California is home to some AMAZING young people who go above and beyond to make a difference! This past year, our young KNX Heroes had one mission: helping others.
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Here is a look back at some of their inspiring stories.
We start with high school student Rishan Patel, who began a non-profit to help kids get the bats, balls, and rackets they need to play sports.
Imagine going to school as a kid, heading out to recess, knowing there will be no soccer balls, baseball bats, or any sports equipment to play with. For some schools across California, this is an unfortunate reality.
Patel's non-profit is called Alley Oop Kids, and with the help of his brother and volunteers, they make sure kids in underfunded facilities and schools can play basketball, baseball, and other sports.
"I just feel like through sports, I've learned so many different lessons...Seeing that so many kids don't have the same privilege or opportunity as we did. It's just kind of sickening because that's just not fair," Patel told KNX Heroes producer Heather Jordan.
KNX Hero: Changing young lives through sports
Next is first-grader Brady Ahumada, and like Patel, this young hero wants kids to have the opportunity and resources to succeed.
For his seventh birthday this past year, Ahumada decided he didn't want presents. Instead, he wanted to feed the homeless and give clothes to families in need.
To raise money, he opened a lemonade stand, and Ahumada's mom, Sarah, said the whole community showed their support. His efforts eventually totaled more than $3,000, making a lot of kids in the Pomona area very happy.
In addition to joining the ranks of KNX Heroes, Ahumada has also been recognized by his school, the non-profit Warriors for Children, and even the city of Pomona in a special ceremony before his summer break.
KNX Hero: A 7-year-old with a heart of gold
Orange County high schooler Anisha Bhatnagar also used fundraising to make a difference, starting a science camp to raise money for students wanting to participate in the Science Olympiad.
During her KNX Heroes interview, Bhatnagar said to be competitive in the Olympiad, "You often will have to buy different kits or different materials... and we also need to spend money to go to invitationals, which are like practice competitions. But if we don't have the funds to do so, that puts us at a disadvantage against teams that do."
Bhatnagar's science camp raised money for her school's team and provided an opportunity for the next generation of scholars to get a head start. She said, "It was such a transformative experience" to set up the camp, and she hopes to pass the 'baton' to the upcoming students as she prepares to attend university, where she plans to learn more about systemic issues at the root of inequity.
KNX Hero: O.C. teen fundraising for inclusion
Last but certainly not least, we can't forget about middle schoolers and best friends Larry 'CJ' Stanback and Theo Schwartz, who took their reading skills to the pound.
The dynamic duo spends nearly every Tuesday reading to dogs up for adoption at the Pasadena Humane Society.
Theo told Jordan, "We'll just read to the dogs for about 45 minutes to an hour," CJ said it helps increase chances for adoption because "Reading to the dogs makes them happier and feel like they're cared for and calm."
KNX Heroes: Preparing Pasadena pups for adoption
Check out all our KNX Heroes here.
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