My name means "happiness." I smile a lot and am a social person. I always try to follow my motto, which is "be the change, which you want to see around you." It means that when you have a problem or fail you shouldn't give up, because failure is a big step towards success. I also like to learn languages, because the more languages one knows the more access one has to the world. My favorite languages are: Kyrgyz, Russian, English and French. I have been a volunteer in the local Youth Volunteer Organization, "Leadership," since 2000. I have gained enormous experience from my work at Leadership. I have also won several volunteering competitions. In 2007 I was selected as a scholar of the Future Leaders Exchange program to be an exchange student and young ambassador of Kyrgyzstan in the United States. Currently, I am studying in Tucson, Arizona. I value honesty, kindness and independence in people.

I am from Jordan and am now a second-year student in the NYIT (New York Institute of Technology) University in Jordan, studying business MIS. I lived in Nablus-Palestine until 2003, but my parents sent me to Amman to continue studying in school, because in the West Bank we don't go to school everyday. For the past two years, I have helped out with children's games at my school's Food Fair day. I also helped organize a talent show as part of my group's efforts to fundraise for the tsunami victims. One of the most amazing things I have done is to work with the Palestinian Medical Relief Society. This society helps injured people by sending food and milk to families when they can't leave their homes. In my university last year, my friends and I gathered clothes from students to give to those without enough.

I am a Veterinary Medicine student. I have many extracurricular interests and am president of the student council and a member of the Academic Senate. I am a radio operator and use this medium to promote student rights. I also fight against animal maltreatment and recently organized a conference on alternative methods of animal experimentation at the Faculty of Medicine in the University G. D'Annuzio of Chieti. I also collaborate with CARITAS and AVIS for blood donation.

I traveled to Darfur, Sudan as a youth ambassador for Oxfam America in 2007. My mission was to help the international aid agency create a vital link between a growing group of youth activists here in the United States and teens living in crowded camps for displaced people. I'm now a senior at Northfield Mount Hermon School in Mount Hermon, Massachusetts. During my junior year, I co-founded a highly successful fundraising initiative called Dollars for Darfur. I launched the program using the social networking sites Facebook and Myspace. The campaign has raised more than $300,000 (USD) for aid groups working to address the Darfur conflict and its consequences. The project caught the attention of a string of media outlets, including The New York Times, CNN and The Boston Globe. ABC named me a Person of the Week. At my high school, I participate in Model UN and play lacrosse.

I study at Canossa College in the Philippines. I have been a member of Friends of the Seven Lakes Foundation (FSLF) Roots & Shoots group since 2003 and am currently the youth president. I was the 2004 Kiwanis Kids President and am the charter director of the San Pablo Leo Club. As a member of the FSLF Youth, I participated in lake clean-up campaigns, tree planting, watershed climbs, mini eco-camps and other environmental activities. The work we do for our local communities through FSLF is something we share with other kids in international conferences. I was one of the delegates to the 2004 Tunza in the USA and to the 2005 Young agenda 21 in Norway. In March 2007, I was the sole delegate to the UNICEF-Biovision Children's Forum in France and lead delegate in the Canossian Global Youth Congress in Hong Kong in July 2007. I am also very interested in the arts. I have been dancing since preschool and have done ballet performances to raise money for various causes. I am also a member of a choir and enjoy playing lawn tennis.

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I am a 22-year old studying economics at the University General Lansana Conte of Sonfonia. I also help my father at work. I am very active in the Roots & Shoots group in Guinea (Graine De Bonheur). I have a great deal of experience with environmental and animal protection in my village. I also enjoy basketball, walking on the beach and reading.

I grew up in Atlantic, Canada, where the livelihoods of many family and friends rely heavily on non-renewable resources, so I have always had a sense for the need to conserve. In high school I led campaigns to promote environmentally friendly practices in my school. I moved to Ottawa for university and began to network with other like-minded individuals. During my second year of university I interned with Environment Canada for one summer to run the national Clean Air Day, where I gained experience in the implementation and evaluation of events. I later became interested in environmentalism as it pertains to developing countries and Indigenous peoples. I spent my third year of university on exchange to the University of Ghana in Accra. I began research for my honors thesis on the topic of wildlife conservation as a tool for community development. I visited approximately 15 conservation projects in Ghana and Benin, both community based. After returning to Canada I received a CIDA travel bursary to volunteer at a wildlife park in Botswana for a semester, which was the most inspirational experience of my life. My time there reaffirmed my passion for helping wildlife and communities that live with wildlife. I now plan to study community-based natural resource management at the graduate level, with a focus on wildlife and indigenous communities once I receive my undergraduate degree.

I attend Lane Tech College Prep High School and am in the 10th grade. I am a now a Cadet in the Girls Scouts, which I have been a part of since I was eight years old. I am on the Spirit Boosters team, which is a team that marches with the Marching Band at my school. They boost Lane Tech students' spirits at games and pep rallies to support their school as we flip and toss our flags. I sing in the Intermediate Chorus at my school because it's what I love to do. I have been singing for about seven years. In addition to singing I act in plays at my school. Soon I will be in the production of Bye Bye Birdie. I will be acting and singing in the chorus. I am a ballet and hip-hop dancer and often get a chance to showcase my talents. I have won various awards at my grammar school, from having perfect attendance to being on the honor roll, and have also won first place in a writing contest. I have participated in the Garfield Park Conservatory and Thanksgiving Madness. With the Girl Scouts I help to pass out turkeys to the people of the community. We also gave some cooked turkeys to people. It was so much fun and the best part was when the families that were less fortunate became happy because they had a meal to eat.

I am an 18-year old Palestinian student. I am studying business at Al Najah University where I am a freshman. I have worked with several organizations, including PYALARA. PYALARA conducts workshops to discuss issues related to my community and we have announced our accomplishments to the community through national television stations. I have conducted a workshop about gender discrimination. I also participated in the Cultural Children's Club in Nablus where we conducted activities for teenagers and children. I was one of the representatives from my country chosen to participate in a program called Hands of Peace, for which I was chosen to be an Extraordinary Leader.

I completed my degree in Commerce from the Dayanand Anglo Vedic College, Dehradun. I also obtained a diploma in Foundation Course for the Education of the Specially Abled from the Madhya Pradesh Bhoj University. During school, I organized and led a number of workshops on women's empowerment in the remote villages of Jaitanwala and Harrawala. Under the School Council Membership, I spearheaded a sanitation initiative for the village of Nakronda. The students donated an amount that totaled more than a hundred thousand rupees that were used for building ten community toilets in the village. I have visited and interacted with students of the National Institute for the Visually Handicapped, the Bajaja Institute of Learning, and the Sharp Memorial School for the Blind and the Cheshire Home for the Mentally Retarded. During this time, I provided free Rehabilitation Counseling in remote villages. In 2004 I joined the One World Youth Project as a Project Ambassador and have since worked with young people on various issues. I have coordinated street plays on Child Labor and helped to create a Millennium Development Goals awareness campaign. I was also a keynote speaker at the Uttarakhand Council for Science and Technology. My interests range from trekking and traveling, to singing and reading.

I am a 16-year old Canadian living in Guelph, Ontario. I lived in Nunavut for the first eight years of my life, in Igloolik for three years and Iqaluit for five. Many people think of the north as a barren, cold, wasteland, which is only good for extracting raw resources, but the beauty of the north is ingrained in me. I am horrified by the fact that the place where I was raised is now being destroyed by humans' impact on the earth. In the future I plan to earn a degree in British Columbia, ski in the Rockies, and then go back up to the north. I am very interested in writing and have been published in Canada's What If? youth fiction magazine, but I have since switched to writing non-fiction. My motto is to write when you have something to say. My mother runs a women's shelter in Cambridge and is one of my biggest role models. I hope to never become discouraged or apathetic about the things I care about. My mother has given me ways to think, so that I don't end up feeling this way.

I am a senior at Little Wound High School and plan to attend college next year. As a Roots & Shoots member I do projects such as: recycling, winterizing elderly homes, and other projects that are currently in progress. I have experience in distributing food and jackets to needy people in my community. One of my extra curricular activities is cross country running. I am an active member of the National Honor Society and have received various awards that contribute towards my education.

I was born in the small town of Denton, Texas. In Texas I attended Woodrow Wilson elementary school where I played football, soccer and baseball. When I was 11 years old my family moved to Eureka, California where my father achieved a job as a professor at Humboldt State University. I am now a sophomore at North Coast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy where I am part of the Youth Actors Guild. I recently performed in productions of "King Henry the IV and V," "Cyrano de Bergerac" and with the San Francisco Operas production of "The Barber of Seville" (I had a non-singing part in the opera). I have also been volunteering at the Sequoia Park Zoo for the past six years, doing over 700 hours of work. When I turned 16 in 2007, the zoo gave me a job as a zookeeper, which I greatly enjoy. I also helped to start the Sequoia Park Zoo chapter of Roots and Shoots, for which I am currently treasurer. I was a member of my school's cross country team until I was injured in 2006. I also recently obtained my drivers license as well as my life guard certification. I have also had the privilege of going on international trips with my parents, the majority of which have been to Europe and Central America.

I am a sophomore at Al Raby High School. Earlier this year I participated in a youth summit that involved educating youth on everyday issues such as bullying, teen pregnancy, and much more. This project helped me to grow more as a person and as an African American young lady growing up in a low income neighborhood. Currently, I participate in an academic decathlon and plan to start tutoring in early 2008. I consistently take honors classes and was ranked third in my class of 145. I hope to continue to improve.

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I am currently studying in the department of foreign languages at Shanghai Finance College. I became involved with Shanghai Roots & Shoots six years ago when I was in high school. Roots & Shoots made a great impact on me; it gave me a sense of social responsibility and after I entered college I spent a year working for the student union. In my second year I resigned from the union and started a Roots & Shoots club in my school. It is not easy to run an environmental club in school when most of the students are not interested in the environment. However, my friends and I overcame the difficulty and our club took off. I am interested in debating, philosophy, law, theology, and language. My dream is to become a lawyer, politician or a priest.

I absolutely adored my days at school and was an active and dominant member of the student council for 6 years. I also created a reputation with the staff as being both reliable and thoughtful. I was a valued member of the girls hockey team and a respected cross-country runner. I sold sandwiches at the youth club everyday for six months, where I created a good relationship with younger students. I am involved in Dance and Drama workshops, and with the help of a group of friends I directed and performed in "The Crucible." When I was 16 I spent three weeks on an expedition in the Scottish Highlands, with Outward Bound, and it was one of the most powerful, emotional, physical and social journeys I have ever experienced. It was there that I did my first conservation work, for which I received the John Muir Explorer Award. Since then I have worked on a local nature reserve before joining Roots & Shoots in October 2007.

My work with Roots & Shoots began in sixth grade when my science teacher suggested I try out the school's R&S club. I immediately connected with Dr. Jane's philosophy that "every individual matters, every individual has a role to play, every individual makes a difference" and, in seventh grade, I spearheaded a local "Green Hotels" campaign to help hotels become eco-friendly. In ninth grade, I started a Roots & Shoots group at my high school. The first year the club had just a couple members, but it soon picked up speed and became active in the community-organizing a bi-annual Main Street cleanup, creating a sustainable garden, raising money for the Tchimpounga Youth Campaign and starting a school recycling program. I, along with two other Roots & Shoots members, founded the New England Youth Leadership Council in 2005. Since its inception, the council has organized two regional summits, two Roots & Shoots Earth Day events at the Franklin Park Zoo and is currently creating a new regional peace campaign. Of all my experiences with Roots & Shoots, however, the one that stands out the most to me is the Youth Leadership Immersion trip to Tanzania last summer. It was an experience that defined who I am. It was amazing to be with 10 other youth leaders who shared my passions and my dreams. I graduated from Sturgis Charter Public School in June and will be attending St. Mary's College in Maryland once my year with the Jane Goodall Institute is complete.

I live in Shanghai, China. I am studying statistics in Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. I became a volunteer for the Shanghai Roots & Shoots office in 2006. Since then, I have been working as the coordinator for Eco-Office program, which was a new initiative of Shanghai Roots & Shoots at the time. My role is to work with the program manager to make plans, recruit schools and companies to participate, organize workshops and create databases to record results to report back to the corporate sponsors. My experience with Roots & Shoots has become an indispensable part of my life. My leadership and managerial skills have improved tremendously in the process. I have become more confident in myself and believe that every individual can make a difference. Through Eco-office/Eco-home/Eco-school program, my team and I raise awareness of global warming and encourage people to adopt environmentally friendly lifestyles. Roots & Shoots has had such an impact on me that I will continue to dedicate my time and energy to the sustainable success of the program. I am also interested in electronics and computer science and am the IT person for Roots & Shoots. I also enjoy watching movies in my spare time.

I am a graduate student at Sichuan University majoring in evolution with a focus on amphibians and reptiles. I have been involved in a student organization called Sichuan University Environmental Volunteer Association (SCUEVA) since 2002. This involvement has played an important role in my university life because it has provided me with many opportunities to participate in different kinds of projects: battery recycling on campus and surrounding communities; environmental education on campus, parks and elementary schools; holding a discussion forum on environmental topics; fundraising and managing books in our reading room. I was president of the association from August 2006 to June 2007 and received one of the Top 10 Leaders Awards in my university. As SCUEVA has wide connections with other NGOs and student clubs, I have found an avenue to learn more about conservation jobs. I have been a volunteer in WWF and helped to finish the GIS maps of some giant panda nature reserves. At present, I could say I am the most experienced Roots & Shoots volunteer for the South West Office. I love wildlife! I always had a hard time tearing myself away from the Discovery Channel and National Geographic. Recently, I have purchased a digital camera and now taking photographs has become a new hobby for me.

I am a 17-year old junior at Medford High School (MHS). At MHS, I am the president of both Roots & Shoots and the KEY club, which is also a service-based organization. I am also a member of Ambassadors to Change, a group that attempts to celebrate diversity within our school while performing service projects. During my time in high school, I have been involved in drama productions, two open-mic nights and the 2007 talent show. Singing has always been a great love of mine, along with poetry and, especially in the past few years, I find myself getting inspiration from nature and a desire to live in harmony with the world around me. As a child in elementary school, I worked on some of my first service projects, which included helping first-graders who had fallen behind learn to read.

I have a multitude of interests in a wide variety of activities. I have considered many career paths from archaeology, paleontology, medicine, physical therapy, development and international humanitarian aid work and primatology/ecology. Though I am fascinated by past human civilizations, I get great satisfaction from caring for others and am vastly intrigued by the physiology of the human body. I feel incredible moral outrage towards the injustice that the majority of people in the world face. I think that from a humanitarian standpoint, preserving our environment, about which we still know so little, is of the utmost importance. In my third grade class I watched a video about the Barren Grounds Inuit living in the Canadian arctic. To this day I still reflect upon the amount of respect given to one's fellow animal that was given by the Inuit people. This respect was so critical and central to their world view and is also similarly found in many other native groups around the world. I hope to learn a lot from these people/cultures in the future and see their role in this fight as paramount.

I am a 23-year old Tanzanian and a very active member of Roots & Shoots. I am currently traveling around the United States to raise awareness about the Roots & Shoots program and Roots & Shoots projects in Tanzania. Roots & Shoots is in my blood and in my heart. My projects range from keeping baboons out of fields to teaching villagers about more efficient adobe ovens.

I am an American citizen living in Singapore and attending Singapore American School. I was born in Bangkok, Thailand where my family and I lived until I was four. Both of my parents are international educators. I can speak a little Thai and am in the process of learning Mandarin. The Singapore American School is an international school with an American curriculum. I live in a multicultural melting pot and have gained respect and tolerance for cultural diversity. I have traveled extensively in less developed nations and have seen poverty and environmental degradation first hand. I feel fortunate for what I have and it is important for me to take action to rectify the negative human impact on the environment. I really enjoy the water and am a scuba diver and swimmer. I have dived in coral reefs around the world and am on the varsity swimming team. Not only do I like the water, but I also love to play volleyball. During my summer vacations I participated in an educational camp within Stanford University's Educational Program for Gifted Youth.

I have lived in San Diego, California for my entire life. I am currently a straight 'A' senior at High Tech High. As a youth I spent much of my time at the San Diego Zoo and my love for animals and the environment grew over the years. Most of my community work began two years ago when I started to volunteer with Project Wildlife, an organization that rehabilitates injured and orphaned wild animals. At Project Wildlife I have learned animal identification, care, and handling skills, as well as basic medical procedures. During my internship at the Chula Vista Nature Center, I worked not only with the Clapper Rail Project, but also in the aquarium department with marine animals, which gave me a very different type of experience than the birds and mammals of Project Wildlife. My current primary focus is the "2007 San Diego Bay Book," entitled "Sand Diego Bay: A Call for Conservation," of which I am a chief editor. I won first place in the microbiology division of the San Diego and California State science fair. My project attempted to reduce bacteria growth in fertilizer of commercial mushroom farms. I also enjoy playing the piano and practicing Kendo and Iaido. I am also a photographer and many of the nature photos that appear in the "San Diego Bay Book" belong to me.

I am an 18-year old about to start university in Melbourne. I come from a small town called Yea, a town where everyone knows your name. Throughout my high school years I spent much of my spare time participating in sports, singing, acting and travel. As a child of mixed race attending a school of fewer than 500 students, I was often confronted with cultural ignorance. In 2007 I met my Nigerian grandmother for the first time. The first thing she did when we met was to lift me on her back; this was to prove that I was still a baby in her eyes. I felt a culture shock, but was fascinated by the Nigerian customs and mannerisms and was surprised to find that I had much ignorance when it came to different cultures, which only increased my desire to explore the world. Throughout school I was very involved in extra-curricular activities and was elected vice captain and captain of the sports house. However, I was shocked to tears when I was elected school captain. I felt extremely honored to represent the school and this led me to become even more involved in the school. I believe I have had an exciting, challenging but oftentimes rewarding life, and it has only just begun!

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I have just finished my first year of veterinary science at Sydney University. I enjoy a wonderful life living with my parents and as a member of WIRES wildlife rescue. I spend my free time surfing and rock climbing. After finishing high school at SHORE School in North Sydney, I traveled alone to Europe for five months and then to the Democratic Republic of Congo where I worked in a chimpanzee half-way house. This was an experience that changed my life. I am currently writing a short chapter to be included in the book "Heart to Heart," which will look at the relationship between chimps and humans.

My name is Diego, I was born in Valladolid but now I'm studying in Salamanca. Since I was a child I became aware of the problems that are threatening our environment. This took me to develop a specific way of life and conditioned my studies. Moreover, I have always felt the need to help other people. These facts have made my life be orientated to pursue goals such as justice, respect and solidarity. During my years as a student I founded tworegional organizatiosn to promote environmental awareness named: ACASAL (Asociacion de Ciencas Ambientales de Salamanca) and FECYLCA (Federacion de Castilla y Leon de Ciencas Ambientales) of which I am now the president. My will to help people became a reality when I was elected by my colleauegs in Universidad de Salamanca to represent the students community. For more than six years I have been the students' representative and, together with them, we developed different projects with a wide range of objectives. The most important ones were: environmental conference, Regional League for Debate; and Environmental Education Project. Thus when I finished my major in Environmental Sciences I decided to continue studying a PhD in environmental engineering. Nowadays I keep on working for the environment and the social communities through JGI Spain's R&S program "BioDiverCity" which aims at raising awareness among citizens regarding their rich biodiversity and how to protect it. I will try hard to continue this way of life

I was born in Mexico City in 1990. I have three brothers and no sisters, and believe that because of this I have developed a strong and independent personality. When I was eight years old, my family moved to Mesa, Arizona. I am currently a senior at Red Mountain High School and am ranked ninth in my class out of over 800 people. Throughout my life I have been taught to dream big, work hard, and never settle for less. I started volunteering in ninth grade. I have volunteered with the city of Mesa at a kid's summer program and go to an elderly home once a month. I am also extremely involved with project C.U.R.E. and New Global Citizens. I have received a Latino Leadership Award, and was chosen to speak at a luncheon as a student representative for New Global Citizens this year. I am also a writer for The New Globalist, a newspaper for the New Global Citizens. I truly believe that youth can change the world and if we join together we can have a stronger impact. As each year passes, I hope that I can grow as a leader and make a difference in the world. "Do not go where the path may lead. Instead go where there is no path and leave a trail"- Ralph Waldo Emerson.

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I live in Lagos, Nigeria where I am currently studying Mass Communication at The Nigerian Institute of Journalism. I became inspired to build a career around using media for global development and effecting positive social change after my experience on John Pilgrim's BBC three counties radio show in England where I had the opportunity to talk about volunteering and my writings. I write a youth column called Dis Generation for a national newspaper in Nigeria. My first book entitled "In Days to Come" was published by the Young Poet Society in United Kingdom. Although very passionate about Journalism, I have spent the past three years learning and working on community development issues and volunteering locally and internationally as an active global citizen committed to working for a positive change. I strongly believe in young people; the posterity of every Nation must look beyond their cultural differences and make themselves available for empowerment so that they can make profound contributions to their local environment and world at large. Thus, I maximize every opportunity to learn about global issues first-hand as this helps me make a positive difference. I am currently serving as One World Youth Project's International Ambassador; I spend time mentoring youths to build their leadership skills needed to achieve United Nation's Millennium Development Goals, while at the same time building intercultural awareness and understanding. I love to work with young people, and I also love to read, write, perform poetry, cook and travel.

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I am a senior at Hueneme High School. I helped stop a multibillion dollar gas company from brining more pollution to our mother Earth. This company was threatening my community's health and safety, and I took it upon myself to help stop the company. I come from a family of eight members and am the second one to attend university in my family. I love to be involved in my community. Currently, I volunteer at Mary Star of the Sea, Oxnard Rescue Mission and in my school. I help to file and translate papers. I also participate in varsity cross country, soccer, track and field and swimming. I was awarded the Brower Youth Award, a certificate from Dr. Jane Goodall, the U.S. House of Representative- Speaker of the House Award, San Francisco's Mayor Award, the U.S. President's Award- service to the community, the Julia Brownley-California Legislature service to the community and Patagonia recognition.

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I am a 22-year-old university student who has been involved in community and environmental activities for most of my life. I am currently studying at the Pokhara University in Kathmandu. I am a founding member and the country coordinator of Roots & Shoots Nepal. I have worked to create a link between Roots & Shoots Nepal and the British Council. As part of this program, university members are the instructors for the children living in central Kathmandu. I spend much of my time traveling around Nepal educating the population about the Roots & Shoots program and about projects in Nepal.

I am currently a senior at Nauset Regional High School. My school based activities consist of student government, world music ensemble (where I play the guitar), varsity tennis, debate club, Invisible Children, and Model United Nations. I have also participated in French exchange and have helped with German exchange events. Outside of school I am very involved with volunteer work, because I am passionate about helping the environment, my community and solving world conflict. I am also involved with Habitat for Humanity, Roots & Shoots, and Cape Cod Youth Council on Sustainability. I am passionate about learning about the world, especially through my studies in international relations. My dream is to work for UNICEF or be an American ambassador for Germany. I have won a variety of awards including: the German Award, Tennis Award, Smith College Book Award and Adam's Scholarship.

I was born and raised in the west of Buenos Aires province. Since I was a child I dreamed of life connected to wildlife and environmental conservation. I began to study biology in 2002 and also in that year I started to work as a volunteer in the Buenos Aires Zoo's environmental enrichment area. I worked with a lot of species and my job was to improve the primates' quality of life. During my time at university, I took many courses related to conservation. I also assisted in my Congress. I wanted not only to obtain an academic education but wanted to prepare myself for the real world. In 2006 I did my thesis on Tapirs and am now currently working at Temaike Foundation where I collect data. In the future I want to contribute to the conservation of the South American Monkey.

I currently attend Hunter College as an upper sophomore in the City of New York. I intend on pursuing my environmental passions through an environmental studies minor, and intend on majoring in Earth Science Education. I will graduate from Hunter College with a master's degree in Education to teach Earth Science on a high school level. I have been involved in the Roots & Shoots program since 2004 when I founded a group in my hometown Babylon, Long Island. The Roots & Shoots program has given me many opportunities to participate in community service events, as well as give me an organization to run my own community service events through such as beach clean-ups. I am truly interested in working with others on community-based projects. Upon completing high school in 2006, I received the most prestigious award in my community, the E. Donald Conroy Scholarship Award, showing excellence in community service and academics. I am currently pursuing my interest in the Roots & Shoots program by establishing a New York City Network through the creation of a New York City Office. As the NYC Outreach Coordinator, I feel it is necessary that the people of NYC are aware of the pressing issues involving the environment, people, animals and the global population.

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I made it my goal to involve my school's entire student body in Free the Children's many youth empowerment programs. One of the projects focused on fundraising to build a classroom in Kenya while raising awareness about children's rights and child poverty. In 2005, amid the aftermath of Asia's tsunami disaster, I joined Free the Children on a trip to Sri Lanka. There, I had an opportunity to witness the difference that young people from around the world were making in the overwhelming need for disaster relief. The following year I traveled with the organization again, this time to Kenya to build a classroom for underprivileged children. That journey opened my eyes to the true scope and devastation of poverty, inspiring me to do something about the problem and bring about positive change. Upon my return from Kenya, I was ready to spread that message to others. I accomplished that by giving presentations to over 5,000 students and teaches, motivating and inspiring them to make positive changes in the world. I continue to motivate others to better their lives and the lives of those around them by taking action. In my spare time I enjoy playing sports, spending time at the beach and having good conversations with my friends and family. I live by the words of the late Mahatma Gandhi who once said, "The future depends on what we do in the present."

I was born and raised in San Diego. At age 12 I began studying Ninjitsu and acquired my first paying job as a surf camp counselor/instructor. I still work for Ocean Experience during the summer. As a freshman I joined the junior varsity basketball team and joined the cross country team my sophomore year. Currently I am captain of the cross country and track teams. Aside from working as a Ninjitsu instructor, I work with the San Diego Food Bank and Storefront to serve the community. Storefront is a shelter for abused or abandoned teens. The experience was eye-opening. For nearly seven years, I have been a surfer. I live two blocks from the ocean so I have always considered it my playground. My strong interest in international policy led me to join the Model United Nations team in my freshman year. In the four major conferences I attended, I achieved three outstanding recognitions and one best delegate. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of my community and extracurricular activities. They have polished my interest in being well rounded and well balanced.

I am currently a sophomore at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. I will be transferring to Auburn University in the fall to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology: Ecology, Evolution, and Animal Behavior. I was fortunate enough to be a U.S. Army soldier's daughter, which allowed my family to move to many interesting places, including Italy and Alaska. In Alaska, I was greatly influenced by my experiences in the outdoors. Some of my fondest childhood memories include berry picking in the summers, skiing and snowshoeing in the winters, and moose or bear alerts on the playground of my elementary school. I have always been drawn to the environment and its creatures. Like Dr. Goodall, I am especially fascinated by primate behavior and conservation. I hope to pursue a doctorate in primatology or zoology so that I may further her dream career as a conservationist. I enjoy reading about the science of how the minds of animals work. Two of my favorite books include "Animals in Translation" by Temple Grandin and "The Elephant's Secret Sense" by Caitlin O'Connell. I love to do volunteer work. In high school I was a member of the National Honor Society, the National Beta Club, the Student Government, and Mu Alpha Theta. Every year I participate in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. This is especially close to my heart, because my grandfather passed away from melanoma skin cancer.

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I am a sophomore at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) where I am pursuing a Biology major and Environmental Studies concentration. I intend to go to graduate school to pursue a Ph.D. in Conservation Ecology, evaluating the effects of human-caused habitat alterations on animal communities. Eventually, I would like to continue this research as a professor at a university, where I would study how these habitat alterations disrupt predator-prey and other interspecies relationships. During the summer I participated in a NSF research experience for undergraduates at Kansas State University. I researched how cattle ranching is disrupting the relationship between grassland bird nests and their snake predators on the tall grass prairie, the most endangered ecosystem in the U.S. Currently I am researching the effects of invasive boa constrictors on native reptile and avian populations in Aruba. I volunteer at a wildlife rehabilitation hospital medicating, bandaging, and hand feeding orphaned and injured birds, small to medium sized mammals, and reptiles. I also assist veterinarians, specializing in wildlife medicine, with surgeries, autopsies and patient visits. After hearing Jane speak in May of 2004, I started a Roots & Shoots group at Eastern High School. My efforts in high school resulted in receiving the Charles Shaw Memorial Award for Service, Scholarship, and Leadership. I started a Roots & Shoots group at TCNJ last year and am looking to start another group at a local elementary school. Last year I became a member of the College Leadership Council.

I am a student at Northside College Preparatory High School in Chicago, Illinois. A few years ago I became more interested in nature, and that led me to investigate possible programs or groups to join. I found Roots & Shoots and started a group at my school. Since then we have set up a Humble Park Cleanup Day where we planted trees, cleaned up the park and spread awareness of keeping the park clean; we've had a can drive; participated in a walk-a-thon where we set-up a table and told people about environmental issues; and helped raise money for Rebirth the Earth. I am also an apprentice at the Lincoln Park Zoo and was an intern at the Malott Family Zoo for 6 weeks in the summer. Through these experiences I met Dr. Jane Goodall, went behind the scenes of every building, and learned about many important environmental and conservation issues. These events inspired me to pursue a career in wildlife biology. Recently I became a member of the Roots & Shoots Great Lakes Regional youth Council. My other extra curricular activities include the Red Cross Club, Netaid Global Citizen Corps Leaders, the Northside baseball team, Welles Park baseball, Northside bowling team, Key Club and Global Initiative Club.

I was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and then moved to Miami, Florida as an infant. After a few years I moved to the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia where I attended middle school. Just before high school my family moved back to Sao Paulo. It was at my school in Sao Paulo that I began exploring my interest in community service and charity work. I participated in Habitat for Humanity at my school, where we would build houses for people in a small village. We built three foundations for houses in one week. Academically, I am interested in English and history. I received the first place prize for a poem he wrote for the annual Portuguese literature contest at my school. I play soccer for junior varsity and tennis recreationally. Currently, I am attending American University of Paris.

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I was born and raised outside of Detroit, Michigan and attend Northwestern University outside of Chicago studying Social Policy/Business/Leadership. I am in the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society and have consistently received Dean's list honors. My studies have focused on environmental and educational issues and have brought me everywhere from the public housing high rises of Chicago to a comparative political science classroom in Prague. My experience rests in the leadership development side of community organizing as the spearhead of the Women in Leadership program at Northwestern, a backpacking counselor for an experiential leadership program, a leadership summer camp counselor/service learning advisor, and a teaching assistant in a college Leadership seminar. I was also a volunteer site leader for a Chicago HeadStart preschool and currently am a literacy tutor for the Cabrini Green Tutoring Program for inner city youth. I am proud of building up the foundation of a female leadership community at Northwestern through cross-generational dialogue. I am a firm believer in community empowerment as a means of creating sustainable change. This past summer, I was an intern with the Sierra Club working on energy efficiency in Illinois and was also an intern in the new Great Lakes Region Roots & Shoots office. I am also a proud member of my college's long form improv comedy team, have directed a weekly student-run radio drama, and sung in my college choir. I love reading, urban gardening and travel.

I grew up in Gallneukirchen, Austria. In 2001 I began to study biology in Vienna. After finishing the first part of my studies I chose to specify in Zoology. I am now in my final year and hope to finish my Masters thesis in May 2008. From October 2003 until September 2004, I had to interrupt my studies so that I could do an alternative service project at an institution for people with mental challenges. To finance my studies, I had several summer jobs. In the summers of 2002 and 2003, I worked for Technical Office for Water-Ecology, where I helped in evaluating the condition of rivers in Austria regarding their fish stock. I worked several times for a hospital in Vienna as a messenger. Since 2006 I have been working part-time in the pedagogical department in the Zoo of Vienna. Since 2006 I have worked as a volunteer for Roots & Shoots and hope to increase my work efforts in the future. In my spare time I like to play volleyball or go hiking. I plays guitar, but would prefer to listen to music. Another hobby of mine is photography, and microscopic photography.

I am a positive and social 22-year old and a third year biology student from Falun, Sweden. I have always wanted to dedicate my life to animals, which made me start my first volunteer group at the age of 11 called "Stop Clubbing Seal-Pups!" We sent around petitions informing others about the maltreatment of seal pups. In later years I volunteered at my parents' schools and have now started conducting my own projects about endangered species. I have been a student-informer for my university, which means that I go to high schools and encourage them to pick biology related programs for university. For the last two years I have been rewarded with the Carlborgson Scholarship for excellent grades. When I am not studying I like to spend time with my boyfriend and friends, exercise and watch Animal Planet. Since I am studying in Skara, which is 400km from my family, I of course, love going home to visit my family and our animals.

I am a Kenyan male and am the first born in a family of seven. I was born and raised in the rural parts of Kericho district in the Rift Valley Province. My sub-tribe is part of the Kalenjin Tribe, which is one of the biggest tribes in Kenya. My community lacks many services including education, heath services, electricity and good roads. However, my parents worked very hard to ensure that I got the basic needs and access to education. My parents paid for my education until university, when I had to start to pay. I eventually had to drop out due to financial strains. I now work for the Walter Reed Project/PEPFAR as a community mobilizer in youth HIV prevention program. I gained a lot of experience, attended workshops and trainings, and eventually was promoted to an Outreach Program Coordinator. Last August I resigned to start my own organization. I am a sportsman; I like to body build, play football, and practice self-defense. I also like to watch thriller movies, comedies, listen to country music, reggae and hip-hop.

I am a Microbiology graduate. I have been associated with the TREE foundation for the past three years. I have been the coordinator for the sea turtle conservation program. I patrolled fishing hamlets along the Chennai coast during the nesting season and saved several thousand eggs and hatchling. I have experience in data entry, collection, turtle species identification and study of the indo-pacific hump back dolphin. I have also organized summits, symposiums, and awareness programs to spread the message of conservation. I organized distribution of relief materials during the 2005 December floods. I am interested in theater, drama, music, and I write for online forums. I have received awards for my involvement in sea turtle conservation and coastal clean up and for the zoo volunteer program. I received awards from the state government for presenting a paper on environment conservation. I have also received awards for papers on environment and biology form eleven different colleges. I was chosen to represent my state to attend The Katha International Conference, conducted in New Delhi in January 2006. I was also chosen as the best student leader at a conference conducted in Chennai.

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