I believe the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way.

Of all the panda-loving kid stories I read daily, this one out of Redding Elementary has all the makings of THE Perfect Story:

* Fourth graders : Fifth graders are either jaded - having mastered the intricacies of cursive writing - or worried about more immediate concerns - such as the sudden onset of adolescence - to care much about animal advocacy. Third graders haven't had enough world history to feel empathy for any place other than their immediate community and/or most recent place they spent their summer vacation. Sixth graders? Forget about it! Their cells have already been surgically grafted onto their ears to prepare them for middle school.

* Kid initiated, Vice Principal approved : Nobody wants to hear about out-of-work-adults with inexplicable panda fetishes wax poetic about saving pandas (sniff!). Nor does anyone care about panda initiatives started by adults that cater to kids. These darling enviro-preneuses came up with The Panda Project all by themselves and petitioned the school's Kindness Klub to help them raise money for the WWF's endandered species program. (On a side note, "Kindness Klub" - how cute is that?!?)

* Enthusiasm : Any great advocate knows that you must exude enthusiasm for that which you are advocating. These girls are well on their way to becoming great conservationists. One of the project's founders, Danielle, stated that she has loved pandas since pre-school - that's over half her life, a HUGELY long time for an elementary student. THAT is dedication my friends! With dedication that strong, we can practically count the panda as saved!

Finally, check out the picture above and just try to convince me that's not a Great Wall of Panda in the making. These young activists are destined for great things. Yay for kids!