Katerine Arnold
Roswell, GA
Lassiter High School
Graduation Year: 2010

Katherine is working to provide nutritious food for families in need by growing salad greens and vegetables which she donates to a food pantry at her church. Every two weeks she brings fresh produce from her garden to the food pantry to be distributed. She stays for 2 to 3 hours and educates recipients on how to make healthier food choices. The idea has been so successful that other families in the parish with home gardens are now donating their extra produce and the church plans to set up a community garden on the church grounds for the food pantry clients.

Danielle Collier
Georgetown, IN
Floyd Central High School
Graduation Year: 2010

When the 152nd Cavalry Unit of the Indiana National Guard was deployed to Iraq for 11 months in January 2008, Danielle’s small Midwestern community was hit hard. To help boost the morale of the wives and children left behind, she created a program called “Mom’s Night Out.” This gave the military mothers a chance to enjoy a night out without having to worry about childcare; and the children a chance to enjoy an evening featuring games, activities, crafts, snacks, and movies. The monthly event was offered free of charge to military children aged 6 months to 12 years. It provided fun for the children and gave their mothers a few vital, precious hours for themselves.

Jennifer Hodshon
Cary, NC
Panther Creek High School
Graduation Year: 2010

Through their non-profit organization, “Bookmark My Words”, which they started when she was 9 and he was 5, and their annual “Caroling For A Cause” event, Jennifer and her brother, Michael, have raised and donated over $25,000 to help fund cancer research. As the project has grown, they have encouraged and taught other students to get involved. Jennifer says: “My mom taught me that an idea is like a pebble you find next to a pond - hold it in your hand and it’s only yours - toss it out into the water and the ripples will keep going, touching places you never would have thought of. I hope “Caroling for a Cause” continues to ripple and touch kids for many years to come.”

Sarina Huang
Westwood, MA
Westwood High School
Graduation Year: 2010

To promote diversity, tolerance, and education about other cultures, Sarina organized, produced, and raised funds for the Westwood Chinese Cultural Night. The event, which has been hosted for 3 consecutive years, showcased the culture, customs, and art of China through music, dance, martial arts, acrobatics, and other entertainment. The events have included 500 performers and volunteers and have touched approximately 3,000 people. In 2008, it was chosen “Grant Spotlight” by the Westwood Education Foundation. A representative wrote: “...it was beautiful, informative, enriching, and very entertaining. You, the other performers, and the event truly embodied what WEF wants to promote: community spirit through lifelong enrichment opportunities.”

Danielle Lenz
Washington, TX
Brenham High School
Graduation Year: 2010

Danielle designed and implemented the “Every Child Deserves A Chance At Prom” initiative to raise awareness of childhood leukemia and money for Texas Children’s Hospital. It successfully comprised three events: 1. The Brenham High School Blood Drive, which broke the local record for units of blood collected in one day, 2. “Pajama Day”, which raised $500 for Texas Children’s Hospital, and 3. the Brenham High School Spring Blood Drive, which was held during Prom week.