Do Something Good: "Be the Change"

MADISON, Wis. - In a second-grade classroom at Huegel Elementary in Madison, you’ll find 8-year-old Ben, a young boy on a mission. This is his happy place.

Mr. B, a stuffed penguin, is more than just a toy for Ben; it’s the symbol of his mission. Inspired by the Netflix series "Penguin Town" and various readings, Ben is determined to save the endangered African penguins. He’s raising funds to help the cause.

"I hope we get enough money that the African penguins aren't an endangered species anymore," Ben said.

What started as a family project to adopt a penguin quickly expanded to his classroom. Ben created a homemade donation box and began spreading the word. With the help of his teacher, Mrs. Stair, Ben made copies of posters to distribute to other second graders and place around the school.

" He has a lot of great friends, he's a super kind kid. So people were really inspired to help him," Mrs. Stair explained. "To have Ben, and all of the things that go along with saving these African penguins, is amazing. Sometimes as adults we don't give kids enough credit, and they can do it. They can do it."

Ben’s passion and hard work are making his family proud.

His mother, Jessica, isn’t surprised by Ben’s success given his love for animals. She helped him set up an online account for digital donations.

"He comes to me with this idea, my first thought is like, okay you could make a couple of flyers and hand it out to friends and we'll see what we can collect and we'll donate whatever. Now we have almost $350 raised and it's just incredible with such a small mission how it can be so impactful," Jessica said. "He's so passionate as an 8-year-old and he believes in himself, and I think it just makes others believe in him, too. I see him continuing with this conservation science, looking into what other projects he can do."

Ben’s positive impact spreads from home to the classroom. Ben and his friends are showing us that everyone has a role to play in making the world a better place, including saving the African penguins.

" I was hoping with the news' help, we could spread it across the country, maybe even across the world," Ben added.

Click here to help Ben Do Something Good.

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