Age
6
Country of Residence
United States
Founding Story: What was the spark that led you to start your project? What was the "Aha!" moment that led you to get started and see the potential for this to succeed?
Our “aha!” moment happened when a new military-connected student shared how difficult it had been for him to adjust to a new school. He explained that he didn't know what to expect, was unfamiliar with the school rules and layout, and didn't have any friends to lean on. Hearing his story made us realize how scary and lonely starting over can feel, especially for military kids who may have to move often. That's when we knew we wanted to make a difference! We came up with the idea of creating welcome kits and a buddy system so new military students would have someone to help them, show them around, and make them feel included from day one. We want every new student to know they are not alone and that **once you're an Eagle, you're part of our family!**
How do you encourage other people to join your project or learn about the problem you’re working on? If you have a new idea, tell us how you will do this in the future.
We plan to spread the word about our project through school announcements, flyers, ParentSquare, and school events. Our 5th-grade leaders will encourage students in grades K–5 to participate by making welcome notes, friendship bracelets, and sharing ideas. We also hope to involve teachers, families, and community members through donations and volunteer support. We want everyone to know how important it is to make new students feel welcomed because **every Eagle deserves a friend!**
How many people are on your team?
54
Impact: How has your project created impact / made a difference so far? Or, if at an early stage, what will impact look like?
Our project is brand new, but it is something we have been talking about doing ever since a military-connected student shared his story about how difficult it was to adjust to a new school. We wanted to help, but we did not have the funding to make our idea happen. With the $100 grant, we hope to create at least 10 Eagle Welcome Kits filled with supplies to help new military-connected students feel prepared and welcomed. We also want to start an Eagle Buddy program so new students have someone to show them around, sit with at lunch, and help them make friends. We hope to grow our project each year and eventually welcome every new student who joins our school. Our goal is simple: **No Eagle should ever feel alone!**
Project Category
My project is a brand new / emerging idea
Project Stage
Idea (We’re hoping to get started in the future)
Project Summary: Describe your project in one sentence
No Eagle Left Behind is a student-led mission to turn new beginnings into lasting friendships by helping military-connected children feel welcomed, supported, and part of our Eagle family!
Project title
No Eagle Left Behind
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve? Why does it matter to you and your community?
We want every new student to feel welcomed, included, and supported at our school. Starting at a new school can be scary, especially for military kids who move often and leave friends behind. Our goal is to make sure every student has a friend, feels comfortable, and knows they belong. **No Eagle should ever feel alone!**
Website URL(s) or social media handles.
https://nces.newcaneyisd.org/our-school/purple-star-designation
What’s Next: What are the next steps you plan to take to grow or strengthen your project over the next year? If your project is still in the idea stage, describe the steps you will take over the next three months to launch or begin developing it.
Over the next three months, our Military Connected Kids Group will begin writing welcome notes, sharing ideas for what should go into our Eagle Welcome Kits, and getting price quotes for reusable bags, school supplies, and friendship bracelet materials. Our 5th-grade leaders will help organize and plan the project. Once we receive funding, we hope to purchase supplies, create the bags, and launch our Eagle Buddy program. Our goal is to grow the project through donations and community support so every new Eagle feels welcomed and included!
Your Innovation: What is different about your project compared to other programs or solutions already out there? How is your project new or innovative?
What makes our project special is that it is created by military kids for military kids! Our students will help decide what goes into each Eagle Welcome Kit based on what they would want or need when starting at a new school. They will personally put the bags together, make friendship bracelets, and write encouraging notes to welcome new students. It would be easy to purchase premade items, but we believe it means so much more when the students take the time to create something special for a future classmate. Each bag will be filled with kindness, thoughtfulness, and care from students who understand what it feels like to be new. Our Eagle Buddy program will also give new students a friend to help them adjust. We aren't just giving out bags; we are creating friendships and showing every new student that they are part of our Eagle family!
Your Solution: How are you solving this problem? Share your specific solution.
Our plan is to create Eagle Welcome Kits for new military-connected students. We will use the grant money to purchase reusable bags, new school supplies, and materials to make friendship bracelets. Many students arrive at a new school without all the supplies they need, so we want to help them feel prepared and excited. Each bag will also include encouraging notes and helpful school information. Our goal is to make every new student feel welcomed, supported, prepared, and part of our Eagle family from day one!
Your team: What role(s) do your team members play? How do you share leadership with them?
Our 5th-grade students, including those in Student Council, will be our main leaders and help organize the project. Students in grades K–5 will share ideas about what should go in the welcome bags, make friendship bracelets, write encouraging notes, and help put the bags together. Everyone will have a voice and a role because we believe even the smallest Eagles can make a big difference!
