State Honoree

Rachel Bervell, 16, of Mukilteo, Washington, a senior at Kamiak High School in Mukilteo, conducted a teddy-bear collection drive at her school that provided more than 1,000 stuffed animals for her to distribute to children in hospitals and orphanages in Ghana. Several years earlier, Rachel's grandmother traveled to Ghana and took with her some of Rachel's old teddy bears to give to children in the villages she visited. Rachel was struck by this gesture of compassion, and recalled how, as a summer volunteer at a local hospital, she had seen how much a mere doll or stuffed animal could comfort a frightened child. So, when her parents told her they were planning a family trip to Ghana, Rachel knew what she wanted to do: "I wanted to encourage children in Ghanaian hospitals and orphanages," she said. "I wanted to put a smile on each child's face." With help from five friends, Rachel planned a campaign to collect about 100 teddy bears at her school. They hung posters on the walls, sent fliers to teachers, spoke to classes, and set up "Teddy Bears for Ghana" collection bins. Several school clubs and classes rallied to Rachel's cause, and when the two-and-a-half-week drive was over, Rachel had more than 1,000 stuffed animals for her trip. Her parents agreed to pay for shipping, and when she arrived in the capital city of Accra, Rachel was greeted by government officials and the news media. Over the next six weeks, she distributed her donated bears to children in hospitals and orphanages. "I vividly remember the expressions of the children I met," said Rachel. "Some faces beamed while others smiled shyly, but all of them hugged their gifts." Since returning, Rachel has been speaking to groups about the children of Ghana, and has formed an organization that is collecting funds and school supplies for an elementary school there.