ways to get involved to help end hunger and the causes of hunger.
• International Union of Gospel Missions (IUGM)
• GreaterGood.com: Fund Raising for Schools - Online fund raising for schools.  Also supports other projects, i.e. protecting the rainforests.