In the first article, we looked at the inspiration, compassion and creativity of elementary-aged students.
In this article, we’ll highlight some inspiring stories from middle school-aged children and the impact they have made.
After losing both his grandfather and his cat to cancer, 11-year-old Garrett Lowry turned his grief into hope when he started knitting hats for kids with cancer. To date, Garrett has knitted over one hundred hats that he has donated to hospitals in Colorado and California. For Garrett, it was about providing some comfort to kids who have lost their hair as a result of chemotherapy.
Garrett enjoyed helping others so much that he decided to get his baseball team involved. He organized a gift drive for underprivileged kids in their hometown. His compassion and drive to help others turned into a team program.
Passionate about reading and all the doors it opens, 6th grader Orion Gene has made it his mission to get as many books in the hands of underprivileged kids as possible. He feels like reading is a great escape from hardships in your life. He also knows that reading is critical and it will help kids learn more about other people, places, and cultures.
To accomplish his goal of donating half a million books across the United States, Orion helps organize book drives, hosts book fairs, and creates partnerships with literacy nonprofits. For Orion, it’s all about increasing access to books—particularly for children living in poverty.
Lucy Blaylock, 11 years old now, learned to sew from her mom at the age of 8. Together, Lucy and her mom, started sewing love blankets for kids who were the victims of bullying, those fighting cancer, and kids grieving the loss of loved ones. But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Lucy set her sights on sewing masks instead.
To date, Lucy and her mom has sewn and donated more than eleven hundred masks to keep others safe. For Lucy, it’s all about seeing a need and helping to fill it.
Regardless of age or interest, most young children have an empathy and compassion for those who suffer. It doesn’t always mean helping people, sometimes their passion is animals or the environment. Regardless of their interest, parents and teachers can foster that empathy and compassion for the good of the world.
