Author: Susan Janowsky

When I found out about the good things Dr. Jane had done for chimps, I knew that I wanted to do something similar, but for the animals of my island.” In 2015, then 7-year-old Isabella Rivera, already knew what she wanted to do with her life. Growing up in Puerto Rico, with about 500,000 stray dogs and 1-million stray cats, Isabella saw a problem that she wanted to solve. As a part of JGI’s Roots & Shoots program, Isabella has done just that and has made a profound impact beyond what she ever imagined. Isabella founded the organization, “Kids for…

On March 19, 2018, the last male northern white rhinoceros passed away. At age 45, Sudan had lived a full life. At the time of his passing, he was one of the only three living northern white rhinos. The other two females, his daughter and granddaughter, are all that remain of this subspecies. What does the passing of Sudan the rhino mean for our world? The northern white rhinoceros is one of the two subspecies of white rhino. Considered the third largest African mammal, they can weigh anywhere from which is 3,748 to 5,291 lbs! How does the northern white…

Central Nebraska Roots & Shoots’ project, “Common Ground Program,”  is our March 2018 Roots & Shoots Project of the Month! See more projects we love here. When you live right next to the Platte River and its adjacent prairie ecosystem, you know a thing or two about cranes. For students of Grand Island Public Schools, their backyard is a migratory stopover habitat for endangered whooping cranes whose wild population is less than 300.  And every spring, the landscape becomes a pitstop for 80 percent of the world’s sandhill crane population.  Central Nebraska Roots & Shoots students are taking part in…

Khalifa Stafford dreams of one-day using stem cells to treat psychiatric and developmental disorders. Her passion for science has been a constant for most of her life and much of her drive to create change in the world stems from finding a role model in Jane Goodall. According to Khalifa, “Roots & Shoots placed within me a sense of hope that no matter what my life’s circumstances may be, I could achieve anything I put my mind to.” With that mindset, there is no limit to what she will accomplish. Location: Bethesda, Maryland Studies: Neuroscience, Psychology, and Pre-med at Hunter…

Mr. Reynaga’s 4th-grade class’s Raptor Birds in the City project is our February 2018 Roots & Shoots Project of the Month! See more projects we love here. A falcon soars overhead and dives in between buildings in search of prey on the ground. After spotting something shiny below, the predator swoops in and consumes it heartily. Having swallowed a piece of plastic, the falcon has potentially eaten its last meal. The discarded plastic, once ingested, can block or cut the bird’s digestive tract. Litter in urban environments presents a very real danger for city-dwelling wildlife. In South Los Angeles, 4th graders…

Using the Roots & Shoots online course as a springboard, community leaders, each from different learning environments, have employed the Roots & Shoots 4-Step Formula to lead service campaigns to better their communities. The individuals below, each stellar examples of compassionate leaders, led their groups in mapping local needs, collaborating with stakeholders and designing practical solutions in the form of campaigns. We thought we’d take a look at the different types of leaders who have taken the Roots & Shoots free online course, “Growing Compassionate Young Leaders Through Service Learning.” My students experienced first-hand that their voice matters and they are…

For Lauren Gibson, the journey into environmental activism began almost ten years ago when, in the seventh grade, she started up a Roots & Shoots club. Lauren, recently listed on the North American Association for Environmental Education’s 30 Under 30, is an emerging leader in the world of conservation and environmental advocacy. Since starting a Roots & Shoots micro-grant program in 2009, Lauren has gone on to study endangered species conservation in the depths of the rainforests in the Dominican Republic and work in environmental education for the federal government. According to Lauren, “I do all of this knowing that…

12-year-old Genevieve’s mission for monarchs is our January 2018 Roots & Shoots Project of the Month! See more projects we love here. While lots of people begin engaging with environmental activism at a young age, 12-year-old Genevieve Leroux has already made a name for herself as a public policy influencer on a national scale. Genevieve’s niche is working to protect monarch butterflies in her hometown of San Luis Obispo, California. She successfully spurred her community to join the national movement to help save the threatened western migratory monarch butterfly, confirming that there are no age restrictions on activism. Genevieve is…

When you’re in high school, a lot can seem out of reach, but not if you’re Anna Schilling. Anna recently organized a fundraiser for the Jane Goodall Institute by hosting a 3K Fun Run and selling event T-shirts — she raised $1000! Within her first two years as a member Roots & Shoots, Anna has made enormous strides by working to restore local habitats, making Valentine’s Day gifts for sick children, and building Mason Bee houses all in the name of bettering her community. Through the Roots & Shoots U.S. Roots & Shoots Youth Council USA (RSYC), Anna receives support,…

This holiday season, will you join us and the many Roots & Shoots groups around the world who are giving back to their communities? Even during this busy time of year, Roots & Shooters are working overtime to meet their communities’ needs by spreading compassion during the season of giving. Here’s your Roots & Shoots Holiday Give Guide with ideas and inspiration from members around the U.S. for making a difference for people, animals, and the environment: Roots & Shoots Holiday Give Guide Join Abby in making cards. Abby is making holiday cards for hospice patients. At Christmastime, she will be visiting the…