Doing Amazing Things
Kristii speaks at our annual Gala.
It is early on a summer morning. Kristii, a first grader, is already awake, dressed and out the door to her mom's office. Once there, she spends the day reading books, coloring and whatever else she can think of to pass the hours while her mom works.
With the high cost of quality child care, Kristii’s mom is thankful her employer allows her to bring Kristii to work, but she worries she is not making memories of playing outside, riding bikes, and swimming with her friends on the warm sunny days.
The next spring, she learns about a new summer camp coming to Kristii’s school that is free for kids currently enrolled — the Andy Roddick Foundation’s Learn All the Time Kids Summer Camp. She is hopeful the summer camp will provide Kristii with opportunities she desperately wants her to experience. Kristii is excited to attend because it is at her school and many of her friends and favorite teachers will be there, too.
From the moment Kristii walks into the summer camp, her world gets so much bigger. She goes rock climbing and zip lining, and plays rugby. She learns about other countries and cultures, and the importance of community service. She comes face-to-face with a broad range of professionals, from scientists, chefs and artists, to politicians and financial advisors on unique field trips she goes on across the city.
And by the time she graduates to middle school, Kristii writes a song with her camp friends and singer/songwriter Jenn Hartman Luck called Lead the Way:The Changemaker Song, records vocals and films a music video, and speaks about her experience on a panel at SXSW EDU. She also learns sign language which she teaches to her family. She makes the memories her mom feared she was missing. She does amazing things!
Today, this independent and self-confident young woman continues to discover and explore new things, learning dance and playing the trumpet.
Her mom says she is forever thankful to the Andy Roddick Foundation for providing Kristii with opportunities she would never have been able to, helping her daughter experience a world filled with amazing things.
