2006 Young Humanitarian Award Winners

Kidsbridge Children's Museum is a non-profit organization dedicated to the celebration of human diversity. Our goal is to prepare children to be successful in a global society, while instilling the time-honored values of cooperation, independent thinking, peaceful interaction and teamwork.

The Young Humanitarian Awards is a yearly program to honor young persons who are leaders in their school communities. Nominated by their teachers, guidance counselors and principals, these students stand out as people who dare to do things differently. Each year, a panel of independent judges selects students in three different categories which are listed below.

We commend these young citizens for their special acts of kindness, notable compassion, exceptional courage, and commitment to peace. Kidsbridge is excited about this opportunity to highlight caring young people in action!

Individual Category Winners

Recently, fifth-grader Sara Scholz of Hamilton was teased after coming to school with a drastically new hairstyle: short. The day before, she’d donated her long tresses to Locks of Love, an organization that makes wigs for children with cancer. Instead of crying or ignoring the teasers, Sara proudly told them about the donation and why it was important. Just another day of giving for Sara, whose career at George E. Wilson Elementary School is bejeweled by good deeds. A member of Peer Assistance Leaders (PAL), Sara spent several recesses making torches promoting a “Gold for the Gold” campaign that rewards students for exemplary behavior. Sara also helped the K-2 students create hats for Dr. Seuss Day. And she assisted her school’s Food Basket Drive for local needy families during the holiday season. Nothing slows down this fifth-grader’s efforts to be of service to her school and community.
 – Nominated by PJ Wenger

It’s not something Ethan Julius, a sixth-grade student, normally talks about. But once a week, he volunteers his time at Homefront, teaching chess to homeless children and being their friend. His teacher, Rose Stevens, had no idea Ethan had such a golden heart until she read about his volunteerism in his sixth-grader’s “reflections” journal. “Ethan is a very hardworking and enthusiastic student,” Ms. Stevens of Thomas Grover Middle School in West Windsor wrote in nominating Ethan for an Award. “His achievements are always at the top of the class. Along with his studies, Ethan also gives his time to others in a quiet, subtle way. He not only mentioned the things he does at the shelter, but also how much he enjoys it there.” Ethan feels rewarded by the time he gives and the new friends he’s made. And the fact that these children are homeless gives him a greater appreciation of his own life. “While I enjoy having Ethan in class, I’m most impressed by his mature insights and feelings for others,” Ms. Stevens wrote. “Finding this touching entry in his writer’s notebook comes as no surprise.”
 –  Nominated by Rose Stevens

Thomas Grover Middle School eighth-grader Salman Akhtar responds to world events just as he responds to school and community events − with passion, interest and action. An active member of the AMIGOS club, Salman is always the first to volunteer to help at open houses, parent-orientation programs, and more. When a major earthquake hit in the Kashmir region last fall, Salman read about all the deaths and destruction. He learned about the thousands of children stranded in the mountains with scant clothing, food and shelter. He researched the needs of the young earthquake victims, and with his parents’ support launched a school-wide campaign to help. All this happened in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when his school and the country were still focused on the victims of that domestic disaster. Salman feared the poor Pakistani children might be forgotten. With permission from the school administration, he organized a blanket and coat drive in school, which netted several cartons of goods that were shipped, through a local organization, to Pakistan. Next, he collected change at all lunch periods to buy tents to shelter the orphans on the mountains during the approaching winter. He did this entirely on his own, with little adult involvement. “Caring, committed, and passionate about helping others, Salman is a quiet, humble eighth-grader trying to make a difference,” Ms. D’Orlando, wrote in nominating him for an Award. “He’s an example to others, adults as well as children, not looking for personal gain or glory. He just wants to help those in need. I’m truly proud to know him.”
 – Nominated by Linda D’Orlando

For his eighth birthday, J.P. Brown decided that the children he saw on the news that were left homeless by Hurricane Katrina needed help-- more than he needed presents. He still wanted to celebrate his birthday with friends but chose to make it about helping people. He invited the entire second grade at Hopewell’s Toll Gate Grammar School to a treasure hunt in Kunkel Park in Pennington Boro. The price of admission was a donation to the American Red Cross in lieu of a birthday present. Two-thirds of the second grade attended, and those unable to come forwarded donations. J.P. inspired his class to do more than just talk about helping those in need. He inspired them to break open their piggy banks and donate their own money. J.P. also inspired parents to take out their checkbooks. Giving up birthday presents is a huge sacrifice for any eight-year-old, but it was all worthwhile because J.P. raised $586 for the American Red Cross and victims of Hurricane Katrina.
 – Nominated by Myra J. Bugbee

Several months ago, a student diagnosed with a learning disability was mainstreamed into a regular classroom at Morgan Elementary School in Hamilton for reading and language instruction. Normally, this student receives instruction in a small group self-contained classroom setting.  In his case, this student has an adult aide accompanying him throughout the day, to assist with keeping him focused and on task.  By coincidence, he was placed nearby Nicholas DeMarie, who immediately became interested in helping him to adjust to his “new” classroom setting.  This adjustment was very challenging to the student, due to his particular disability.  Nick independently volunteered to assist the new student on his own and even inquired as to the specifics about his needs and concerns on my part. Nick “took over” the assistance needs for this student and began to interpret the class work instructions for him on a regular basis.  Nick has studied with this student during recess time, to ensure his success on weekly tests, as he adjusts to his new way of learning regiments.  He has truly epitomized the virtues of giving and caring for another student.  These are rare qualities for one so young.
 – Nominated by Charles Eyster

It’s hard, if not impossible, for children privileged enough to live in the United States to relate to kids in the war-torn nation of Sudan, where genocide in the Darfur region has raged for more than three years. Aislinn Bauer, a 13-year-old at Witherspoon Middle School  in Princeton knows this, so she worked with students from her school, Princeton University, and members of the broader community to help shed light on the atrocities in Darfur, which have taken an estimated 200,000 lives. Not only did she conceive of an educational program, she implemented it, coordinating a press release, raising money to support the program, obtaining sponsorship, and more. In addition to organizing a series of lectures, she created her own workshops on the genocide to be presented to area elementary schools and civic organizations. According to one of her two nominators, “Aislinn possesses a high level of maturity, clear-thinking abilities, as well as a sincere devotion to the welfare of people living in a country that most people in the U.S. would not easily be able to identify with…Aislinn has unselfishly contributed toward deepening awareness about human-rights inequities around the globe, and as such, her leadership, courage and collaborative spirit should not go unnoticed.”
 – Nominated by Makeba Clay (Princeton University) and Susan Conlon (Princeton Public Library)

Located in the heart of a gang-infested neighborhood, Trenton’s Dr. Martin Luther King Middle School (MLK), has been consistently identified as 1 of 10 “persistently dangerous” schools in the nation. Despite the violence just outside the school’s walls, there exists a group of 10 students inside to restore peace to its community from the inside out − MLK’s Peer Mediation Team. Determined to re-ignite Dr. King’s dream of nonviolence, the sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-graders participated in 10 hours of intense training in conflict resolution and problem solving. Since then, they’ve been conducting about five mediating sessions weekly. During each session, two or three students sit down with peers in conflict to listen objectively, offer constructive feedback, and share resolution strategies. Additionally, team members meet regularly to hone their own skills and share successes and concerns. Since the program’s inception earlier this year, the peer mediators have eased tension among students, reduced violence and vandalism, and decreased out-of-school suspensions by 30 percent, which in turn has increased instructional opportunities to the tune of 1,848 hours. The peer mediators’ commitment to peace has earned them the respect of their fellow students and faculty, alike. By filling the essential role of helping children resolve conflicts peacefully, the mediators exemplify the district’s emphasis on character development, citizenship, collaboration and safety. The Peer Mediation Team’s determination to erase MLK Middle School from the list of dangerous schools is both courageous and exemplary.
 – Nominated by Adrienne Hill, Edna Margolin and Delilah Hunt

The mission of the Early Act Club at Kuser School in Hamilton is to promote good will, understanding and peace by improving the quality of life at school and the local and global communities. This school year, the officers of Early Act Club set out to make a big difference for hundreds of children in Gulfport, Miss., whose school library was destroyed in August by Hurricane Katrina. Club members organized two basketball “shoot-outs” − to raise money for new books for the Pass Road Elementary School on the Gulf Coast. The Early Act officers helped the gym teachers organize the shoot. This initial event netted $220 for the cause, and the Early Act Club’s enthusiasm was contagious. Maria Varga, president-elect of Hamilton Rotary Club (a local sponsor of Early Act), obtained matching funds from the Rotary Club and individual board members, and before long, Kuser’s Early Act Club had collected almost $2,600 for books. News of the “book project” spread. Individual contributions and a large donation from the Lambertville-New Hope Rotary pushed the total to $4,600. The students and faculty became determined to hit the $5,000 mark. A second basketball shoot was organized and held. Even after the $5,000 was raised, the domino effect continued. Shipping more than $5,000 worth of books was a concern, so the Early Act Club decided to purchase a gift certificate from Scholastic Books instead, which would allow Pass Road School to choose its own books. Scholastic committed to providing books at a 50 percent discount, plus shipping. In the end, Pass Road School received more than $10,000 worth of books to restock its library.
 – Nominated by Stephanie Crea

The Antheil Elementary School Helping Hands Club is the vehicle by which the Ewing school implements all of its service-learning projects, and every student and teacher is a member. The club’s Student Advisory Board − a dynamic group of seven fourth-graders and five fifth-graders − brainstorm, organize and execute projects to help alleviate hunger and homelessness. During the first week of school, the board organized an all-school kickoff for its “Battle against Hunger” bike-a-thon to Gettysburg, Pa. Pledges brought in more than $700 for the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen and the Rescue Mission of Trenton. The Helping Hands Club Advisory Board also rallied to the aid of Hurricane Katrina victims by organizing donations of backpacks, school supplies, new and used clothing, and books. The club’s annual Thanksgiving Food Drive was so generous this school year that the Advisory Board decided to create an Antheil Food Pantry in an empty classroom, previously used for storage. Board members cleaned out the classroom, installed and labeled shelves, decorated the walls with uplifting slogans, sorted the surplus food, and stocked the shelves. Now local families may “shop” at the pantry, as needed. In January, the Advisory Board helped facilitate a community breakfast to spark interest in Antheil’s annual coat drive for the Rescue Mission. Some 300 parents, students and staff participated in the event, which was dedicated to Dr. Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. At the breakfast, a fifth-grade board member facilitated a discussion of King and Parks, and another member read a poem she wrote, entitled “Homeless,” currently on display at the Rescue Mission.
 – Nominated by Donna Steinmetz

On April 6, Casey Quinto, Jessica Landis, Clayton Haines, Paul McWhirter, and Noah Garber of Toll Gate Grammar School in Pennington shaved their heads during the community’s third annual St. Baldrick’s Celebration.* These brave youngsters went completely bald to raise funds for childhood cancer research. Each “shavee” originally pledged to raise at least $100 to fight kids’ cancer, but they quickly surpassed that goal, collectively raising more than $2,000. “Going suddenly bald is a very dramatic change in looks, but all five were willing to do it to help children they’ve never met,” wrote Myra J. Bugbee, who nominated the youngsters for Awards. “The bald heads show solidarity with the children who lose their hair as they undergo chemotherapy.” Asked why they are participating, each student gave a similar answer: “I really want to help kids who have cancer.” These five children epitomize the importance of service learning, “an important part of school life at Toll Gate,” according to Bugbee. “They are courageous and have a wonderful sense of self to undertake this extraordinary cause.”
(*Donations from the St. Baldrick’s Celebration goes to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, comprised of more than 2,000 childhood cancer experts working in the United States and abroad.)
 – Nominated by Myra J. Bugbee

After visiting the Ewing Township Animal Shelter, Sean Slattery and Murf Butler were taken aback by the large number of stray dogs and cats they saw and how many supplies were needed. So the fifth-graders at Pennington’s Toll Gate Grammar School decided to throw a fundraising party to help defray the cost of rescuing, housing and finding homes for stray pets. They spent weeks asking parents and local businesspeople for donations of pizza, soda, and cakes for the party, dubbed the “Fur Ball.” Sean and Murf inspired school groups to help with pet blanket collections, animal jewelry sales, and other activities. The boys also solicited the commitment of Dr. Keya, a local band, to entertain at the party. In addition to dancing and snacks, the party featured animal-themed storytelling and an old-fashioned cakewalk. To ensure that all Toll Gate students could enjoy the party, Sean and Murf elected not to charge an admission fee, but instead provided jars for voluntary donations. The manager of the animal shelter, Marianne Weltch, along with several shelter volunteers attended the Fur Ball and shared their experiences and happy adoption stories. Said Weltch to the boys as she was leaving the event, which raised more than $800: “It’s wonderful what you boys are doing, and I thank you from my heart.”
 – Nominated by Myra J. Bugbee

Almost 800 children attend Maurice Hawk Elementary School, a K-3 school in West Windsor. A number of school families and staff had close relationships with victims of Hurricane Katrina. Soon after the school year began, “Hawk Helpers for Katrina’s Kids” was formed to raise money for the American Red Cross and other organizations. Activities took myriad forms:

• Students did chores at home and put their earnings into special baggies. During the school’s fall Field Day on Oct. 3, the baggies were opened and to everyone’s delight, the Hawk Helpers raised $3,000 for Katrina’s Kids. Commerce Bank matched it for a final donation of $6,000 from Maurice Hawk School to the Red Cross.
• In late October, a Hawk teacher who’d grown up in Louisiana received a list of about 40 children who had formerly gone to school in New Orleans and were now attending LaSalle Elementary School in Baton Rouge. These children had lost their homes and most of their belongings, including all their toys and books. During its Fall Book Fair, Hawk School organized a special collection, allowing students to donate 150 books.
• In November and December, the Hawk community collected and sent three huge boxes of donated clothing and toys to the displaced children. Also, Hawk participated in “Scholastic Classrooms Care” program, in which the company donates books to Gulf Coast schools affected by Katrina each time a class reads 100 books.
• During its Spring Literacy Festival, Hawk is participating in Lego’s program to donate a brick to a Gulf Coast school for every Lego brick the children donate.
• Also this spring, about 200 students in Hawk’s first-grade classrooms are running a bake sale, with proceeds to benefit the Ruby Bridges Foundation to repair and reopen the Franz School in New Orleans.

Perhaps Hawk’s most significant activity has been its pen-pal program with LaSalle. Each of 15 classrooms started writing in October to three or four LaSalle students displaced from New Orleans by the hurricane, and letters continue to be exchanged to this day. Additionally, Hawk students have written books for their pen pals and mailed valentines. Some classes have made Internet connections, e-mailing updates and photographs to each other. This project has helped youngsters at both schools feel helpful and powerful in a time of crisis.
 – Nominated by Eileen O’Mahony and Cathy Griffin

____________________________

 – Edited by Robin K. Levinson
   www.robinlevinson.com