11-Year-Old is Changing the Future - One School At A Time

Jan. 11, 2012 - PRLog -- Eleven-year-old Sarah Voskamp of Cumming, Georgia is a published author, business owner/entrepreneur (of a lemonade stand at the local farmers market), straight A student, and a member of her school’s swim team. But that’s not enough for this determined, passionate ‘tween;  she wants to make a difference in the lives of kids her age, and she is doing just that.

With her message of “You Don’t Have To Be Big To Do Big Things,” Sarah has visited elementary schools all over Georgia, Florida, and even into Canada (where her parents are originally from) reading from her book “Filly Girls,” (http://www.shop.boutiqueofqualitybooks.com ) and talking to kids about following their dreams and passions, no matter how young they may be.  According to Sarah’s mom, Kim, “Principals and teachers are recognizing that Sarah can help set a positive example of what even children can do when they have a passion and follow their dreams.”

Sarah, along with her mom, makes these visits with no costs to the schools because her purpose is to make a difference and influence kids. Kim adds, “You can almost see young minds opening up to their own possibilities as they see and hear what Sarah is doing and how she is believing in what she can do.”  After each school visit, the hits to Sarah’s website at  http://www.sarahvoskamp.wordpress.com  jump and emails pile in with notes from kids as young as 7 and up to the age of 12 with excitement about what Sarah is doing and about their own dreams.

Sarah also “puts her time and money where her mouth is” and often donates her time and a portion of the proceeds from the sale of her books to causes she believes in such as school libraries, Toys for Tots, and local fundraisers like a recent one in her community to help parents with medical expenses for their toddler who was crushed by an elevator. Sarah also volunteers with the Altrusa group four times a year, helping senior citizens.

In 2011, Sarah was a runner up in the American Eagle 77Kids Contest, “Tell Us Why Your Kid Rocks.” She was one of thirty finalists that were selected from kids all over the country. One grand prize winner and nine runners up were chosen. Because Sarah was one of the runners up, her school received $1,000 from American Eagle 77kids.

Sarah is always open to possibilities and encourages kids of all ages to dream and to go after their dreams, and will deliver her message any time she has the opportunity. She has appeared on television talk shows in Georgia and Canada and has had media interviews for newspapers, magazines, and Internet blogs. While people five times her age might be intimidated by the experiences, Sarah takes them all in stride, showing by her actions that kids definitely can do just about anything they set their minds to and that they can help change the future by encouraging others – sometimes one school or one child at a time.