Emily Williams wrote to tell us about the 5th and 6th grade class at Foothills School of Arts and Sciences. These students are working hard to make 2013 awesome for people that live across the world as well as locally in Boise, Idaho.

Idaho receives more refugees per capita than anywhere else in the United States. The students decided that they wanted to raise awareness regarding the local refugee community.

Working as a whole class and in small groups, the students are showing that small efforts can result in big change for refugees in Boise by working with two very important organizations for refugees: the Agency for New Americans and Create Common Good.

During this school year, students have been engaged in an extensive unit learning about refugees, world issues, and refugee resettlement in Idaho. Students have lead a school wide program to support and maintain communication with Foothills’ sister school Nkokwe in the Democratic Republic Congo (DRC).  In addition, students met a pair of recently resettled refugees – Brenda (19 years old) and her daughter Becky (5 years old) - and have decided to support them as they establish their lives in Boise.

When Brenda was twelve years old she was separated from her family in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and was forced to flee to Uganda. She spent the last seven years in a refugee camp in Uganda where Becky was born. Brenda speaks four languages, Swahili, Ugandan, Rwandan, and English. Becky speaks Ugandan and English. Since they never had the chance to go to school in Africa, both are currently learning to read and write in English. Becky attends kindergarten at a local elementary school, and Brenda attends language classes through refugee services.

Through all of these efforts, the students are learning that they can have a real impact on someone’s life. They are able to take the information from the classroom and put it into practice in the real world, and by connecting with Brenda and Becky, they see those efforts come to fruition. Through this process, they are getting to use their creativity to find ways to help Brenda and Becky, and they feel real ownership of the ideas they are coming up with to help this family. They are making a difference, and that empowers and inspires them.

Awesome job, guys! To learn more about refugees in Idaho, click here. 

Joe Bradley is from Columbia, Missouri. He enjoys golfing and making homemade pizzas. His parents really encouraged him to volunteer in his community when he was young, and that lesson has stuck with him ever since.

Now, as a grown-up, he spends a lot of his time helping others. Joe currently mentors four Little Brothers in Columbia through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. He meets with all of them regularly. He also teaches a religious education class for kindergarteners at the St. Thomas More Newman Center and volunteers at the local Food Bank, Ronald McDonald House, and Loaves and Fishes soup kitchen.

As an award for creating the winning Kid President t-shirt design, Threadless presented Joe with $1,000. Of course, in true KP fashion, he’s going to use it to make someone else’s year more awesome! He’s planning on giving all of the award to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Missouri. This money will be used to help match a child in the community with a caring mentor and possibly even help fund a fun event for the kids.

Joe says, “I’m hoping that in a few years maybe me winning this t-shirt contest means more to a kid I’ve never met before than it did to me.”

Want a KP shirt of your own? Click here! 25% of sales from this tee will go to The Center for Courageous Kids to fund free programs and camps for children battling threatening life conditions! 

Read more of Joe’s interview with Threadless here!

Sreedevi Shirkant – I recycle and reuse…and trying to treat you better in every way possible! Thank you for bearing with us all along…!! 

Cari Howle (@Carebear3132) — #DearEarth We are all the same on the inside. So, why do we hurt each other for our differences?

Jeffery Louis Peikin — Thanks for spinning on an axis, and keeping us cool or warm while we “relaxis” haha

Adam Meyer (@adammeyer26) — #DearEarth you constantly amaze me. You are so much more than the ground we walk on. Have a happy day.

Jordan Strang (@kiwijordan) — #DearEarth thanks for having me.

Seth Stout — Playing in dirt is still awesome. Thanks for that.

Nicole Eanes (@itskneecolee) — #DearEarth thanks for staying beautiful even when I don’t alway notice.

Amanda (@AmandaMandingo) — #dearearth thank you for the mixtures of rock that have made my glasses, so I am able to see this beautiful world

Stacee Adams (@Missbeerocrat) — With eyes the color of oceans and giggles as sweet as any sound, I see your infinite beauty in the faces of my two young nieces. #DearEarth

Ariel Goodman — Mama Earth! Thanks for the grass carpet, the shade trees, the sweet air, cool lakes, the hot summers, the awesome springs, the beautiful autumns, the cozy winters and the amazing oceans! I love the colors of your flatlands, all the nooks and crannies of your mountains, and the beauty and mysteries of your seas. I love you!

Erica Kean (@erica_kean) — #DearEarth Sorry for all the terrible things humans do to you. Thanks for being awesome in spite of it! YOU ROCK! (LOL)

Beky Williams — Yes, the Moon thinks you’re pretty cute. Keeps following you around…..

Katy Sheehan (@KShee1993) — #DearEarth I’m kind of a big fan of both your atmosphere and your gravity. It helps to keep me breathing and grounded.

chadwickford (@paidtosnap) — #DearEarth, We say versions of the same thing. It doesn’t matter who said what first, we all sing. Love is the rhythm of life we all bring.

Elizabeth Griffin (@larkandbloom) — Okay, here is mine. #DearEarth , your geology rocks!

Let us know what you would write in a letter to the Earth, (@iamkidpresident, #DearEarth). Let’s keep writing the Earth the best Earth Day card EVER!