Katie Hecht

Katie Hecht is on a mission to make sure every child gets to experience the magic of reading. The Jacksonville, Fla., teen started her global initiative, Words on Wings, to help promote literacy for children in underserved communities. She has collected and distributed more than 7,500 books to four different countries. The accomplished youth is also a national award-winning author and has logged more than 500 volunteer hours with the Alliance for the Lost Boys of Sudan, a foundation started by her mother Joan Hecht. She also particpates in local food drives, volunteers at homeless shelters, and has visited Peru and Jamaica on mission trips.