2008 National Winners

Winners (ages 6-12)*

Sarosha Hansraj, 9, Grapevine, Tex.

Inspired by a bedtime story about a poor family that couldn’t afford new clothing, Sarosha has become dedicated to helping disadvantaged children around the world obtain an education to benefit themselves, their families and their communities. Sarosha started a nonprofit organization to assist underprivileged children at the Darnami Girls’ School in Khost, an extremely poor region of Afghanistan. Sarosha raised money to purchase shoes, school bags and supplies for 255 students and also created a Web site for the program: www.ChildrenCareForChildren.org. Sarosha also takes advantage of holidays, such as her birthday, to gather gifts for the children at Darnami Girls’ School.

Stephen Toledo, 12, Randolph, N.J.

After being diagnosed with Chiari Malformation at age 6, Stephen was in and out of the hospital. He never forgot the other kids that shared his experience. His mission began with finding a penny in the school yard that led to the creation of the Stephen Toledo Pediatric Fund at Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, N.J. Through the fund, Stephen has helped raise more than $12,000 to provide books, arts and crafts, toys and a gaming center for the pediatric floor. In addition, he created a Web site, www.stephensmission.com, to promote awareness for the sick and needy in his community.

Mary-Pat Hector, 10, Jonesboro, Ga.

When the aspiring young actress Mary-Pat discovered that one of her friends was being abused, she took action by bringing it to the stage. She wrote, directed, designed and presented a play titled “Easy Street Ain’t So Easy” to raise awareness for abuse and act as a voice for her peers. More than 300 people turned out to attend the play, and $2,500 was donated to the Covenant House, a nonprofit shelter for homeless teens. Since her play’s debut, Mary-Pat continues to spread her message by speaking with several youth and church groups.

Maxwell Lawson, 10, Munster, Ind.

For Max, the best birthday gifts are ones he can give to someone in need. Since age 3, Max has turned his birthday parties into fundraising events. As the youngest missionary to participate in Hearts in Motion, he has collected school supplies, baby formula, vitamins, shoes and cribs for Guatemalan children. For his 10th birthday, he raised funds for the Range of Motion project to purchase prosthetic legs for two children. In all, his activities have benefited more than 2,000 children. In addition to his birthday fundraisers, he has donated nearly 250 hours serving lunch during Wheelchair Basketball and he grew his hair 10 inches long and donated it to make wigs for cancer patients.

Patrick Pedraja, 12, Palm Harbor, Fla.

Patrick, who was diagnosed with leukemia at age 10, founded the Driving for Donors program when he learned how difficult it was for people with blood disorders to find matching marrow donors. In 2007, Patrick and his family traveled to 32 cities nationwide educating people about the need for marrow donors and, as a result, added 6,500 people to the National Marrow Donor Program Registry. To help pay the fees needed to add these donors to the registry, Patrick raised more than $150,000 by selling ads on his bald head. So far, Patrick has saved the lives of 3 people by finding a marrow match for each.

Winners (ages 13-18)*

Sara-Elizabeth Clark, 13, Gardiner, N.Y.

When Sara-Elizabeth realized there was a lack of fundraising for people with epilepsy in her area, she decided to step up and make a difference. Sara-Elizabeth, who was diagnosed with epilepsy as an infant, organized walks that raised more than $25,000 to support the approximately 40,000 people affected by the disease in her area. She also has been active in the National Epilepsy Foundation and was invited to Capitol Hill to share her story on behalf of the 3 million Americans living with epilepsy. In addition, she created a Web site, www.itsnotwhoiam.com, to further create awareness.

David Steinmetz, 16, Woodbridge, Conn.

David has a soft spot for kids who have lost a parent. After losing his own father at age 4, he and his sisters kept journals of their thoughts, feelings and experiences. After the tragic events of 9/11, he consolidated their writings into a book “After You Lose Someone You Love.” Last year, David obtained a grant to distribute 275 of these books and an accompanying journal to children at Camp Good Grief, a bereavement program for kids who have lost loved ones. Written from the heart from a child’s point of view, the books were a welcome resource for kids to take home to help with the grieving process.

Lorna Her Many Horses, 17, Rosebud, S.D.

An advocate for literacy, Lorna has spent countless hours cataloging books received through the Reading Is Fundamental program and distributing them to students on the Rosebud Indian Reservation. In the summer she drives to rural communities to hand out books and hold story time for children. Since the reservation is located in one of the country’s poorest counties, 2,500 children now have access to books they would otherwise not have. Lorna’s efforts have resulted in students reading more proficiently and experiencing the world that books open to them.

Brittany Bergguist, 17, Norwell, Mass.

When Brittany heard about a soldier stationed in the Middle East who could not afford to pay his $7,000 cell phone bill, she wanted to help. Starting with $21 of her own money and donations from friends, she began organizing fundraising events and started the Cell Phones for Soldiers program. By collecting recycled cell phones, she helped raise more than $1 million and sent more than 450,000 phone cards to troops serving in the Middle East. As a result of Brittany’s perseverance, there are now more than 8,000 cell phone drop-off sites throughout the country.

Michael Pesci, 18, Parsippany, N.J.

Watch a video about Michael

When he was 11, Michael founded the Perfect Pitch Home Run Derby Charity Event to support activities for disabled and disadvantaged youth. Over the past seven years, the annual event has raised more than $150,000, which helps provide sports equipment and uniforms for athletes in need. Michael invites others to “step up to the plate and take a swing for charity” by volunteering, and has been successful in obtaining support from professional athletes. Based on his experience, Michael is developing a documentary titled “Leveling the Playing Field,” which examines issues of fairness and how one person can make a difference for others.