Up until I was eight, I had a nasty habit of dancing on the ants that crawled on my grandparents’ house stairwell. I would dance and dance until that step was littered with bodies. Ironically, I called myself an animal lover. All that changed when I started watching Wild Kratts on PBS Kids. My appreciation for animals and nature grew larger with each passing episode. When the Kratt brothers highlighted how human-related activities cause animals to become endangered, I developed an empathy for creatures that I never felt before. I wasn’t just educated anymore. I was impassioned. It wasn’t fair that creatures across the world had to suffer the consequences of human-caused actions. It wasn’t fair that we humans continued to worry about ourselves knowing of these horrors. I knew I had to give these animals a voice. So I took up ecology and wildlife conservation. I joined Science Olympiad, participating in the Herpetology and Ornithology events to learn about animals. I spent my spare time watching nature shows such as World’s Deadliest, and Planet Earth. I spent more time outside to study animal behavior, a pastime that developed into my newfound hobby of birding. My passion influenced important decisions, like turning down the IB diploma in favor of the IB Environmental Science course at my school. I’ve also engaged in field research, aiding Portland State University professor Dr. Patrick Edwards with his project on stream ecosystem health. Even my lifestyle changed, reverting to more environmentally sustainable practices like biking to school and adopting an almost-vegan diet. Not a day goes by that I don’t regret killing those innocent ants. Today, I help them instead, for they are a reminder of my dream: to preserve and protect animals across the globe. Now that’s something I’m willing to dance for.

When I overheard that there were over 11,000 foster kids in Oregon over the evening NPR radio, I was shocked. It was a feeling quickly replaced with a thought that would define my high school tenure. I have to do something to help. My Google search history was full of questions the next day: what was Oregon’s foster care crisis? How did it begin? Who was dealing with it? As I continued poring over foster care articles, an idea bloomed in my mind: what if I started a club to remedy the foster care problem? And so it began. I told my friends about my bold proposal, inviting them to join my mission. Before long, Sunset Cares had a handful of members, an admiral feat for a freshman startup. Within weeks we settled on our first project: partnering with Embrace Oregon (now called Every Child PDX) to help produce Welcome Boxes (small boxes full of trinkets, like games and books, and dental hygiene products to keep foster kids safe and entertained while in a DHS office) and Launch Boxes (large bins full of supplies such as towels, toiletries, plates, and cutlery to help foster kids move into homes of their own). Through several door-to-door fundraisers and supply drives in local neighborhoods, we raised thousands of dollars and collected hundreds of supplies in donations to make over 16 Welcome and 26 Launch Boxes! My sophomore year saw us carry that momentum from my freshman year forward. We topped our ninth-grade production by adding 23 more Welcome and 18 more Launch Boxes to our total in three-quarters of the time. When the representatives from Every Child PDX showed up to club meetings to talk about our partnership, they always opened up with messages of gratitude and congratulations. They would elaborate on how much of an impact Sunset Cares was making and tell stories of foster children that clapped with excitement or breathed a sigh of relief when they received our boxes. This was what I loved most. Knowing that Sunset Cares was making a tangible impact in the community. Although there are still thousands of foster kids that need help in Oregon, my optimism remains unwavered. Our steady progress each year and positive encouragement from Every Child PDX have been steadfast reminders that what we’re doing isn’t without purpose. And now, with our maximum number of members to date, I am confident that Sunset Cares can help better the foster care crisis now and into the future, one box at a time.

Duff Goldman's job description is "pastry chef", a title that doesn't do him justice. As a culinary artist, he combines the art of cooking with the science of baking, using his skills to make baked goods that not only taste amazing, but also flawless in baking technique and precision. It's a talent that has earned him countless titles and his very own cooking shows, many of which I have grown up watching. And while cooking and baking are newfound hobbies of mine, I hope to draw inspiration from Mr. Goldman's work and one day make treats that are worthy of my favorite artist/scientist's approval.

11,000. That's how many kids were in Oregon's foster care system in 2018. When I heard that number on the evening NPR radio, I knew I had to do something to help out. So, I sat down in front of my computer and did what any motivated freshman-in-spirit would have done: research. The next day, my google search history was full of questions: what was Oregon’s foster care crisis? How did it begin? Who was in charge of dealing with it? As I pored over foster care articles on my computer, an idea bloomed in my mind. "What if I started a club to remedy the foster care problem?" I told my friends about my bold proposal, inviting them to join my mission. Word spread, and soon, Sunset Cares was a fully-functioning club dedicated to helping foster children across the state. Partnering with Every Child Oregon to make Welcome and Launch Boxes for foster children was our primary method of aiding the foster care community. Welcome Boxes, which are full of basic hygiene supplies and fun activities for the kids to work on, keep foster children entertained while DHS officers make accommodations for that them. On the other hand, Launch Boxes are for those aging out of the foster care system. We make these boxes to help these children transition to a life without foster care support, since they are asked to survive without being given any resources. As such, we look to provide them with the bare necessities that they need to survive on their own, such as cutlery, plates, towels, and more. Through door-to-door fundraisers and supply drives, the club that I founded has helped provide relief to over 80 foster children across the state, and we look forward to continue doing so in the future.