ASHLEY SHUYLER

Ashley Shuyler, 18, a senior at Colorado Academy in Denver, founded a non-profit organization that has raised more than $70,000 to provide four years of secondary education to 20 young women in Tanzania, and to provide badly needed supplies to girls’ schools in that African nation. Ashley’s idea germinated many years ago when she traveled to Africa for a wildlife safari. “The people I met there lived in poverty unlike anything I had seen before,” she said. “I returned home with a new awareness of just how blessed we are here in the U.S., and just how many opportunities we have.” A few years later, after meeting two missionaries who had started a school for Maasai girls in Tanzania, Ashley decided to focus on helping young African women get an education. She began seeking the assistance of friends, neighbors and family members, and before long, she had established a non-profit organization called AfricAid. She produced a brochure to describe her mission, developed a newsletter, launched a website, organized several fundraisers, and over the past two years has spent countless hours speaking to church groups, civic clubs, school organizations and others about her cause. Ashley hopes the impact of her work will go far beyond the girls she is helping. “After they graduate, they will either be able to continue their education, become teachers themselves, or return to their villages and make the health, economic and social changes they so badly need and desire.”

LINDLEY MAYER

Lindley Mayer, 14, an eighth-grader at Riverside Middle School in Greer, volunteers as a fundraiser and the “spokeschild” for the Children’s Miracle Network. Lindley also developed “Wings of L.O.V.E.,” a brochure and program designed to educate the public and encourage others to be kind to disabled children. L.O.V.E. stands for laughter, optimism, volunteerism and enthusiasm, qualities Lindley says “help children rise above disabilities and other problems they face.” As spokeschild for the Children’s Miracle Network, Lindley filmed a commercial, solicited donations and worked offstage during a telethon, visited hospitalized children, and assisted other patients attending a network camp. “Beyond a doubt, I was inspired to do this because I have two younger siblings who suffer from a rare kidney syndrome,” Lindley said. “They are both non-verbal and I have been their voice for years. Children’s Miracle Network and ‘Wings of L.O.V.E.’ were the ways I found I could be a voice for them.”

MAEVE O’CONNOR

Maeve O’Connor, 12, a sixth-grader at Belinder Elementary School in Shawnee Mission, has spearheaded an ongoing youth volunteer effort that has undertaken a wide variety of projects over the past four years to help children in need. When she was 7 years old, Maeve tried to volunteer at a local hospital, but was told she was too young. Instead, hospital officials gave Maeve and her brother and sister a list of items they could collect for patients. “We picked an item that children would like and set a summer goal of 5,000 crayons,” Maeve said. “We ended up collecting half a million crayons!” Energized by their success, Maeve and her siblings began working on other projects, calling themselves “Kids Helping Kids.” Other young volunteers soon joined their efforts. The group has collected food for hurricane victims, Christmas toys for children with HIV, books for a Sioux Indian library, and baby supplies for the children of migrant farm workers. Maeve and her helpers also sold 10,000 lollipops to fulfill the wish of a terminally ill child, and raised money to build an intergenerational playground and garden for a geriatric center. “Children are not only our future, we can be the driving force of today,” said Maeve. “Whoever said that a 7-year-old was too young to volunteer was mistaken!” Currently Maeve is raising funds to bring intergenerational arts programs into the urban core.

NIBIA MARIA PASTRANA SANTIAGO

Nibia Maria Pastrana Santiago, 15, a member of the Caribe Girl Scout Council in San Juan and a junior at Colegio Bautista de Caguas in Caguas, led the refurbishment of a local community center, and then organized a dance workshop there for disadvantaged girls. Motivated by a desire to volunteer in her community, Nibia decided to share her time and talents with young girls who “really needed it.” “I really wanted to interact with these girls because in this community there exists a high incidence of drugs and teen pregnancy,” Nibia said. After obtaining permission for her project, Nibia organized volunteers to clean and remodel the community center before beginning her weekend dance classes, which she calls “Danza Libre.” In addition to teaching 18 girls ballet, jazz, salsa, flamenco and ballroom dancing, Nibia also has taught them to trust and feel better about themselves. As the program grew, Nibia recruited other volunteers to teach art, nutrition and modeling. After Nibia’s students presented a talent show, they were invited to dance in other community events. “I would tell others that my experience was unforgettable,” Nibia said. “Every instant is an opportunity to change someone’s life with love.”

CLAYTON LILLARD

Clayton Lillard, 14, an eighth-grader at William P. Hobby Middle School, has collected and refurbished hundreds of used bicycles and donated them as Christmas gifts to children who have a parent in prison. While walking one day with his mother four years ago, Clayton saw a neighbor throwing out two perfectly good bicycles, and thought “it would be really great to fix up those bikes and give them to kids who would really like to have one.” In particular, he had in mind the children of prison inmates. “I knew that those kids hardly got anything for Christmas,” he said. Clayton persuaded a local radio station to announce that he was looking for used bicycles, and soon other news media began reporting on his project. Initially, he received so many donations he had to turn some away, but ended up refurbishing 100 bikes the first year with the help of several friends who came to be known as “Clayton’s Backyard Crew.” Clayton also rounded up donations of bike helmets, locks and other accessories to go with the restored bicycles. His crew repaired and donated 300 more during the following two years. The kids who receive the bicycles, which are distributed through the Angel Tree Prison Ministry, think they’re from their parents in prison, said Clayton. “You can’t imagine the excitement when they find this out!” he said.

SASHA BOWERS

Sasha Bowers, 14, an eighth-grader at Norton Middle School, drew upon her experience living in a homeless shelter to develop a summer-long program of weekly activities for more than 250 other homeless children in the Columbus area. As a shelter resident, Sasha had enjoyed field trips to a local park, but thought they could be made more fun and educational. When she learned that volunteers were needed to work with homeless children, she figured there was no reason why she couldn’t help. “I realized that even if I was homeless, I could still help other people, too,” she said. She organized a planning committee with other kids at her shelter, developed ideas for a summer program, and sought donations from a variety of organizations. Sasha also promoted the program through media interviews, recruited and managed other volunteers, and arranged for supplies and transportation. Then, every Monday last summer, Sasha and her helpers hosted a “learning day” at the park for homeless kids, featuring gardening, fishing, educational tours, environmental readings and wildlife lectures. At summer’s end, the program culminated with a big party for the kids, complete with entertainment, crafts, games and gifts. “No matter what situation you are in, you can always help make things better for others,” said Sasha.

CHARLOTTE RASTAS

Charlotte Rastas, 12, a seventh-grader at Toisnot Middle School, organized a penny donation campaign that has raised more than $5,000 to help repair and renovate a fire-damaged science museum in her community. When Charlotte learned that the Imagination Station did not have money to repair the fire damage to its beautiful original building, she wanted to help. “Since I loved the museum, I felt motivated to raise the money myself,” Charlotte said. “I thought a penny drive would be a good fundraiser and be affordable to everyone.” After obtaining the Wells Elementary school principal’s permission and support, Charlotte contacted every school in her community, and then recruited her friends to help. “My idea was for everyone to bring in one hundred pennies or as much as they could afford,” she said. Charlotte wrote a poem asking for donations, which she attached to large pickle jars. She sent letters to politicians and corporations, contacted television stations and newspapers, organized a face-painting and crafts fundraiser at a local restaurant, and even judged a chili cook-off. When museum officials asked Charlotte to cut the ribbon at the grand re-opening ceremony, she knew she’d made a difference in here community. “I have not finished yet,” Charlotte said. “This project taught me that you should always aim high and never give up.” Since finishing her penny drive, Charlotte has dedicated herself to help the newly renovated museum purchase the banners that used to fly outside the building to announce their presence. Through personal appeals and the donation of her own $1000, she managed to raise the $8000 needed. Her grass roots campaigns have rejuvenated the hope and drive of the Imagination Station, an important asset to the City of Wilson.

CLARE ROSENFELD

Clare Rosenfeld, 17, a senior at South Eugene High School, is a national leader in raising public awareness of diabetes, and a tireless advocate for diabetic young people. “Because I live with diabetes, I understand the daily struggles of living with a chronic illness,” Clare said. “I also understand how easy it can be to lose hope. I decided not to be drawn down by this, but to do something positive about it.” After mentoring other young people with diabetes, Clare realized that if they all banded together, they could accomplish a great deal. She wrote the CEO of the American Diabetes Association proposing a youth advocacy program and then, once it was established, served as the association’s first National Youth Advocate. She traveled extensively for public speaking engagements, raised $30,000 for cure research, testified before Congress, developed a website, and corresponded with hundreds of newly diagnosed children and teens. Last year, she took her efforts to the international level, founding International Diabetes Youth Ambassadors to educate, inspire and support young diabetics around the world. Her new organization already has more than 200 ambassadors in 28 countries.

In addition, Clare just returned from Paris where she presented on the global plight of young people with diabetes to the International Diabetes Foundation (IDF), the worlds leading diabetes organization of clinicians, scientists and National Diabetes Association leaders. She has been invited to do an internship with IDF in Brussels next summer to assist in development of a new international program involving the International Diabetes Youth Ambassadors. Clare is the first young person to be invited to speak and the youngest to be offered an internship.

STEPHANIE GARCIA-2

Stephanie Garcia, 15, a member of Jefferson County 4-H and a freshman at Mercy Academy High School, raised more than $20,000 to provide bulletproof vests for 34 police dogs in four states. “It made me sad when I heard the story of a brave K9 that lost his life protecting his human partner,” said Stephanie, who also has experienced the sorrow of losing a dog. Police dogs, she said, “are one of the best tools the police departments have,” and “deserve to have the same protection their partners have.” Realizing that many police budgets don’t have money for dog vests, Stephanie decided to start her own project, called “Heroes on Paws.” She contacted the local K9 unit to get approval for her project, then asked members of her 4-H Dog Club for help. Stephanie and her group of volunteers placed donation cans at local businesses, posted flyers, created a website, contacted news media, and spoke at public meetings. Stephanie also organized two “dog walks,” and has sold T-shirts and tote bags to raise additional funds. Stephanie is now talking to other 4-H clubs throughout her state to help them start their own community service projects. She is also expanding Heroes on Paws with projects to help other dogs who improve the lives of people such as assisted living and pet therapy dogs.

AMY PIERCE

Amy Pierce, 18, of Macon, Ga., a senior at Central High School, developed a gardening program at an elementary school for children with severe emotional and behavioral disorders. Amy, who works part-time in her family’s landscaping business, was looking for a service project that could combine her horticultural skills with her desire to help the children attending the special-needs school across the street from her home. “I wanted the kids to get outside and take pride in something,” said Amy. So she met with the elementary school’s principal and found a teacher there who agreed to sponsor what became known as the “Campus Beautification Club.” Amy researched and developed projects for the club, solicited ideas from the students, and persuaded several companies to donate materials. As the students worked on their landscaping projects, they learned about nature and the environment, and have also applied their experiences to their math, English and art classes. Perhaps even more importantly, they realized they could be good at something, and take pride in their accomplishments. One boy told Amy he wanted “to make the campus pretty so people will think it’s not just a school for bad kids,” she said. “That’s when I realized this meant more than just planting some flowers.”