ANDREW BELL

Andrew Bell, 12, a sixth-grader at Sussex Academy of Arts and Sciences in Georgetown, organized a drive to collect shoes, socks and shoelaces for needy orphans. Looking for a service project to do for one of his classes, Andrew and his mother found information on the Internet about conducting a shoe drive, and sent away for instructions and an informational video.

“I always knew some orphanages were poor,” Andrew explained, “but I never knew they sometimes had to choose between food, or clothing and shoes.”

He wrote letters to four elementary school principals in his town and got permission to collect donations in their schools. He then wrote articles for his school newsletter, created a handout explaining his project, decorated collection boxes for each school, and solicited donations from local department stores. Andrew ended up collecting 213 pairs of usable shoes, 83 pairs of socks, and 15 sets of shoelaces. His teacher helped him pick up donations, which Andrew tied together, recorded and boxed for shipment to destinations throughout the world.