Sandra McLeod Humphrey's Blog, page 3
August 15, 2012
DARE TO DREAM BIG!: Ambitious Elementary Student Tackles Bullying!
Imagine This: You’re 10 years old and you’ve seen your 15-year-old sister Shania bullied and it makes you angry. You’ve been bullied yourself and you don’t like to see any kid bullied. So what do you do?
Who: You’re Izach Butler, a 10-year-old elementary school student.
What: The Stand for the Silent community presentation featuring Kirk and Laura Smalley
Where: New Castle Fieldhouse, New Castle, Indiana
When: August 5, 2012
This is the inspiring story of a young boy who tackles the problem of bullying in Indiana schools.
After you see the movie Bully, you decide to dedicate your summer working to end bullying.
The film features Kirk and Laura Smalley, whose 11-year-old son, Ty, took his own life after years of prolonged bullying. The Smalleys belong to the Stand for the Silent (a national anti-bullying organization) and travel around the nation telling their son’s story and working to put an end to bullying.
After you see the film, you want to bring Stand for the Silent to New Castle, so you contact the Stand for the Silent organization, the superintendent of schools, and all the principals in Henry County. You even spend your 10th birthday meeting with New Castle’s mayor, Greg York.
Thank you, Izach, for caring enough to make a difference in your community!
Postscript: So far, Izach has raised close to $2000 for Stand for the Silent and he’s already planning more fundraisers to raise money for them.
For More about Izach Butler:
http://www.theindychannel.com/video/31182043/index.html
Courtesy of WRTV Indianapolis (rtv6abc, The Indy Channel)
Something to Think about: Why do you think Izach became so actively involved with the problem of bullying?
“The time is always right to do what is right.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Willoughby and I hope you enjoyed this week’s true story and will be back next week for another story to inspire you to DARE TO DREAM BIG!
Reminder: To be eligible for the weekly drawing for an autographed copy of one of my books (your choice of book), please leave a comment.
(Two Restrictions)
1) There must be a minimum of 10 visitor comments
2) Only U.S. residents please to save on mailing costs.
THIS WEEK’S WINNER IS PAUL HEWLETT.
CONGRATULATIONS, PAUL!
August 8, 2012
DARE TO DREAM BIG!: Attitude Is Everything!
Imagine This: At age 8, you’re diagnosed with Stargardt’s disease, a genetic disorder that causes progressive vision loss. You still have your peripheral vision, but you are considered “legally blind.” So does you disability limit your dreams and aspirations?
Who: You’re Connor Boss, an 18-year-old high school honor student with a 4.2 grade-point average.
What: The Miss Florida USA Pageant
Where: Broward College, Davie, Florida
When: July 14, 2012
This is an inspiring story about a young woman who rises above her disability and dares to DREAM BIG!
At age 8, you’re diagnosed with Stargardt’s disease, a genetic disorder that causes progressive vision loss. When glasses fail to improve your deteriorating eyesight, you realize just how big a challenge you’re facing.
You still have your peripheral vision, but you can’t read anything smaller than 36-point font and you are considered to be “legally blind.”
Throughout middle school and high school, you read enlarged textbooks and your exams (including the ACT and SAT) are read aloud to you. In spite of your vision problem, however, you earn a 4.2 grade-point average, serve as senior class president, and are captain of the cheerleading squad.
You begin entering beauty pageants at age 16 to help improve your self-esteem. In 2012 you win the Miss Delray Beach title which makes you eligible to enter the Miss Florida USA competition. You are the first legally blind contestant to compete for the Miss Florida USA title.
You hope that by entering the Miss Florida USA competition, you will inspire others to have the courage to do things they might not otherwise do.
Thank you, Connor, for showing us once again that ability is more important than disability and that Attitude Is Everything!
Postscript: Connor Boss was one of the five finalists and the fourth runner-up in the Miss Florida USA 2012 pageant and is currently a student at Florida State University.
For More about Connor Bass:
Something to Think about: Why do you think Connor was willing to take the risks she took?
“The time is always right to do what is right.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Willoughby and I hope you enjoyed this week’s true story and will be back next week for another story to inspire you to DARE TO DREAM BIG!
Reminder: To be eligible for the weekly drawing for an autographed copy of one of my books (your choice of book), please leave a comment.
(Two Restrictions)
1) There must be a minimum of 10 visitor comments
2) Only U.S. residents please to save on mailing costs.
THIS WEEK’S WINNER IS LINNEA LARSEN.
CONGRATULATIONS, LINNEA!
August 1, 2012
DARE TO DREAM BIG!: More than a Kid in a Wheelchair!”
Imagine This: You’re born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Types 2 and 3 which confine you to a wheelchair, so does this limit your activities, your dreams, and your aspirations? Apparently not in the case of this Tampa Bay teen!
Who: You’re Ben Carpenter, a 17-year-old high school honor student at King High School
What: The first Tampa Bay Lightning Community Hero Award
Where: The Tampa Bay Lightning Home Opener in Tampa, Florida
When: October 17, 2011
This is an inspiring story about giving back to your community.
You’re an honor student, the captain of the nationally-ranked power soccer team, “Tampa Thunder” and a volunteer for several community organizations.
You have a passion for reading and you see a need for books, so you start a nonprofit called “Ben’s Mends” in 2007. Your nonprofit takes used and abused books, repairs them, then donates them to other non-profits that help women, children, and the elderly. So far you’ve donated more than 4200 books.
You have also worked extensively with Junior Achievement of West Central Florida, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Shriners.
The Tampa Bay Lightning Ice Hockey Team officials select you to be the first recipient of their “Community Hero Award” because of your leadership and your ability to inspire others. You then donate your check for $50,000.00 to Junior Achievement who nominated you for the award.
Thank you, Ben, for being an inspiration for all of us!
For More about Ben Carpenter:
Something to Think about: Why do you think Ben spends so much of his time helping others?
“The time is always right to do what is right.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Willoughby and I hope you enjoyed this week’s true story and will be back next week for another story to inspire you to DARE TO DREAM BIG!
Reminder: To be eligible for the weekly drawing for an autographed copy of one of my books (your choice of book), please leave a comment.
(Two Restrictions)
1) There must be a minimum of 10 visitor comments
2) Only U.S. residents please to save on mailing costs.
THIS WEEK’S WINNER IS OLYN WARFIELD.
CONGRATULATIONS, OLYN!
The Reader Appreciation Award
I want to thank Lynn Dove for nominating me for The Reader Appreciation Award. Lynn is the author of The Wounded Trilogy (http://shootthewounded.org/) and a wife, a mom, a grandmother, a teacher, and a writer with a Masters Degree of Religious Education from the Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary in Cochrane, AB.
Thank you, Lynn, for nominating DARE TO DREAM BIG! for this award!
There are a few guidelines for accepting this award:
l) Acknowledge the giver of the award and provide a link to his or her blog.
2) Copy and paste the award to your blog.
3) Pass the award on to up to ten bloggers.
4) Notify the selected bloggers that you have nominated them.
Accordingly, I am nominating the following bloggers for The Reader Appreciation Award:
Jorja Davis “HODGE PODGE” http://jorjaadavishodgepodge.blogspot.com/
Janet Perez Eckles “Igniting a Passion to Overcome” http://www.janetperezeckles.com/blog/
Joy Hannabas “splashesofjoy” http://splashesofjoy.wordpress.com/
Kathi Holmes “I Stand with Courage” http://istandwithcourage.com/kathis-blog/
Tracy Krauss “Expression Express” http://www.tracykraussexpressionexpress.com/
Jeanette Levellie “On Wings of Mirth and Worth” http://www.jeanettelevellie.com/
Kevin & Melissa Main “MainWriters: Faith and Family” http://mainwriters.com/
Bob Saffrin “Books by Bob Saffrin” http://www.bobsaffrin.com/
Sharla Shults “Awakenings” http://awakenings2012.blogspot.com/
Peggy Strack “Kick Back Moments” http://pstrack.blogspot.com/
Thanks again, Lynn!
*The Reader Appreciation Award logo is on this page. Can we paste it on my blog with the other award logos?
July 25, 2012
DARE TO DREAM BIG!: Curing Homelessness with Hugs and Ladybugs
Imagine This: You’re five years old and you see a homeless man eating out of a garbage can on a freezing winter day. You can’t forget about him and you worry about him for almost a year. But you’re just a young girl, what can you do?
Who: You’re Hannah Taylor, a five-year-old girl from Manitoba
What: Your passion to help the homeless
Where: Winnipeg, Manitoba
When: 2001 to the present time
This is an inspiring story of compassion and determination.
You are so disturbed by the homeless man eating out of a garbage can that you ask your dad to take you to visit a homeless shelter. You want to learn more about hunger and homelessness.
You decide you want to help the homeless and you begin by talking to your class about raising funds for a local homeless shelter. By age 8, you’ve founded The Ladybug Foundation because Ladybugs represent luck and homeless people need good luck. You paint baby food jars like ladybugs and ask businesses for spare change.
Over the next four years you end up talking to thousands of people including more than 175 schools, organizations, and events. Through your efforts, well over 2 million dollars has been raised directly and indirectly for projects across Canada providing shelter, food, and safety for homeless people. You’re still going strong today and have no plans for slowing down!
Thank you, Hannah, for your vision: Where society sees a problem, you see a person!
Postscript: Taylor, now 15, travels widely across her native Canada, delivering a call to action and challenging young people to get involved and make change in their community and in their world!
For More about Hannah Taylor:
Something to Think about: Why do you think Hannah was so determined to help the homeless?
“The time is always right to do what is right.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Willoughby and I hope you enjoyed this week’s true story and will be back next week for another story to inspire you to DARE TO DREAM BIG!
Reminder: To be eligible for the weekly drawing for an autographed copy of one of my books (your choice of book), please leave a comment.
(Two Restrictions)
1) There must be a minimum of 10 visitor comments
2) Only U.S. residents please to save on mailing costs.
THIS WEEK’S WINNER IS DARCIA HELLE.
CONGRATULATIONS, DARCIA!
July 17, 2012
TO DREAM BIG!: “If you can dream it, you can do it!”
Imagine This: You’re born with a medical condition known as Amelia* in which your right arm ends at the elbow. So how does this affect your life? Do you give up some of your aspirations because of your disability or do you rise above your disability and believe that “If you can dream it, you can do it?”
Who: You’re Coleman Shannon, a 14-year-old South Carolina boy.
What: A Little League baseball game
Where: Johnsonville, South Carolina
When: May 1, 2012
This is an inspiring story of determination and perseverance.
You’re born with your right arm ending at the elbow, but you’re determined not to let your disability deter you from setting and attaining your goals.
When your parents get you a prosthetic arm at age 2, you hide the limb and refuse to use it because you don’t think you need another arm.
You love baseball and you’re not about to let your physical impairment deter you from playing the game you love. You’re not only good on the mound, but you’re also good at the plate and you’ve been known to deliver some important hits right when they’re needed.
You give the performance of your career, however, on May 1, 2012, when you pitch a no-hitter against the neighboring Timmonsville team, a feat rare in Little League and almost unthinkable for someone with your disability.
Thanks, Coleman, for your determination to follow your heart and focus on your ability rather than your disability!
*Amelia is an extremely rare birth defect marked by the absence of one or more limbs.
For More about Coleman Shannon:
Something to Think about: Why do you think some people attain their goals in spite of obstacles while others give up without really ever trying?
“The time is always right to do what is right.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Willoughby and I hope you enjoyed this week’s true story and will be back next week for another story to inspire you to DARE TO DREAM BIG!
Reminder: To be eligible for the weekly drawing for an autographed copy of one of my books (your choice of book), please leave a comment.
(Two Restrictions)
1) There must be a minimum of 10 visitor comments
2) Only U.S. residents please to save on mailing costs.
THIS WEEK’S WINNER IS PEGGY STRACK and, Peggy, I’ll be e-mailing you to see which of my books you would like.
CONGRATULATIONS, PEGGY!
July 11, 2012
DARE TO DREAM BIG!: The Girl Who Silenced the World for 5 Minutes!
Imagine This: At age 9 you found the Environmental Children’s Organization (ECO) at your elementary school and at age 12 you raise money with other members of ECO to attend the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. You present environmental issues from a youth perspective at the summit and your speech eventually goes viral on YouTube.
Who: You’re Severn Suzuki, a 12-year-old Canadian girl.
What: The UN Earth Summit
Where: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
When: June 1992
This is an inspiring story about one young girl who did indeed make a difference!
You’re born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia. Your mother is writer Tara Elizabeth Cullis and your father is geneticist and environmental activist David Suzuki, a third-generation Japanese Canadian.
While attending Lord Tennyson Elementary School, you found the Environmental Children’s Organization (ECO)—a group of children dedicated to learning and teaching other kids about environmental issues.
In 1992, at age 12, you and other members of ECO raise money to attend the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where you present environmental issues from a youth perspective. Your speech is applauded and eventually goes viral on YouTube.
In 1993 you’re honored in the United Nations Environment Programme’s Global 500 Roll of Honour and Doubleday publishes your book Tell the World, a 32-page book of environmental steps for families.
Postscript: Today Severn Suzuki is an important environmental activist, speaker, television host, and author. She continues to speak around the world about environmental issues, urging listeners to define their values and act responsibly.
For More about Severn Suzuki:
Something to Think about: Why do you think Severn Suzuki is so dedicated to global environmental causes?
Willoughby and I hope you enjoyed this week’s true story and will be back next week for another story to inspire you to DARE TO DREAM BIG!
Reminder: To be eligible for the weekly drawing for an autographed copy of one of my books (your choice of book), please leave a comment.
(Two Restrictions)
1) There must be a minimum of 10 visitor comments
2) Only U.S. residents please to save on mailing costs.
THIS WEEK’S WINNER IS TOM BLUBAUGH and, Tom, I’ll be e-mailing you to see which of my books you would like.
CONGRATULATIONS, TOM!
July 3, 2012
DARE TO DREAM BIG!: A High School Athlete Gives Back!
Imagine This: You’re a high school senior who was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in June 2010. Since then, your school and community have supported you with fundraisers, notes of encouragement, hospital visits, and plenty of prayer support. When you’re approached by the Make-a-Wish Foundation, which grants special experiences to seriously ill children and teens, you’re asked to make your wish. So what do you wish for?
Who: You’re Rashawn King, a senior at Middle Creek High School.
What: A special thank-you luncheon at your high school.
Where: Middle Creek High School in Apex, North Carolina.
When: Thursday, April 26, 2012
This is an inspiring story of a young man who chose to give back to his school and his community instead of doing something for himself.
After being diagnosed with leukemia before your junior year, you’re told by the doctors that you’ll probably never play sports again. As both a basketball and football player, you refuse to believe this and you work hard to get well.
When you’re approached by the Make-a-Wish Foundation and invited to make a wish, you initially ask to meet LeBron James, NBA superstar. But then you think about all the people in your school and community who have supported you during your illness and you change your mind. Instead, you decide to request a free lunch for your entire school from your favorite fast food restaurant, Chick-fil-A as your way of thanking everyone. Your wish is granted and on Thursday, April 26, 2012, lunch is served to over 1900 students and staff. It’s one of the best moments of your life!
And, yes, you did prove the doctors wrong when you returned to both the football field and the basketball court your senior year.
Postscript: Rashawn has won an academic scholarship to a college near his home and, instead of pursuing an athletic career, he’s now thinking about becoming a nurse who works with cancer patients.
For More about Rashawn King:
Something to Think about: If you had been in Rashawn’s place, what would your wish have been?
Willoughby and I hope you enjoyed this week’s true story and will be back next week for another story to inspire you to DARE TO DREAM BIG!
Reminder: To be eligible for the weekly drawing for an autographed copy of one of my books (your choice of book), please leave a comment.
(Two Restrictions)
1) There must be a minimum of 10 visitor comments
2) Only U.S. residents please to save on mailing costs.
THIS WEEK’S WINNER IS MICKI PELUSO and, Micki, I’ll be e-mailing you to see which of my books you would like.
CONGRATULATIONS, MICKI!
June 27, 2012
DARE TO DREAM BIG!: From Young Cancer Victim to International Hero!
Imagine This: You’re diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a type of childhood cancer, shortly before your first birthday and receive a stem cell transplant the day after your fourth birthday. Your dream is to help other kids with cancer, so what do you do?
Who: You’re Alexandra Scott, you’re eight years old, and you have a dream.
What: You’ve had cancer just about your entire life and your dream is to help other kids with cancer.
Where: You live in Pennsylvania near Philadelphia.
When: You’re born January 18, 1996, and pass away at the age of 8 on August 1, 2004.
Doctors discover that you have cancer shortly before your first birthday. They tell your parents that, even if you survive the cancer, you’ll probably never walk.
By your second birthday, you’re crawling and able to stand up with leg braces. You’re working hard to gain strength and to learn how to walk. You appear to be beating the odds, but then your family finds out that your tumors have started growing again.
The day after your fourth birthday, you receive a stem cell transplant and tell your mother that when you get out of the hospital, you want to have a lemonade stand. You want to earn money to give to the doctors so they can help other kids the way they helped you.
You open your first lemonade stand later that year with the help of your older brother and raise an amazing $2000.00 for “your hospital.”
While bravely battling your own cancer, you and your family continue to hold yearly lemonade stands in your front yard to benefit childhood cancer research. News spreads and people from all over the world are moved by your story. They begin to hold their own lemonade stands and donate the proceeds to you and your cause.
In August of 2004, you pass away at the age of 8 knowing that with the help of others, you have raised more than $1 million to help find a cure for the disease which has taken so many lives including your own.
Your family—including your brothers Patrick, Eddie, and Joey—and supporters around the world are committed to continuing your inspiring legacy through Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.
“The time is always right to do what is right.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
For More about Alexandra Scott:
Something to Think about: Why do you think Alexandra’s lemonade stand was so important to her?
Willoughby and I hope you enjoyed this week’s true story and will be back next week for another story to inspire you to DARE TO DREAM BIG!
Reminder: To be eligible for the weekly drawing for an autographed copy of one of my books (your choice of book), please leave a comment.
(Two Restrictions)
1) There must be a minimum of 10 visitor comments
2) Only U.S. residents please to save on mailing costs.
June 20, 2012
DARE TO DREAM BIG!: More Than One Hero!
Imagine This: You’re a fifth-grader and it’s Field Day at your school. This is your fourth race of the day and only a handful of students are still running. You want to keep running, but you have a problem the other runners don’t have. You have cerebral palsy. So what do you do? Do you keep running or not?
Who: You’re Matt Woodrum, a fifth-grader at Colonial Hills Elementary School.
What: The 400-meter race during Field Day at your school.
Where: Colonial Hills Elementary School in Worthington, Ohio
When: Wednesday May 16, 2012
This is a story of courage and determination, passion, and compassion.
This is your fourth race of the day and as several students pass you on their second lap around the course, your teacher, John Blaine walks over to check on you.
During your second lap, your teacher is at your side, and suddenly so are many of your classmates who encourage you to keep going. Clapping and running by your side, they begin to yell in unison, “Let’s go, Matt! Let’s go!”
And you do keep going–you keep going till you cross the finish line!
This is one of those “feel-good” stories where everyone is a hero! You’re a hero for never giving up, your teacher is a hero because he’s by your side encouraging you, and your classmates are heroes because they rally behind you and cheer you on.
What a great lesson for the rest of us–when we support each other, everybody wins! This is humanity at its best!
We can all be encouragers each in our own way. Thank you, Matt and John and all Matt’s classmates who were there to support and encourage each other!
“The time is always right to do what is right.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
For More about Matt Woodrum:
Something to Think about: Why do you think Matt’s classmates rallied behind him? What would you have done in that situation?
Willoughby and I hope you enjoyed this week’s true story and will be back next week for another story to inspire you to DARE TO DREAM BIG!
Reminder: To be eligible for the weekly drawing for an autographed copy of one of my books (your choice of book), please leave a comment.
(Two Restrictions)
1) There must be a minimum of 10 visitor comments
2) Only U.S. residents please to save on mailing costs.
