Name: Gail Kenny Age & Entry: 48 / Individual
Hometown: Prescott Valley, AZ
BIG Idea: Project New Hope
Project New Hope Arizona is a community-based program to help veterans and their families transition back to their homes and communities following combat service. We aim to provide the education, skills and resources to help veterans and their families deal with unique circumstances. While the service member was in a combat zone, his or her life depended on training and a high state of readiness. Stress and life-threatening situations were daily facts of life. Some effects of deployment include depression, post-traumatic stress and physical injuries. However, when the service member returns, all family members are affected. Project New Hope teams up groups of families, along with community members, service groups and professional veterans’ counselors, to provide a free recreational weekend retreat. During the weekend, outdoor activities are planned for the entire family. However, just as important, family members are offered various workshops to help them deal with the challenges they are facing (communication issues, return to work, parenting after a separation, and other topics). Project New Hope Arizona soon will become the only Project New Hope program available to veterans and their families throughout the Southwest.

RETURN TO BE BIG! PAGE 

Name: Ken John Age & Entry: 54 / 3 Team Members
Hometown: Fort Collins, CO
BIG Idea: Homeless Gear
A segment of the homeless community cannot gain entrance into an overnight shelter because there are not enough beds available. Even if they do find overnight shelter, they spend the majority of their day outside in the rain or snow. Imagine what a warm coat, a good pair of boots, a blanket, or sleeping bag could do for someone forced to spend the day or night outside exposed to the elements. As an avid hiker/backpacker, I believe that every person who participates in one of these activities most likely has a basement, closet, or garage full of unwanted gear that for one reason or another has been “upgraded” over the years and left to collect dust. I was convinced that people would be more than happy to donate their unwanted gear to help the homeless. Homeless Gear has a simple mission. Collect unwanted Outdoor Gear (packs, sleeping bags, tents, tarps, etc), Outdoor Basic Clothing (coats, rain gear, boots, etc) and Hygiene Products, and then re-distribute these items to the homeless. We want to make the days more bearable and the nights survivable for homeless men, women, youth, and children as they struggle to regain self sufficiency.

RETURN TO BE BIG! PAGE 

Name: Kim Shealy Age & Entry: 57 / 63 Team Members
Hometown: Sugar Hill, GA
BIG Idea: Park’nership
My team and I have a BIG IDEA! Gwinnett County’s conservation parklands are important for a variety of wildlife and native plants. These lands are disappearing at an alarming rate due to misuse and abuse. Wildlife habitats have disappeared, forcing the animals to adjust their natural lifestyle of forging for food to a human lifestyle of hand fed for survival. Our goal is to return these areas back to the natural state by re-vegetating them, controlling access and educating patrons on the importance of the habitats and proper land management; this will not only protect our wildlife and native plants, but create conservation areas for future generations to enjoy. An educational sign project is currently underway with future plantings of native grasses, trees and other plants that create the proper habitat for the wildlife native to the area. My team is a community of volunteers that share a love for Gwinnett County Parks and have a great desire to promote conservation and re-beautification through education and re-vegetation.

RETURN TO BE BIG! PAGE 

Name: Jamie TeKippe Age & Entry: 47 / 2 Team Members
Hometown: Waukon, IA
BIG Idea: Handicap Friendly Communities
Our BIG Idea is to make our park handicap friendly. We would like to construct a cement path leading to a pad where handicap assessable picnic tables will sit for everyone to gather, and where friendships will grow. With handicap accessibility, they don’t have to push a wheelchair through grass and woodchips to socialize with those who don’t use wheelchairs. We would like to bring children and adults together in the park setting so they can interact naturally together without nature’s barriers. We would also like to add some play equipment that is assessable to people with wheelchairs. Playing together, interacting together, and socializing are wonderful ways to build relationships that carry us all through life.

RETURN TO BE BIG! PAGE 

Name: Lynn Adams Age & Entry: 57 / 3 Team Members
Hometown: Nampa, ID
BIG Idea: Action Team for Partnerships
Our BIG Idea is Action Team for Partnerships. Sherman Elementary is an underserved school in Nampa, Idaho. Among the challenges we face are low test scores and minimal parent involvement. Our goal is to increase the potential for student success by creating sustainable programs that connect families to the school and community. Action Team for Partnerships will develop research-based structures that make healthy community connections for the students. John Hopkins University’s National Network of Partnerships in Schools will provide structure to assess, strategize, plan, implement and evaluate our projects. Our future plans include: A Parent Volunteer Room, Family Literacy Events, Grandparents Booster Club, and Community Service Learning Projects. We will also provide support, recognition and appreciation for volunteers. Through the generous assistance received from the BE BIG grant, Sherman Elementary students will be one big step closer to realizing their potential as valued members of their school and their community.

RETURN TO BE BIG! PAGE 

Name: Becky Prunty Age & Entry: 54 / 2 Team Members
Hometown: Loraine, IL
BIG Idea: Therapeutic Equine Center
My sister Debbie and I have been using our miniature horses in an equine assisted program we have called Mini Miracles. Our mission is to provide the therapeutic benefits of companion animals to those in need and to develop equine assisted programs that use love, communication and leadership to build relationships. We serve those groups or individuals that can benefit from the unconditional love of a companion animal. The horses seem to have an unlimited ability to form an emotional connection with the people they meet. Our miniature horses bring a smile to a nursing home resident simply by standing quietly and allowing happy memories to return with each stoke of their mane. Children see a pony that seems magical and that fills them with joy and excitement. A sick child’s eyes may light up when the minis are around. Often, they can forget for a while whatever difficulty they face, when a little horse can be brushed and groomed. The opportunity to share the joy and laughter that the little horses create seem endless and has only been limited by time and finances. We bring them, but the minis make their own magic.

RETURN TO BE BIG! PAGE 

Name: Charles Mcfarland Age & Entry: 35 / Individual
Hometown: Indianapolis, IN
BIG Idea: Neighborhood Culinary Enrichment
My Big Idea is a much needed and unique approach to the well-being of the youth of my hometown of Indianapolis. In the neighborhood where I grew up, I see the potential for growth in helping cultivate the entrepreneurial side of the youth, giving them the keys to changing their social class as well as learning to appreciate the opportunity to further their education. My program offers basic culinary training in a variety of areas including sanitation, food safety, baking and prepping. We provide the pre-teens with grounding in a possible career path and the young adults with a chance to get a head start if they want to further their culinary schooling. The program provides the chance for kids to participate in bake sales, catering events and even contests. We know this will be a positive way for children to occupy their free time. Through the education of food and cooking, many youth will learn and understand the ethics it takes to excel in any field of their choosing once they reach adulthood. I am a chef with a passion and experience who loves his community and has what it takes to give back.

RETURN TO BE BIG! PAGE 

Name: Allison Merritt Age & Entry: 25 / 9 Team Members
Hometown: Independence, KS
BIG Idea: Clifford’s Backpacks
I am representing the staff of Independence Public Library, in Independence, KS. Our "Big Idea" is to provide healthy foods for at-need kids in our area, with aspirations towards creating a year-round backpack program. This way the kids can have healthy snacks at home to rely on. It recently came to our attention that there are a large number of kids in our area that could benefit from such a program (about 75 kids). We also wanted to give them "Clifford's backpacks", a simple pack that would allow them to collect their healthy snacks with discretion. Many studies have proven that kids who enjoy well balanced diets have better academic performances, so just imagine the benefits these kids could experience with a reliable source of healthy foods.

RETURN TO BE BIG! PAGE 

Name: Marnie Bergland Age & Entry: 39 / 19 Team Members
Hometown: Culver, MN
BIG Idea: Bully Free Awareness Week
The South Ridge School is a new school that brought together three other local schools. By combining schools and the communities there is always the risk of bullying taking place. This new generation of students will be encouraged to accept the change as a positive one and work together to build the South Ridge Panther Pride for many more generations to come. The education for a bully free school will start in each class room by encouraging facility and staff to send this message daily. In addition, we will have many opportunities to enforce and reiterate this message throughout the year. The students will then bring this message home and the families send the same message to the community. As the cities grow and money continues to be cut for education, we hope to become a shining example of how joining communities is a positive change. The light at the end of the tunnel is that we all get along and work together. Our goal is to stop the Bullying in our school and community before it starts.

RETURN TO BE BIG! PAGE 

Name: Jenny Talburt Age & Entry: 31 / 12 Team Members
Hometown: Springfield, MO
BIG Idea: Learning Garden
Our big idea is to turn a parking lot eyesore into a hands-on outdoor classroom. The outdoor classroom will have seating, as well as vegetable and native flower gardens, so that teachers and students can take learning beyond the walls of the traditional classroom. Raised bed vegetable gardens will be maintained by students, giving them an opportunity to experience the planting, growing, harvesting and cooking processes. We want students to understand the importance of preparing and eating real food. We also want our students to value sustainable living, so we are committed to using eco-friendly materials and native plants. We’ll use barrels to collect rain water, mulch made from recycled materials and compost to provide nutrients for our plants. Finally, our project will provide a sense of community and pride in our school and neighborhood. As an international Baccalaureate World School Middle Years Program, we support students to see themselves as members of the local, national and international community and to make a difference by taking action. This project will give teachers, parents, students and volunteers an opportunity to come together to make a difference in our community.

RETURN TO BE BIG! PAGE 

Name: Rita Ruud Age & Entry: 38 / Individual
Hometown: Fargo, ND
BIG Idea: Elementary School Kids Dance Group
My BIG Idea will facilitate the formation of an elementary school dance team with the help and instruction of college students in the area. After-school instruction in Hip-Hop Dance will be integrated with healthy snacks, allowing the kids to have fun while learning to eat healthier food and build self-confidence. After the dance routines are mastered, performances will be scheduled at local nursing homes in the area. In this way the kids will learn to contribute to the happiness of the elderly by performing for them and mingling and visiting with them afterwards. New skill sets will be developed –coordination, dance ability, team participation, hard work, healthy snacking with friends, and they will become socially aware of the elderly in the community who are lonely or need cheering up. The school dance team will develop a source of pride and community sharing that the kids will want to hold onto and continue throughout their lives. Involving college students will enable them to gain experience in organizing, teaching, and inspiring the younger generation by sharing their dance skills and enthusiasm. Elementary kids, college students, and the elderly will all benefit from my Big Idea.

RETURN TO BE BIG! PAGE 

Name: Nimansha J. Age & Entry: 15 / Individual
Hometown: Nebraska
BIG Idea: Grandfather Youth Task Force
My Big Idea is to instill a Grandfather Youth Task Force with the nonprofit organization, Eastern Nebraska on Aging, which will work to the ultimate goal of increasing the interaction between seniors and youth in my community. This group will implement service projects in the community dealing with the specific desires of the senior population living in old homes. Not only do I want to increase youth interation with seniors, but I also want to spend time with seniors to increase their health. I will implement programs in which they can interact with youth and at the same time gain a healthier lifestyle. In order to bring up some of the overlooked difficulties faced by seniors, we will advocate and speak on behalf of the seniors from a youth perspective to others. With the creation of the Grandfather Youth Task Force in my city, it will see itself on a new horizon which people will remember for years to come.

RETURN TO BE BIG! PAGE 

Name: Ericka Smith Age & Entry: 33 / 3 Team Members
Hometown: Reno, Nevada
BIG Idea: Birthday Closets
My daughter, Ashlee, imagined an idea of being able to help children receive birthday presents on their birthday. Modeled after her organization of helping children with toys after disasters, we created "The Birthday Closet". We want to make sure that each child that has a birthday and a present, for those who would other wise not receive one. With the economic times so many children are not being able to celebrate their special day. We want to be able to provide each family with a present, cake mix and all of the fixing for a great birthday celebration. Helping the children celebrate and the parents be able to celebrate will keep families happy and connected. Often times not being able to celebrate a birthday is due to priorities and we want to make birthdays our priority.

RETURN TO BE BIG! PAGE 

Name: Kimberly McNeal Age & Entry: 39 / 18 Team Members
Hometown: Circleville, OH
BIG Idea: After-School Homework Café
The Middleground youth center in Chillicothe is a drug/alcohol-free youth center that addresses the needs of teens and young adults in Ross County and the surrounding areas. The kids come to the center for the music concerts, physical fitness classes, tutoring, Bible Study and character-building discussion groups, youth gatherings, youth drama and dance teams, and sometimes just for the caring and compassionate conversation with the staff. Middleground is a safe environment for them both physically and emotionally. Our BIG IDEA is an after-school homework cafe. The cafe will have Wi-Fi access for the teens' laptops as well as "house" computers that they can use for assistance with school assignments. We plan to be open every day after school to give the teens a place to hang out with friends, get an after school snack, bond with staff and volunteers, and get tutoring help in a laid back, welcoming, non-threatening environment. In addition, we'll hire some of the MG teens to work at the cafe as a first job. This will allow them to gain experience in a great, caring, relaxed atmosphere without the pressure of a larger corporation!

RETURN TO BE BIG! PAGE 

Name: Melinda Gomez Age & Entry: 43 / Individual
Hometown: Bly, OR
BIG Idea: Kids Club Reading Program
BIG Idea: Kids Club Reading Program Educators know that the number one predictor of lifelong academic achievement is parental involvement. Research in literacy makes it clear that when parents read to their preschool children on a regular basis their children often thrive as readers in school. If a child is introduced to books and other resources that promote literacy, that child is being set up for success. Not only will reading open up a new word-filled world but it will also improve their language skills. The program I work for stresses parent involvement and early literacy. Many families have few, if any, books in the home and access to the library may be difficult due to transportation. Kids Club will allow parents to check out books to read to their children. After each parent completes a form showing they have read to their child twenty times, the child returns the form to the school and is allowed to choose a book to keep. This not only encourages parent involvement but early literacy, two key components to academic success. Also, three times per year students will be allowed to choose two books to take home to keep.

RETURN TO BE BIG! PAGE 

Name: Rochelle Schmidt Age & Entry: 38 / Individual
Hometown: Willow Lake, SD
BIG Idea: Summer Reading Program
Living in rural South Dakota, our community has limited access to a library and books especially during the summer months when school is dismissed. My BIG idea is to implement a Summer Reading Program for the children of our local school district. With the help from Scholastic and other Be Big Sponsors, I will be able to work with the local school district to create a fun and motivating summer reading program to help put books in the hands of the children in our community. This program will allow easier access to books and promote literacy, ultimately helping our community and school!

RETURN TO BE BIG! PAGE 

Name: Delna Bliss Age & Entry: 47 / 25 Team Members
Hometown: Hinckley, UT
BIG Idea: Books and Quilts for Babies
Our BIG idea focuses on early childhood literacy. We would like to encourage reading from the beginning of life for our community’s newest members by making baby quilts for every baby born at our local hospital. The blanket would also be given with a board book to encourage new parents to read to their baby. This project actually has been going for 15 years with the generous support of the community. The entire student body of our elementary school, parent volunteers, students attending the local boys’ home, nurses, and community members donate either materials or time. This past year our elementary school donated 94 blankets and books for newborns. Many of those babies’ parents were unable to provide clothing to take them home from the hospital. This project gave them a warm quilt to wrap the baby, along with an incentive to spend time with their child. The staff and students would like to incorporate the core objectives for language arts by having students publish books to donate with the blankets.

RETURN TO BE BIG! PAGE 

Name: Yesica Garcia Age & Entry: 24 / 9 Team Members
Hometown: Zillah, WA
BIG Idea: Community Health Fair
Our BIG idea is to promote healthy lifestyles in order to address health issues that affect our community beyond the basics of medical care. Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic AmeriCorps team will have a health fair which will consist of a variety of health education and prevention activities. We will feature booths such as first aid, hand washing, dental hygiene, nutrition, physical activity, health screenings (high blood pressure, diabetes, etc.). We will design some booths, just for kids, to focus on childhood obesity. We will also have physical activities and a gardening stand, where children can receive individual planters. They will be able to plant seeds into these planters, and then take them home. With our health fair event we hope to offer lifestyle tips, promote healthy eating and exercising, and provide other resources to help people live a healthy lifestyle. The health fair will also serve to mobilize and connect community members with a fun social gathering and by familiarizing the community with all of the resources that are available to them.

RETURN TO BE BIG! PAGE 

Name: John E. Sebranek Age & Entry: 44 / Individual
Hometown: Green Bay, Wisconsin
BIG Idea: Prevent Drain Pollution
I teach Chemistry at Southwest High School and would like my students to help educate the public on where storm water goes after it enters the city storm drains. All the water ends up in the Fox River, not the sewage treatment plant. Therefore, it is critical people do not pour pollutes down the storm drains. Our city has a drop off site which accepts hazardous materials at no cost to our citizens so there is no reason to dump oil, antifreeze or any other pollute down the storm drains. With permission from city officials, my students will spray paint approved symbols by the storm drains to keep people from dumping pollutes down the drains. These students will place paper door hangers on the doors of each residence in the area of town where we have painted the drains. Clifford's BIG Idea funds will be used to buy paint, stencils, print door hangers, and develop a system to help us keep track of which storm drains have been painted in the city. This BIG Idea helps our students make a BIG positive impact in our community.

RETURN TO BE BIG! PAGE