Great News Even After Christmas
I was a little concerned I’d get the post-Christmas blues. Mom and dad left this morning so I was suspecting feeling a bit blah. Luckily I found an old newspaper lying around (we really hadn’t gotten around to reading the dailies a few days leading up to the holidays as we had so much to do). But that worked out really well since I found it just when I needed it most.
I learned that a teenager from Portland is doing really good things. Just when it seems like all teenagers should be locked up until they get to their 20s, I read about this kid who wants to change the world to a better place and has a plan to implement this.
Thirteen-year-old Julien Leitner is planning on raising a staggering $2m. And he’s not even asking people for all that much money to make this happen. Indeed, he is only requesting $2 from each person. Through these donations and the power of social media, he believes he will be successful in changing the world.
Apparently he’s already come a long way in this goal! The young lad has raised $8,000 to date. He has done this through the foundation he created – Archimedes Alliance – as it was Archimedes who said “give me a lever long enough and a place to stand, and I can move the Earth,” which became his inspiration. On his YouTube video featured on CNN, Leitner then informs his viewers “you are the lever,” before requesting $2 from them.
Giving a donation also enables one to vote for one of the three charities that his foundation seeks to benefit. And once he has raised $2m, the charity that has the most votes will get all the money.
Who could say no to that? I certainly couldn’t. I placed my $22 donation (it felt like $2 was too little) and then casted my vote. Good for Leitner and good for US society (and especially Portland) for having teenagers with such caliber living in our midst.