State Honoree

Leah Prager, 13, of Dallas, Texas, an eighth-grader at Frankford Middle School, has organized a backyard carnival for the past seven years that has raised more than $115,000 for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and a local food bank. When Leah was only 5, a friend was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a crippling and eventually fatal disease. "I asked my Mom what I could do to help, and she told me about backyard carnivals when she was a child that raised money for MDA," said Leah. "I thought about it and decided to restart the idea as a way to have fun, while helping my friend." Every year from December until April, Leah plans, organizes and raises funds for her backyard event. She meets with volunteers, plans games and activities, arranges for entertainment and coordinates fundraising with adult volunteers. She solicits donations from local businesses for a silent auction at the carnival. On the day of the event, Leah and her volunteers transform her backyard into a carnival with game booths, food stands, a "bounce house," and entertainers such as clowns and a magician. "The most memorable part is going to deliver the money raised to MDA and the food bank," said Leah. "I get to see firsthand the people that my carnival helps."