Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on December 14, 2020

Nine-year-old Bellen Woodard, a fifth-grader at Leesburgs Evergreen Mill Elementary School, has been named one of five finalists for the Nickelodeon/Time Magazine Kid of the Year Award.

After hearing fellow students commonly refer to peach-colored crayons as skin-colored, Bellen, who is Black, created the More than Peach Project, which creates and aims to normalize the use of differently colored crayons that represent diverse skin tones.

Theres different types of ways to be a leader. I do it by making sure no one feels left out, Bellen said in a video announcing her placement as a finalist.

More than Peach has achieved national recognition since its creation, leading Nickelodeon and Time to recognize Bellen as one of a group of extraordinary young leaders who are making a positive impact in their communities, according to Loudoun County Public Schools.

It feels more like a movement than a project, because a project would be something thats done one time, Bellen said. A movement means you keep on moving forward.

Olympic gymnast Simone Biles delivered an elated Bellen the news of her selection as a finalist, which includes a $5,000 grant to further her nonprofits mission, as well as the opportunity to serve as a yearlong correspondent for Time for Kids.

I wish, whenever I was younger, I could be your classmate and have your palette, Biles told Bellen. I think its beautiful, and what youre doing is amazing.

Atop her Kid of the Year honor, Bellen was also one of three honorees at the Anti-Defamation Leagues Concert Against Hate in Washington, D.C., on Saturday.

See the original post:
Evergreen Mill Elem. student named 'Kid of the Year' finalist - Loudoun Times-Mirror

Category: Anti-Defamation League
Tags: