Gordon's Kids Who Inspire

Brothers Learn a New Language to Help Kids Learn Math

2009-07-13T03:57:00.000-07:00

chicagotribuneSome things never change. Kids need to learn math, and one tool to help them has always been repetitive flash cards.

Well, inspiring kids Owen and Finn Voorhees have taken flash cards to a new level—to the iPhone, in fact.
The brothers had the idea that the iPhone would be a great delivery system for a flash card program, or app, that would help students memorize math facts. There are over 35,000 apps for the phone, and there is a large community of programmers writing programs for iPhone users to add to their devices. However, up to 9 months ago, Owen and Finn were not part of that community. Together, they learned the programming language, and came up with graphical icons and for the app. The Chicago tribune article is here.

Like so many inspirational children, Owen and Finn saw a need and filled it. Sure there are flash cards out there already, but what kid wouldn’t rather pick up an iPhone instead of a pile of cards? Kids helping kids, once again!

Congratulations, Owen and Finn.

Do you know an inspiring young person? We’d love to hear about him or her. It’s easy to toot a horn for your inspiring kid. Post a blog on this site, submit a story for inclusion in my book “Kids Who Inspire,” or email me at gordon@kidswhoinspire.com.

What's Ben Weymiller Doing Now?

2009-07-13T03:54:00.000-07:00

Part of the joy of doing Kids Who Inspire is following up to see what the amazing kids we blog about are up to now. We’ll be checking back every so often to see how projects have grown, how others are being affected by the actions these inspired kids are taking, and to see what other projects are underway.

Our first look back brings us to one of our previously featured kids, Ben Weymiller. Ben is back with a new project that we’re happy to report here.

This inspirational kid is once again helping out the hospital that has taken such great care of his little cousin by sponsoring a tree for the Mary Bridge Children's Foundation Festival of Trees.

Ben’s set a goal of $2000, and is already at more than 25% of the way there! You can visit his page at: http://www.firstgiving.com/benweymiller and if you’re inclined to donate, all the better.

Kudos to you, Ben, for your continued attention and service to your cousin and to the people and organizations that are a part of her life.

Do you know an inspiring young person? We’d love to hear about him or her. It’s easy to toot a horn for your inspiring kid. Post a blog on this site, submit a story for inclusion in my book “Kids Who Inspire,” or email me at gordon@kidswhoinspire.com.

Young Rock Bands Organize for Charity

2009-07-13T03:53:00.000-07:00

Peter Fogg is a couple merit badges away from being an Eagle Scout, the highest Boy Scout rank. And to further his progress, he decided to organize a benefit concert using local bands for the lineup. Peter’s own band, The Tides, will also perform at the show.

In all, there will be 5 bands performing. Shawn Dowd, Democrat and Chronicle

The concert will benefit Food Link and Water for Sudan . Peter hopes to collect $1000, and at least 400 packaged food items at the concert.

Peter’s story is another great example of how kids are making a difference in their communities and around the world. It took a lot of effort from a lot of young people to organize the event, and learning leadership skills is part of what it means to become an Eagle Scout.

Kudos to Peter Fogg and his band, The Tides, for their efforts and for making a difference.

Do you know an inspiring young person? We’d love to hear about him or her. It’s easy to toot a horn for your inspiring kid. Post a blog on this site, submit a story for inclusion in my book “Kids Who Inspire,” or email me at gordon@kidswhoinspire.com.

Emily's Smile Boxes

2009-07-13T03:50:00.000-07:00

If you’ve ever spent time in a hospital, you know there can be long waits, lots of down-time, and very little to do while you’re waiting to get information form doctors and other healthcare professionals.

Emily, a 5th grader, has spent a lot of time at the hospital because her little brother suffered a stroke before he was born. She and her family would often have little to keep them occupied while they were at the hospital, and

Emily noticed other kids in the same situation. So Emily decided she would do something to help make the experience of being at the hospital a little better.

She created Smile Boxes, and her story is a great example of kids making a difference. From her site:
“We strive to give enough boxes to local children's hospitals so that every patient, and their sibling will receive a box. My boxes contain neat smiley face objects, games, toys, colors, and inspirational messages. I put a lot into these boxes, and each one costs about $15 to make.”

You can help by donating to her cause here: http://www.emilyssmileboxes.com/

Like all of the inspiring kids we’ve blogged about, Emily saw a problem, and she took action to do something about it. Congratulations to Emily on being an inspirational kid who clearly cares about others.

Do you know an inspiring young person? We’d love to hear about him or her. It’s easy to toot a horn for your inspiring kid. Post a blog on this site, submit a story for inclusion in my book “Kids Who Inspire,” or email me at gordon@kidswhoinspire.com.

Father and Sons Bike Cross Country for Charity

2009-06-29T04:51:00.000-07:00

Usually, when a father asks his sons if they want to go for a little bike ride, he doesn’t mean across the country, but that’s exactly what James, John and father David Mackovjak are doing. Starting June 28th David and his amazing kids will leave Puget Sound and arrive at Virginia Beach August 9th.

It sounds like the trip of a lifetime, and would deserve to be mentioned here on its own merits, but the Mackovjaks are using the experience to help others, and that makes it all the better. The trip is a fund-raiser that will benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound, and the Wounded Warrior Project. This is one inspirational family.

You can get the whole story here: http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2009/jun/17/central-kitsap-father-sons-prepare-to-pedal-from/

We wish John, James and David the best of luck on their trek.

Please visit their site at: www.riding4hope.org and help any way you can.

Do you know an inspiring young person? We’d love to hear about him or her. It’s easy to toot a horn for your inspiring kid. Post a blog on my site, submit a story for inclusion in my book “Kids Who Inspire,” or email me at gordon@kidswhoinspire.com.

2009-06-05T21:04:00.000-07:00

Like many inventions, SmartButtons were created to solve a problem.

Joel Williams Jr.Joel Williams, Jr. has a younger sister, and when she was 3 he noticed that she had difficulty identifying the correct shoe for each foot. He thought it would be a great idea to invent a device a kid could use by herself that told her if the shoe she had was a right she or a left shoe.

So at age 11, Joel invented SmartButton to do exactly that. Joel is now 14 and has seen his invention become not just a reality, but a lucrative one at that. The device attaches to each shoe, and all a kid has to do is press a button to hear “This is my right shoe” in English or Spanish.

You can visit his site here: http://smartbuttonshoes.com/index.php

According to the Temple Daily Telegram, the invention won Joel Black Enterprise magazine’s Teenpreneur award.

Even as the SmartButton is selling well, Joel has been so inspired by the experience that he wants to inspire other kids to think creatively to solve problems. To that end, he has created a motivational DVD about the experience and sells that at his site also.

Congratulations to Joel on his success!

Do you know an inspiring young person? We’d love to hear about him or her. It’s easy to toot a horn for your inspiring kid. Post a blog on this site, submit a story for inclusion in my book “Kids Who Inspire,” or email me at gordon@kidswhoinspire.com.

Children to Children Helps Foster Kids

2009-05-27T04:14:00.000-07:00

Mackenzie Snyder estimates that she has touched about 60,000 lives. How? By providing foster kids with a backpack\duffel bag and a stuffed animal.

If you’ve ever thought that one person can’t make a difference, I think you’d agree that the kids highlighted here at www.KidsWhoInspire.com will make you rethink that stance. While none has acted alone, each has taken action the first action to enlist the help of others in order to help others.

Mackenzie’s story is a great example.

As her website states, she and her brothers won an essay contest in which the grand prize was a trip to Paris to attend a summit. While there, Mackenzie met two foster kids. When she learned that most foster kids have to carry their belongings from one home to another in garbage bags, she knew she had to do something, and Children to Children was born.

It wasn’t long until Mackenzie got the backing of Freddie Mac Foundation. Home Depot and Southern Management Company built Mackenzie and office complete with heat and air where she administers her venture.
Please visit her site www.ChildrentoChildren.org to learn more, and to help.

Do you know an inspiring young person? We’d love to hear about him or her. It’s easy to toot a horn for your inspiring kid. Post a blog on my site www.KidsWhoInspire.com, submit a story for inclusion in my book “Kids Who Inspire,” or email me at gordon@kidswhoinspire.com.

Frou Frou Flips Flops

2009-05-27T03:31:00.000-07:00

How would you like to be featured in Forbes magazine, or be interviewed by television news? All you have to do is something terrific like Alice, the 12 year old creator of Frou Frou Flip Flops.

Ribbon decorated flip flops for charity.

Alice’s organization donates proceeds from the sale of her custom, hand-made flip flops to charity. According to KidzClix.net, the charity changes every quarter, and has included Make A Wish Foundation; Guide Dogs; Hurricane Katrina victims; and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

The venture started when Alice’s learned about victims of a Tsunami from school. Her class donated school supplies to children. But Alice wanted to do more, and founded Frou Frou Flip Flops after first suggesting a lemonade stand as a means of raising money.

She, instead, landed on the idea of flip flops, and has not looked back since. Her website, http://www.froufrouflipflops.com, posts many glowing testimonials, as well as press-related links, and, of course, flip-flops.

Visit Frou Frou Flip Flops today. I bet you know someone who would love a pair.

Do you know an inspiring young person? We’d love to hear about him or her. It’s easy to toot a horn for your inspiring kid. Post a blog on my site http://www.KidsWhoInspire.com, submit a story for inclusion in my book “Kids Who Inspire,” or email me at gordon@kidswhoinspire.com.

Leanna Archer is Driven to Succeed

2009-05-26T03:33:00.000-07:00

The United States Army used to have a saying: “We do more by 9:00 am than most people do all day.” I bet you could say the same for Leanna Archer.

Archer is the 13 year old CEO of Leanna’s Inc., a hair care product company she started when she was 9.
Looking at the press page on her site: http://www.leannashair.com/PressRelease.html, you see an impressive list of interviews Leanna’s given, speeches and lectures, and newspaper press she’s received.

Leanna has been featured in Ebony magazine, Time magazine for Kids, and USA Today.

And not only has she founded a successful business, but Leanna also founded the Leanna Archer Foundation. In her words “I have taken the initiative to start an organization in Haiti and the USA to help underprivileged kids, Kids that are without any hope of becoming somebody that they can be proud of. My goal is to build a school in Haiti, provide all the kids with an education, a place to sleep and at least two meals a day. I will also be providing extra help for talented kids.”

Leanna was even invited to meet with the President of Haiti when he was at the White House.

In reading Leanna’s bio on her site, I was especially amazed by her Do-It-Now attitude. She says when she first introduced the idea of creating a business, she was told she was too young, to wait until she was older. Instead, she devised a plan to convince her parents to help, and presented them with overwhelming evidence that she was ready NOW!

Congratulations to Leanna on her many accomplishments. She is exactly the kind of person Kids Who Inspire wants to focus on.

Do you know an inspiring young person? We’d love to hear about him or her. It’s easy to toot a horn for your inspiring kid. Post a blog on my site http://www.kidswhoinspire.com , submit a story for inclusion in my book “Kids Who Inspire,” or email me at gordon@kidswhoinspire.com.

Ben Weymiller Rocks!

2009-05-22T12:52:00.000-07:00

Imagine setting a pretty lofty goal for your self: say raising $20,000 for charity. Now imagine not only reaching the goal, but exceeding it by 400%

Wow!

That's what Ben Weymiller did.

Young Ben has a niece who had to spend some time in the hospital, and while visiting, Ben learned that the hospital didn’t have a rocking chair for every room. Ben thought that was a real problem since as he says in his firstgiving.com page: “I think that every sick baby deserves to be rocked by their parents.”

So, Ben set his mind to raising money so the hospital could by rocking chairs.

You can get more of the story here:
http://www.thenewstribune.com/merryman/story/27320.html

Please also visit Ben’s page at: http://www.firstgiving.com/rockathon

Do you know an inspiring young person?

We’d love to hear about him or her. It’s easy to toot a horn for your inspiring kid. Post a blog on my site www.KidsWhoInspire.com, where you can submit a story for inclusion in my book “Kids Who Inspire,” or email me at gordon@kidswhoinspire.com

Zach Bonner will Walk 1200+ miles for Homeless Children

2009-05-21T17:01:00.000-07:00

Zach Bonner is no new-comer to charitable acts. He first took action to help Hurricane Charlie victims by collecting bottled water door-to-door. He managed to send off 27 truckloads of water to homeless families.

Zach was 6 years old at the time.

Now Zach is inspired to do even more. Beginning May 11, 2009, Zach will begin a walk that will take him 1225 miles from the Capital of Georgia to our Nation’s White House to raise awareness about homeless children.

It’s easy to see Zach’s passion and commitment in his video; hats off to this inspiring kid.

Do you know an inspiring young person?

We’d love to hear about him or her. It’s easy to toot a horn for your inspiring kid. Post a blog on my site www.KidsWhoInspire.com, where you can submit a story for inclusion in my book “Kids Who Inspire,” or email me at gordon@kidswhoinspire.com