Age 8 / Lost Lake Elementary School / Grade 3

Grace Avery

It hurts me to see when other children my age do not have all the necessary school supplies because their parents cannot afford them. As a result, my parents helped me start Grace 4 Kids, a nonprofit organization that helps raise money to purchase school supplies for fellow students and classroom supplies for teachers. My parents have helped me organize two fundraisers. The first one was a yard sale at my house. For the second fundraiser, we set up a booth at an event in downtown Clermont and sold raffle tickets. We gave away Darden gift cards.

My organization donated $750 worth of supplies during the first week of school. With the help of my mom, we set up both a web page and Facebook page for Grace 4 Kids. People can visit the website and donate money or school supplies.
I may be the country’s only third-grade student who has her own business card. We worked with a graphic designer who allowed me to proof eight different business cards. I made suggestions and changes until we agreed on the final one. I provide input into everything Grace 4 Kids does.

Because of Grace 4 Kids, I was featured one morning on our school’s morning news program. Afterward, one teacher who I did not know stopped me in the hallway and thanked me for what I was doing. My classmates were also excited because they now had somebody famous in their class!

I was honored by the Lake County School Board for my work with Grace 4 Kids. They invited me to an honorary meeting and presented me with a certificate of recognition.

My favorite subject is art. I love to color, paint, and draw. I really enjoy drawing houses and always make sure to include garages, windows, and other things that a home needs.

I read on a sixth-grade level. I enjoy non-fiction books, and I’ve also read National Geographic articles about the ocean and space.

I strive to be the best in everything I do. When my P.E. teacher held a pull-up contest, I convinced my dad to buy a pull-up bar, which we placed in the doorway of our laundry room.

When I grow up, I want to be a teacher. I love to learn and one day hope to inspire other children to learn.

I love softball and play on a year-round competitive travel team called Xtreme. My number is 53, which comes from a comment I made one day in practice. A teammate kept throwing the ball over my head and I said, “Not so high. I’m only 53 inches of awesomeness.”

VITAL STATS

All academic: Never made a grade lower than “A” on her report card.

Never at a loss for awards: Recipient of her school’s Student of the Month award, the President’s Reading award, and the Kiwanis Club’s Terrific Kid’s award.

Never skip a beat: On rare occasions when Grace’s mom, Shana, offers to let her miss school and go shopping, Grace declines because she loves school so much.