Child Super Heroes

Adam Bender is like any other 8-year old kid who loves to play baseball, excpet he's not. After losing his leg to cancer, Adam presses on, playing baseball (and other sports) on one leg.

All quotes are directly from this article:
Kid Can Do It All On One Leg

Astros coach Dan Wyse said he went out of his way to get Adam on his team "because he's a good kid, a good catcher, and what he brings attitude-wise, he's an inspiration to everybody."

Michelle Bender appreciates the effect her son has on people young and old.

"Adam has helped other kids see that a person with a disability can be fun to hang out with, and play with, and they can still be a part of a community or part of a team. It's developed the kids' compassion.

"And if he can inspire even one family to allow their kid to try something they normally might not try, that's great."

Rector does motivational speaking and leadership training, and he regularly relates Adam's inspirational story to adults.

"The lesson he teaches is that you need to let talented people with great heart get out there and do their thing," Rector said. "There's no such thing as an insurmountable obstacle for Adam. He's a winner."See video of Adam hitting and playing catcher in a baseball game.

Jason McElwain (born October 1, 1987), informally nicknamed J-Mac, is an autistic American man who graduated from Greece Athena High School in Rochester, New York, USA, in 2006. He is noted for scoring twenty points in four minutes during a high school basketball game on February 16, 2006.

In 2005, Brittany (age 13) and Robbie Bergquist (age 12) could have spent their 21 dollars on a video game or some burgers and fries, or maybe even have donated it to charity....but they had a great idea - a vision.

They started a non-profit organization called Cell Phones for Soldiers. So you're thinking...that's nice...they probably had some car washes and sent a few hundred bucks worth of cell phone to the soldiers.

Well, they did slightly better than that - their registered 501c3 non-profit organization has raised almost $1 million in donations and distributed more than 400,000 prepaid calling cards to soldiers serving overseas.

For the complete story, check out this great lens from Shawna Tayler.

This site features some brilliant kids that have done some of the following:

• Raised money for cancer research with lemonade stands
  
• Sells arts and crafts to raise money for the special olympics
  
• Started the 'Heavenly Hats' Foundation
  
• Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize at age 16
  
• Makes bag lunches for homeless people in her city
  
• ... And MUCH, MUCH MORE!!

Check Out the Directory of Child Heroes

I was invited to participate in the Squidoo Superhero Project, making 5 lenses in 2 weeks about the people who have inspired me, mentored me, changed the way I look at the world. The people I just want to say a big loud public THANKS to.

If you buy anything from this page, you'll automatically (for free, of course) be sending a royalty straight to the Squidoo Charity Fund, which pays out to nonprofits like JDRF and Room to Read and Donors Choose every month.