Girl, 8, Wins Grant To ‘Do Something’
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Hannah Skaggs and her brother, Stephen, hang out with Mayor Hannemann, who presented the Kailua girl with a
grant that will support her ambitious plan to spur youngsters into productive activities with family and friends.
Photo from Dawn Skaggs.
Eight-year-old Hannah Skaggs is the youngest winner of this year’s Game Stop Youth Grant competition that aims to help people 25 and younger “get off the sofa and turn their ideas into action.”
The non-profit group, Do Something, sponsors the nationwide contest and awards $500 grants based on the best essays sent in that describe what they’d do with the money.
The Kailua girl’s plan for a “No Screen Day” earned her one of the 30 grants, and Skaggs has designated Aug. 30 as the big day.
“I will tell (elementary students) to do anything outside - like a sport,“she explained, “like instead of going on Game Boy or going on the computer or watching TV,to do something together with someone else.”
Skaggs has already given a presentation to her school (Windward Adventist) and her church (Hope Chapel Kailua). Both her teacher and her pastor helped her overcome any stage fright. The hardest part of her project, after all, was “standing up in front of the kids.”
“Everyone likes to watch TV,” explained Skaggs, who realized she had a tough job after students complained during her presentation.“That’s why I’m making a video. They’re going to see the video before I speak. There’s going to be someone sitting on the couch watching TV while a group of other kids goes surfing and goes for pizza and fun stuff like that.”
The grant money will support the video, fliers for the schools and reward gift cards from places like Wal-Mart and Jamba Juice for those who participate.(To help with donations, contact Dawn Skaggs at 780-9456.)
Skaggs is already talking with Windward school principals and plans to make her pitch to fellow elementary-age children this month as soon as school starts. She hopes to eventually have a national No Screen Day.
Skaggs got passionate about the idea after noticing that the family was less “grouchy"when the TV was off and that the TV took up too much family focus. The project already is paying off at home - the whole family has gotten involved. Mom helped Hannah plan the budget, and she typed the application essays while Hannah dictated them. Brother Stephen, 6, offered encouragement and ideas and is eager to help with any public speaking, Skaggs said. Dad is in charge of taking Hannah to stores where she seeks project sponsorships via $5 gift cards.
Fittingly, it was on a family holiday, Father’s Day, that she learned she had won the grant.
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