Members of Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Flint: Sariah Morales, Mason Morales, Omid Tavakoli, Arezu Tavakoli, Rachel Morales, Maddie Mettler-Anglim, Ana Mettler-Anglim, Andrew Hoffmann, Gavin Schwind. Not Pictured: Raven Lowe and Ashley PowellCourtesy Unitarian Universalist Congregation
Youth Group Aims to Change World, 2-Bucks at a Time
FLINT, MI – Armed with a meager $2 each, junior and senior high school students in Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Flint's youth group set out to change the world.
The task began as 11 students involved with the church group were each given a couple of months to develop a plan to spend their money.
Working from a model created by an elementary school teacher from Cedar Springs, the students then presented their ideas to the congregation as part of a June worship service. Some contributed toward donations to the Humane Society or gave their money to a stranger, asking them to pay it forward. Others invested in costlier projects. Maddie Mettler-Anglim, 12, bought supplies to make pop-tab bracelets to sell benefitting Cambodian Acid Survivors Charity for acid burn victims. Gavin Schwind, 13, bought garden sheers at a dollar store to clone trees by clipping branches, allowing them to root. Schwind aims to help the environment by giving the trees away as part of his $2 project. Andrew Hoffmann, 17, purchased a Rainbow Knot badge to show support for an inclusive Boy Scouts of America. Omid Tavakoli, 14, plans to launch a Kickstarter campaign to fund a beautification project in his neighborhood. The project was part of a larger curriculum for youth focused on social justice and individuals making a difference in the world, according to a Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Flint news release. Read the full story and comments on MLive here.