what are you thankful - fort cherry school district / overview · caleb’s thoughtfulness really...

November/ December 2017Volume 1, Issue 5

PENNSYLVANIA

WARNING!

This magazine contains articles on kids who have done fascinating things. Be prepared to be amazed!

A PLATFORM FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO SHARE THEIR GOOD DEEDS AND TALENTS

the good stu� is

What are youThankful

for?

ometimes, unconsciously, we take for granted all the won-derful things in our life—even something as simple as the shoes on our feet. But, as we’ve seen with recent natural disasters, our comforts can be snatched from us within seconds. As Thanksgiv-ing is approaching, let’s welcome gratitude into our lives and fo-cus on the good in people and the good that surrounds us. Let’s always be thankful and begin our day with that in mind, not just at Thanksgiving, but always. Eventually, thinking positive and liv-ing with gratitude will become a habit. My motto every day is: if I have family, good health, meals and a warm bed, I am blessed and anything more, is a bonus. There are countless families strug-gling with these basic needs, daily; so let’s always keep gratitude foremost in our thoughts. In this issue, we have quite a few youngsters who have not only shown gratitude, but were happy to pay it forward. Our first story highlights Mackenzie Walters, a senior at West Allegh-eny High School who is always on a mission to help others and make positive changes. We also have Caleb Turk from Fort Cher-ry Elementary, who, despite being faced with the illness of his dad, continues to think about others, performing kind deeds. Even nine-year-old Aubrie Ligman and her five-year-old brother, Keegan, felt the need to give back and raised funds for Hurricane Harvey victims in Houston, TX. And all the way in Aberdeen, Scot-land, millennials used their time and expertise to assist the peo-ple of Uganda. We have other remarkable stories of our talented and driven young people on the road to success, who continue to impact the world in many ways. Please share these stories of inspiration with your kids, which will no doubt motivate and en-courage them to walk a positive path.

A message from the

Founder/Publisher

Densie Sheppard

S

02 I the good stuff is contagious [November/December 2017]

W hen I think of the words focused and driven, Jamie Faith Sheppard comes to mind. The second child in a family of three girls, Jamie has always been passionate about writing. From the age of six, she would often be seen with a writing pad and pencil as if it were a part of her - writing stories, together with illustra-tions. Reading was never something that she had to be coerced into doing. Her enthusiasm for these two things has led her to quite a few achievements. Jamie self-published her first children’s novel, for ages seven to twelve, when she was in fifth grade. Soon after, she was invited by Woburn Junior Public School in Toronto, Canada, to do an au-thor’s visit. To an audience of children, grades three to six, she gave a motivational speech about perseverance and commit-ment in being a young writer. Jamie, being a natural introvert was extremely nervous, but true to form, she persevered and was determined to speak. Through her vision to help others, Jamie sold her books at the West Allegheny Battle of the Books competition and also had a book signing at The Mall at Robinson in 2013, where she donat-ed all the proceeds to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC. Her books were sold throughout the United States, Canada, Unit-ed Kingdom and the Caribbean, donating a part of the proceeds toward various schools. As a student at West Allegheny Middle School, Jamie entered the library writing competition in sixth and seventh grade, being named honorable mention both times. She also placed first in the Patriot’s Pen writing competition in seventh grade. And her most recent accomplishment is being a feature writer for “The Good Stuff is ‘Contagious’” magazine. Throughout the years, Jamie has volunteered numerous hours at Western Allegheny Community Library, assisting with different programs during summer as well as after school. Jamie always strives for excellence in everything that she does, whether it be extra-curricular activities or academics. Currently, a sopho-more at West Allegheny High School, Jamie is a member of the high school varsity tennis team. She plays the guitar, ukulele and piano and is currently learning to play the drums. She also performs with a rock band every spring, summer and fall. In her spare time, she likes to draw, write poems, listen to music and play with her dog, Mickey. And just like any typical teenager, she also loves social media but has a balance with anything that she does. Positive-minded, always pleasant, and although a bit shy, this young lady never allows anything to deter her from her goals. Whenever she falters, she gets up and marches on, aiming for higher. Jamie always sees the good in everyone and is hap-py to see other people’s achievements. Jamie Sheppard is truly a special young girl and is surely destined for greatness.

About our young

Writer

Jamie Sheppard

[November/December 2017] the good stuff is contagious I 03

02 A message from the Founder/ Publisher

03 About our young writer

05 The Kindness PITT Stop

07 WA’s MacKenzie Walters - A Born Leader

08 Jessie-Leigh Roberts-Riley from Trinidad & Tobago

10 Stress - Poem by Jamie Sheppard

12 Our Guest Writer - Racheal Nuckles

13 Fort Cherry’s Senior Emily LaMark Wins Prestigious Award

15 Mya Clay Wins Award for Compassion, Leadership and Integrity

16 Six-Year-Old Duathlete - Jolie Lee Mitchell

19 Caught Being Kind

20 Abigayle Goodwin - Fort Cherry Student Wins Global Scholarship

22 Millennials Doing the “Good Stuff” - Chloe McGhee from Aberdeenshire, Scotland

24 Updates - Mike Schaal Performs at Carnegie Hall in New York City Emily Richard and Connor Ehrgood Represent Pittsburgh at the Intel ISEF

25 Updates - Renee Josse de Lisle Wins Several Art Competitions in Texas Elizabeth Vollmer Honored for her Artwork at Carnegie Hall in New York City

26 Updates - Kayla Campbell - Continuing to Make a Difference 30 Green Kids Who do Great Things

contents

ABOUT THE COVER:The cover represents friends being thankful for each other.

FOUNDER/PUBLISHERDensie [email protected]

WRITERSDensie SheppardJamie Sheppard

DESIGN & LAYOUT Densie Sheppard

EDITORKaren Fittipaldo

© 2017. All rights reserved. Reproduction or reuse of any part of this publication is prohib-ited without the written permission from the publisher.

PHOTOGRAPHER(Cover, Publisher & Writer Photos)Stacy Koloski


November/ December 2017Volume 1, Issue 5

PENNSYLVANIA

WARNING!

This magazine contains articles on kids who have done fascinating things. Be prepared to be amazed!

A PLATFORM FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO SHARE THEIR GOOD DEEDS AND TALENTS

the good stu� is

What are youThankful

for?

mailto:thegoodstuffiscontagious%40gmail.com%20?subject=General%20Comments%20to%20the%20Publisher

contents

Brooke is on the lookout for YOU!

The Kindness PITT Stop


Fort Cherry third grader Caleb Turk finds joy in paying kindness forward. Even though being kind may be a natural instinct to him, some of his kindness is a reflection of his upbringing. All parents play a huge role in encouraging their kids to show kindness and compassion to others. Caleb’s parents are no different and it shows through his volunteer efforts at his church, as well as through his involvement in service projects with Cub Scout Pack 1365. Caleb’s thoughtfulness really shined when he was given a second-grade writing assignment for the “100th day of school”. He had to write in 100 words, what he would do with $100. “I wrote that if I had $100, I would first buy a video game, then give the rest of the money to the poor. There are so many people that don’t have clothes, food or toys. I am so blessed to have these things. So, I decided to take my writing assignment a step further and put action to my writing.”

Caleb seized the opportunity to put his words into action during an evening Sunday school session. The children’s director, Cara Chambers, spoke about making care packages to distribute to the City Mission. After class, Caleb approached Ms. Chambers and spoke of his interest in donating money and time towards the proj-ect. He asked his parents if he could donate $100 of his savings towards the project and they willingly obliged. After purchasing the needed items with additional donations for the project, the Sunday school students got together to make care packages for the homeless. The kids made 80 care packages and hand delivered them.

“This project meant a lot to me to know that I brought joy to so many people,” said Caleb. His mother adds, “Caleb always has a smile to share and encouraging words to give to others. He loves giving high fives and hugs to everyone.” Caleb’s dad has been battling a rare cancer for seven years and their family has experienced kindness shown to them by their church and the community. Caleb has taken these tough life experiences and directed his energy into giving back to the community. Caleb truly has a giving heart and a caring personality and we are sure he will continue to spread kindness wherever he goes.

Pay it ForwardSpread

Joy Show Kindness


Photo taken by Jennifer Pratt Photography

- Jamie Sheppard


Mackenzie Walters, a senior at West Allegheny High School, is an exceptional advocate for charity with-in her school and community. Ever since she was a child, her charisma and empathy spoke for themselves. In second grade, she won a bicycle at a drawing during Wilson Elementary’s Wellness Walk, only to give it away to a little girl that she noticed was crying because she didn’t have a bike of her own.

During her freshman and sophomore years, Walters organized a coat drive for the homeless, which she donated to Light of Life Rescue Mission. In her junior year, she, yet again, collected more items, but this time for Girls Hope of Pittsburgh, an orphanage for girls between the ages of 10 and 18. Being an active girl scout since kindergarten, Walters continued paying it forward through her volunteer efforts at Crossroads Church, babysitting during church services and being a teen leader at Vacation Bible School since sixth grade. She has also volunteered selling merchandise at the Pittsburgh CLO during summer and winter musicals.

Along with her unwavering charitable work, Walters is very involved in extra-curricular activities at school. She is the president of mock trial, the head of homecoming committee, the founder of book club and a cast member in her school’s musical. To add to this, Walters volunteers around 60 hours every year for Key Club, 40 more hours than the required 15. She has also been a member of show choir in both middle and high school. As an active member of her high school’s tennis team for four years, Walters has lettered all three of her varsity years and was selected as one of three head captains in her senior year. The amount of tenacity that Walters exhibits is overflowing, as the list doesn’t end there! Additionally, she initiated an organization called Indian Pride, which promotes school spirit and holds fundraisers throughout the year. She is a part of the Safe and Supportive Schools Committee, which consists of a group of students who come together to discuss new ideas and different ways to improve the school and promote a positive en-vironment for everyone.

With all of this under her belt, there is no doubt that Walters will succeed in her life, as either a diplomat or politician—two of her career goals. She certainly has the drive and leadership qualities to ac-complish pretty much anything. Her compassion, which is deeply rooted in her soul, will surely touch many people in her lifetime.

WA’s Mackenzie Walters A Born Leader

Jessie-Leigh Roberts-Riley from Trinidad & Tobago

Courageous and determined are qualities that describe eight-year-old, Jessie-Leigh Roberts-Riley. From as young as two-years-old, Jessie-Leigh, also known as Jess, was intrigued by gymnastics. While watch-ing the 2012 Olympics on television with her mom, Jessie-Leigh tried all the moves and eagerly said to her mom, “I want to be a lympic nastic”. Soon after, she developed a passion for gymnastics.

With most successes and achievements come sacrifices and that is the one thing that Jessie-Leigh is willing to endure. During this past summer, her mom enrolled her in an International Gymnastics Camp in Pennsylvania for one week. Jessie-Leigh’s bravery shined when she boarded the plane on her way to Penn-sylvania minus her mom. Although scared and her eyes filled with tears, Jessie-Leigh kept focused and main-tained a brave demeanor. She was greeted at the airport by her godmother and taken to a gymnastics camp a few days later, where she stayed supervised for the week. At camp, she met new friends and even though she said that she encountered a few bullies, she did not allow that to deter her. Jessie-Leigh worked hard at her practices. And although she didn’t have the comfort of her mom, she built up the courage to overcome her fears and stayed committed to her objectives. She had the opportunity to meet U.S. Olympic gymnasts Gabby Douglas and Jake Dalton, which really added excitement and spark to her camp experience.

Apart from gymnastics, Jessie-Leigh swims, enjoys riding her bike and loves arts and crafts. She also loves to play with her dog and spend time with friends. One day, Jessie-Leigh would like to focus on helping turtles. Without a doubt, she is a fearless, courageous eight-year-old, who bravely participated in a gymnas-tics camp; in unfamiliar surroundings, outside of her native country, and without the comfort of her mom. Keep being courageous Jessie-Leigh! You have the power to achieve endless possibilities.


Jessie-Leigh with U.S Olympic gymnasts, Jake Dalton and Gabby Douglas.

- Densie Sheppard


Fearless

Determined

Eight-Year-Old

All photos submitted by Marsha Riley, mother of Jessie-Leigh.


STRESS

- Jamie Sheppard

A blinding thick fog inside your headEngulfing everything in its pathYour train of thought derails into the darknessThe conductor suffocates, choking on airThe destination unknown as he plummets forwardSoon, the train crashes, flames slowly growing up the sidesHe breathes in the fumes, lungs burning, skin searing from the heatNo wonder it takes such a heavy toll on your bodyPurple bags accumulate under your eyesFace becoming pale, body becoming weakA feeling of exhaustion, worry, panic... flow through you like ripples over a lake…Stress...If not controlled Could take over your brain, like a pilot flying a plane,Steering your emotions up and down…until you’re too tired to feel.


OUR GUEST WRITER

RachealNuckles

West Allegheny

High School

Fifteen-year-old Racheal Nuckles submitted an article on Fort Cherry senior, Emily LaMark (See next page). Racheal loves to read, write poems and enjoys spending time with her friends. Her favorite book genre is poetry and she would one day like to become a Physician’s Assistant. Good job on writing the article on Emily LaMark!

E

Fort Cherry Senior Emily LaMark Wins Prestigious Award


mily LaMark, a senior at Fort Cherry High School, has accomplished very much at a young age. She is the drum major for her school’s marching band and plays the trombone for the concert band and other band festivals and events. LaMark also enjoys being in chorus and musicals at Fort Cherry High and is the vice president of the Faith Fortifiers Bible Club. In addition, she helps her community by volunteering at her local church and at Washington Hospital.

LaMark won the Award of Excellence from the National Academy of Future Physicians and Med-ical Scientists. Students are first nominated to become delegates by their teachers, counselors and principals based on their dedication to entering the medical field, leadership potential and a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Through this prestigious honor, LaMark was given a three-day trip to Boston, MA, where she viewed a live surgery and met Noble Prize winners. She described the opportunity as “truly an amaz-ing experience.” The surgery LaMark observed was a hiatal hernia and anti-reflux repair, done laparo-scopically. During the surgery, the surgeon’s assistant was present in the room to explain details of the surgery and LaMark had the opportunity to ask the surgeon questions. LaMark considers viewing this surgery as an amazing experience because she is considering a career either in general surgery, pediat-ric oncology or genetics. Meeting many brilliant people excited her, most notably Mario Capecchi and Leland Hartwell, both former Nobel Prize winners. Meeting Jack Andraka, however, was the highlight of her trip. He created a new way to detect pancreatic cancer, when he was only 15 years old.

LaMark was thrilled when she accepted the award because she felt like all her hard work had paid off. She also felt like she received much more than an award from this experience, as she made friends, explored the city of Boston, heard from many amazing speakers, and made so many memories that will last her a lifetime. - Racheal Nuckles


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Mya Clay Wins Award for Compassion, Leadership and Integrity

ersatile is an understatement when it comes to the teeming attributes of ninth-grader Mya Clay. Her compassion, leadership and integ-rity were the driving factors in her receiving the Dr. Janet M. Walsh Award, given to her during the end of the year assembly at West Allegheny Mid-dle School this past June. “I felt happy, surprised and honored,” says Mya, explaining her reaction to winning the award. Now a freshman at West Allegheny High School, she continues to find a seemingly impossible balance of hobbies and athletic activities, which include volleyball, soft-ball and basketball. Mya also plays the clarinet and is performing in her school’s fall play. While in eighth-grade, she sang in show choir and the school’s talent show. She continues to stun ev-eryone with her beautiful voice, most recently singing the National Anthem at West Allegheny High School Volleyball’s Dig Pink night. Mya Clay is the embodiment of well-rounded and will no doubt continue to thrive in the next four years of her high school career.

V

- Jamie Sheppard


Six-Year-Old Duathlete

Jolie Lee Mitchell

- Jamie Sheppard

eing a young duathlete, six-year-old Trinidadian-born Jolie Lee Mitchell has an abundance of energy and motivation. As young as she is, she has participated in three duathlons, one of which she claimed first place. A duathlon is an endurance event that includes running, followed by cycling and then another running leg. Being involved in this type of athletic event makes Jolie “very happy” and her favorite part of the event is bike riding. She would like to continue participating in duathlons as she grows older. Apart from this, Jolie does horseback riding, rhythmica dance and enjoys making slime, like many kids do, with her sister, Sophia. Jolie surely likes to keep busy, and this summer at the Rainbow Warriors Triathlon Fun Boot Camp in Chaguaramas, Trinidad, was no different. She participated in running, trail riding, river swimming, kayaking, hiking and yoga. She was also part of a creativity camp where she did arts and crafts, cooking, design, bookbinding, T-shirt tie-dye painting and dancing. It seems as if young Jolie Lee Mitchell will never run out of energy—always actively and creatively occupying her time. We can’t begin to imagine all that she will accomplish as she gets older!

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Jolie Lee (center) claiming first place at one of her duathlons.


Be considerate of Others

LET’S MAKE SOMETHING CONTAGIOUS TODAY:

This might seem like an obvious thing to do, but for some, it may not. If you’re walking into a building, hold the door for the person behind you. It shows consideration for someone else and definitely projects good manners. It’s those simple gestures that could make a big difference in your community or anywhere you go.


Mother Theresa

“Caught Being Kind” [November/December 2017] the good stuff is contagious I 19

Aubrie Ligman, a fourth grader at McKee Elementary, has always been intrigued by the weather. This fascination fueled her curiosity to follow the news on Hurricane Harvey. Because of Aubrie’s concern for the people of Houston and her parents’ constant encouragement to always pay it forward, or help those in need, Aubrie and her little brother, Keegan, decided to raise funds for Hurricane Harvey victims and donate all the proceeds to the American Red Cross. On the evening of August 31, Aubrie and Keegan set up a lemonade stand with cookies, lemonade, water, balloons and signs, all of which was Aubrie’s idea. They also recruit-ed the help of three of their closest friends - Landon, Arabella and Maddox Chappel, to help them run the stand and draw attention to passersby. It was a huge success, with donations from grandparents, friends, neighbors and strangers driving by. One neighbor was very touched by their actions, as he was a former Texas resident, now living in Pittsburgh. Aubrie, Keegan and their friends did a phenomenal job of raising $650 for Hurricane Harvey victims. Thanks to the support and motivation of their parents, these kids have experienced what it feels like to help people in need. They were very proud of their efforts! With continued encouragement, they will no doubt foster a natural instinct to help others. Keep up the kind deeds everyone! Because you never know when you will be...


A

Abigayle GoodwinFort Cherry High School Student

Wins Global Scholarship

fter winning a global scholarship to Mongolia, Abigayle Goodwin, a senior at Fort Cherry, expe-rienced a culture that would forever leave an imprint on her life. Goodwin received the scholarship through the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh, which provides programs that offer students the op-portunity to experience different cultures. Through the encouragement of a few of her teachers, she ap-plied with the hopes of winning a scholarship to Japan, Germany or Jordan. Students were nominated based on their maturity, friendliness and open-mindedness to different cultures, as it entailed traveling miles away to an unknown culture without family, for a long period of time. Goodwin was given mul-tiple essays to write, as well as interviews. Upon hearing news of winning the scholarship to Mongolia, Goodwin was shocked and a bit fearful, as she hadn’t a clue where Mongolia was. Goodwin’s program was based on nomadic culture and outdoor adventure. She decided to go with an open mind. On the day of her departure for her month-long excursion, Goodwin met with two group leaders and other student-scholarship winners for the first time in Los Angeles. From there, they traveled to Mongolia and met their designated families, who accommodated them for their entire stay.

During Goodwin’s Mongolian journey, she was introduced to an entirely different way of life, which included unique food and a new language, as no one from her host family spoke English. She also did things that she would never dream of doing, like using the wilderness as an outhouse and not showering for 10 days at a time. Although she was pushing her boundaries more than she ever thought she could, she quickly adapted and learned just how much she was capable of. Her favorite part of Mon-golia was Lake Khuvsgul, as she particularly enjoyed meeting new people, while forming bonds with her group during 3 a.m. hikes through the mountains surrounding the lake. She quickly adjusted to the new and unfamiliar lifestyle and commented, “I would say my time in Mongolia was the best month of my life so far.” Along with her outdoor adventures, Goodwin and her group painted a local school and played volleyball and cards with the Mongolian students, who were very appreciative of meeting new people.

Goodwin experienced many purposeful connections and was exposed to a vastly distinct ter-rain and society than that of the United States. Though she had difficulty communicating with her host family and lived in an environment unlike anything she’d ever known, she became more confident in her ability to survive and thrive in unfamiliar circumstances. She believed in herself and her capabilities and made the most of her time. The Mongolian way of life is very community-based, so she became accustomed to being around people constantly. Upon her return to the U.S, Goodwin had to readjust to having her own bedroom and having less people around her, which, as she put it, “Was really a reverse culture shock.” For Goodwin, she had the experience of a lifetime, while earning values and friendships that will remain with her for the rest of her life. - Jamie Sheppard


“We took hikes at three in the morning, climbing local moutains and hills to get the best view of the sunrise over Lake Khuvsgul.

- Abigayle Goodwin

hloe McGhee, from Aberdeenshire, Scotland, is an extended duties dental nurse at NHS Grampian, one of the fourteen regional health boards of NHS Scotland. Employed by NHS Grampian for 11 years, she is passion-ate about her job, but the passion cannot compare to the passion she exudes when helping others. McGhee always had the yearning to be involved in humanitarian work and in speaking with a friend one night, decided to link with Dentaid, a dental charity. Since 2014, McGhee has made three trips to Uganda performing dental work on underprivileged kids and adults, along with a team of dental nurses, therapists and dentists. They treated approximately 1000 patients during their most recent trip, some of which were in a children’s prison, a boarding school and a male prison. Many of these patients had been experiencing pain for a long time due to improper dental hygiene. It was heartbreaking for McGhee, as she was filled with many emotions during her trip. She was shocked and saddened to see the conditions of several patients, but also happy to know that the dental team, literally, brought smiles to so many people.

The team also tended to patients on the islands of Lake Victoria in Uganda. They stayed in a tent, with very basic toilet and washing facilities. The sacrifices they made for this great humanitarian cause is phenom-enal and shows that we have so much good in this world. We very often forget or take for granted how fortu-nate we are to have easy access to basic needs and health care, but McGhee has given a lot of insight into daily living conditions of many people across the globe and the unavailability of proper dental care. Thank you, Chloe McGhee and the team for all you do to help the people of Uganda. - Densie Sheppard

Chloe McGhee from Aberdeenshire, Scotland

C


“It’s an amazing feeling to con-tribute to something like this. The people we visit are often in very remote villages with little or no healthcare facilities. Some may have been in pain for years, so be-ing able to help them is so reward-ing and seeing the instant differ-ence you can make to someone’s life.”

A little boy from Uganda showing his gratitude toMcGhee and the team for all their help

Millennials Doing the “Good Stuff”

- Chloe McGhee


Chloe McGhee during her volunteer efforts in Uganda.

Mike Schaal, now a junior at Fort Cherry High School, was featured in our inaugural issue of Contagious for his dedication to volunteering within his community, while balancing his school work, extra-curricular activities and friends. Since we last met, he has made great strides in one of his pastimes—playing piano, which he started at age four with the Pittsburgh Music Academy. This past summer, Mike was given the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City. On June 18, his performance was a great success and Mike felt honored to be part of such a presti-gious establishment.

Mike Schaal Performs at Carnegie Hall in New York City

Fort Cherry High School students Emily Richard and Connor Ehrgood, were featured in the first and second issues respectively, of Contagious. Some of their achieve-ments, such as winning the PA State Governor STEM Challenge in 2016, were highlighted in the articles. Their STEM challenge innovation was a device called the SticK-ey, a specialized keyboard, for those with fine-motor dis-abilities. Through this extraordinary device, they won a trip earlier this year to Los Angeles, CA, to represent the Pittsburgh region at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF). This fair, held in a different city every year, hosts approximately 1800 high school stu-dents from more than 75 countries, regions and territories. These students are given the opportunity to exhibit their innovations, which are reviewed and judged by doctoral level scientists. Emily and Connor were very proud to have their work displayed at the international fair. “It was quite an experience and such an honor to be chosen as finalists,” gushed Emily, who would like to major in engineering af-ter high school. Connor would like to focus on the areas of broadcasting, stage technology or computer science. According to him, “It was incredible to have something we made take us so far.” There is no doubt that these remark-able young students will continue to achieve great things throughout their lives.

Emily Richard and Connor EhrgoodRepresent Pittsburgh at the Intel ISEF



West Allegheny High School’s Elizabeth Vollmer was fea-tured in the third issue of Contagious with her winning art piece called “Way Back When”. Through Scholastic’s Art and Writing Con-test, Elizabeth received the gold medal and national recognition. Elizabeth, along with other recipients of Scholastic’s contest, were invited to attend a ceremony earlier this year at Carnegie Hall in New York City, to honor them for their winning pieces. According to Elizabeth, “It was kind of surreal to be sitting around 700 other kids who won in all different categories.” After the ceremony, some of the art pieces were displayed at Pratt Institute and at Parsons School of Design in NYC. In recognition of the event, the Empire State Building was lit with bright yellow lights the night before the awards.

Elizabeth Vollmer Honored for her Artwork at Ceremony at Carnegie Hall in New York City

Renee Josse de Lisle from Houston, TX, was featured in our second issue of Contagious for her amazing artwork and success in artistic competitions. Talented and driven, Renee continued com-peting and made it to auction with a piece entitled “The Good Ole Days”, which sold for $24,000. Another piece, entitled “My True Colors”, was entered in VASE (Visual Arts Scholastic Event) winning her the Gold Seal Award and placement in art galleries through-out Texas. Renee also entered the Young American Creative Patri-otic Art Contest with her piece entitled “In Mama’s Footsteps”. For this piece, she placed 1st in the region and 2nd in the state. Renee and her family are very proud of all these accomplishments and there is no doubt that she will continue to amaze people with her artistic ability.

Renee Josse de Lisle Wins Several Art Competitions

in Texas

Kayla Campbell of North Fayette was featured in the third issue of Contagious for her determination, char-itable work and many achievements. Campbell, who is hearing-impaired has proven that people who are deaf can accomplish anything they put their minds to and continues to work towards dispelling stereotypes about the deaf community. Now, she has another achievement under her belt—formation of an American Sign Lan-guage class. Campbell was instrumental in advocating for a sign language class to be introduced to the West Allegheny High School’s curriculum. Starting with the 2017-2018 school year, American Sign Language has been introduced as an elective for high school seniors. This was a huge accomplishment for Campbell, as she put a lot of hard work into making this become a reality.

Campbell also received a great surprise earlier this year. Actors, Matt Meinsen and Tea Leoni were very impressed when they viewed a bullying video entitled “Different”, that Campbell posted on facebook after pro-ducing the piece for a high school project. Meinsen and Leoni collaborated with a few actors, artists, illustrators and musicians to send letters to Kayla with words of support and encouragement. In late March, Campbell was invited on an all-expenses paid trip for her and her family to visit Leoni on the set of “Madam Secretary” in New York City. It was quite an experience for her and her family! Kayla Campbell has made a difference in (and beyond) her community, and she certainly has the passion and determination to make positive changes in the world.

Kayla Campbell - Continuing to Make a Difference

Kayla Campbell pictured above with Tea Leoniand Matt Meinsen in New York City.

Kayla Campbell holding a copy of the textbook being used in the American Sign Language class at

WA.


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We are the Green Kids and we are on a mission to do great things. Our aim is to make

the world a better place, starting with our community. Everyone, not just the Green Kids, can achieve this by contributing to society in some way. Performing kind acts, keeping our surroundings clean and lending a helping hand when needed are just a few of the many ways we can brighten our world.

For our last mission, we collected non-perishable items for the West Allegheny food bank, which was a great success. On the next three pages, we have pictures of some of the kids who donated and were excited to be part of the food drive. Thank you to all the kids who donated items! If we all band together, we can achieve great things!

For our next mission, at Christmas, we would like to put a smile on the faces of chil-dren who are sick and hospitalized. If you would like to participate, we are asking kids to make a card for one child and mail it to 19 Forest Glen Dr. Imperial 15126. We’ll be de-livering the cards to kids at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC. The deadline for mailing is December 12! Don’t forget to snap a picture of your kids participating, so that we can post their picture in our next issue. For more information or to send the photo, email us at: [email protected] or text it to 724-931-9088.

Come Join Us! Let’s Do Great Things Together!

Green KidsThat Do Great Things


Donations delivered to Linda Stoner, arepresentative at our local food bank.



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