KaBOOM! Kid Hero: Kamilah Simone Bryant

When she was just five years old, Kamilah Simone Bryant, a little girl from Suitland, Md., decided she wanted to help the “Hurricane Katrina children who were sad.” She took her crayons and a pile of loose-leaf paper and started creating colorful, folded paper fans. She went throughout her community and sold her creations for $1 apiece, telling the people who bought them they had just become members of her “Fan Club.” By taking her campaign door-to-door, to members of her church, and neighborhood gatherings, Kamilah eventually raised $1,000 to donate to “Operation Playground,” a KaBOOM! initiative to build 100 playgrounds in the areas affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Kamilah’s contribution was recognized along with other donors in our “Leave a Legacy of Play” Fund, which took funds from multiple donors to build playgrounds in two Gulf locations.

To honor her extraordinary efforts, Kamilah came in to the KaBOOM! headquarters for a kid-friendly reception in her honor.  In addition to receiving a standing ovation from the entire D.C. staff, Kamilah was profiled on local TV news and will be included in upcoming newspaper and radio stories.

Although at first, the attention was a little overwhelming, Kamilah soon warmed up and animatedly explained to the crowd how she was inspired by her great-grandmother, who has since passed.  She then proceeded to push aside her peanut butter and jelly sandwich and showed some of our staff how to create one of her signature fans.

You can see the video from the local news piece here.

Kamilah is proof positive that if you care enough, no matter how little you are or how little you have, you can do extraordinary things if you put your mind and heart to it.

Would you like to pass on your own congratulations to Kamilah, or share your own "kid hero" story? Log in and add your thoughts to the KaBOOM! Forums!

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