Weekly Reporter, Seena, Interviews Miss H

Enjoy watching this fun interview!

Also, don't forget to cast your vote for

your favorite WitKids Logo Design!

Voting ends THIS FRIDAY at 8 a.m..

Pics of Top 4 WitKids Logo Designs- VOTE!

Here are the Top 4 WitKids Logo Designs

Vote for your Favorite!

1. W.I.T.-WHATEVER IT TAKES!

2. W.I.T.-Flag

3. WitKids -Around the World

4. WitKids-Save The World

It's Time to Vote-WitKids Logo

Hi Everyone!

You still have 7 more days to vote for your favorite WitKids logo design.

Watch the video to meet the WitKid artists and then cast your vote. You can vote by email sarah@witkids.org or write in the Comment section.

Keep doing WHATEVER IT TAKES!

WIT @ Work

Another week of WitKids changing the world...1 WitProject at a time!

WitKid Book Drive

5 WitKid boys organized a school-wide WitKid Book Drive. They are now collecting new and/or gently used books to be given to kids at the Holiday Magic for Kids event being put on by the San Diego Coalition for Homeless. These WitKids organized their book drive in less than 24 hours and already have boxes of donations! I can't wait to see the final collection!

WitKid Daraja Academy Well Project

A local classroom full of WitKids chose their International WitKid project! They will work on getting clean water to the girls at The Daraja Academy in Kenya. Their fundraising ideas include recycling water bottles, putting on a talent show, and writing/selling a recipe book. When asked how much they would charge for talent show tickets, Claire said, "$10...since we'll be better than a movie...we will be live." In addition to these fundraising events WitKids, Inc. has also been talking with H20 for Life about the Daraja well project.

WitKid...She Can Dance!

Jackie, a 5th grader, has launched her own WitKid project. She is working on getting her dance troupe prepared for a very special project. Jackie and her dancing friends are getting ready to put on a performance for kids that are in a local hospital. Her WHATEVER IT TAKES! attitude will make this happen and bring smiles to many faces!

WitKids Honor Our Veterans

A group of WitKids are helping get 100 Christmas cards to our local homeless veterans. They are working with Friends of Homeless Veterans. This organization is made up of

a group of individuals that raise money to support homeless veterans. You can see more pics of the WitKid designed Christmas cards here. If you would like to make cards for our veterans, create your own and mail them to

WitKids, Inc.-WHATEVER IT TAKES

1501 India Street
Suite 103-5
San Diego, CA 92101

Each week I get emails from kids locally, nationally, and/or internationally asking how to get involved with WitKids. There are many ways to do WHATEVER IT TAKES!. You can create your own WitProject, participate in an existing WitKid WitProject, or show up for one of our monthly WIT Volunteer Projects through Volunteer San Diego. If you're ready to launch your own WitKid project, visit our website and send us an email. We'll get you started with your own WitKit, and soon you'll be doing WHATEVER IT TAKES!.

All our WitFans...thank you for your support! WitKids love watching our fan number grow on Facebook, so if you haven't already become a fan, visit our page and join! We're at 99 Fans right now...hmmm....I wonder who will be our 100th Fan!

If you'd like to follow us on Twitter....join WitKidsWIT.

I'll leave you with a message from this week's WitKids Weekly Reporters...

Keep doing...WHATEVER IT TAKES

Miss Hernholm

THANK YOU

Today at the WitKids' Thanksgiving Food Drive I spoke with a little boy, "J", who came with his family to pick up donations:

J- "Where does all this food come from?"

Me- "Well, there was a group of kids that decided all kids should have a Thanksgiving dinner, so they organized a food drive, and kids and people from all over made donations."

J- (long pause...smile) "So, they were being generous?"

Me-"Yes...you could say that."

J- (long pause...eyes widened...big smile) "So, they are like the Rainbow Fish that shared all his scales. He was generous."

Me- (high-fives) "Wow! That's so true!"

As J and I kept talking, I continued to think about the connection he had made to the book The Rainbow Fish and his word choice..."generous".

Thanks to the generosity of WitFans & WitKids, all families (at least 40 kids) received a turkey, a box full of Thanksgiving dinner supplies, and a week's supply of groceries. Each box was decorated with art work by WitKids from different schools in San Diego.

There are so many generous people and businesses that did Whatever It Takes to make this WitKid Thanksgiving Food Drive a success. Thank you....

Caffe Italia-

Thank you for letting us have our WitKid donation box at the caffe for 3 days! Locals, make sure you stop by the caffe for one of their signature drinks...delicious!

Albertson's 14th Street-

Those of you living and/or working downtown I encourage you to do your grocery shopping at this great store. The manager, Tommy, helped us stay on budget and get turkeys for our families. If you see Tommy while you're shopping, thank him for helping the WitKids. He really did Whatever It Takes!. (D- your generous donation provided the turkeys!)

(Me and Tommy + a cart full of turkeys!)

City of Refuge-

I'm often amazed at how much this organization does for San Diego's homeless and families in need. When I was teaching, City of Refuge helped many of my students get food and clothing. When I needed their help yesterday...once again they delivered! Last night I asked for extra groceries, and when I showed up today there were bags ready for me. Thank you! All WitFans...City of Refuge welcomes your donations of clothing, furniture, etc.. They will even come to your house and pick it up!

Go Postal!

Your donation guaranteed that all the kids had pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving dessert! I think the kids were most excited about seeing that yummy pie in their box.

There are many of you out there that anonymously contributed and dropped food in our WitKid box. Thank you! (We especially enjoyed the brown bags that were decorated with Thanksgiving messages and full of goodies.)

The 2009 WitKids' Thanksgiving Food Drive was a success because all the WitFans & WitKids worked together and did Whatever It Takes!

Thank you for your generosity...

Keep doing Whatever It Takes,

Miss Hernholm

D-29 WitKids- Food Drive News

WitKid Weekly Reporters

WitKids @ Work
We kick off the WitKid Thanksgiving Food Drive this Wednesday, November 18th at Caffe Italia. Come to Little Italy, donate a non-perishable item(s), and help us do WHATEVER IT TAKES!. We will be accepting donations Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 7 am - 10 pm. Our goal is to help at least 15 families this year. If you can't make it to Caffe Italia, you can send a donation to:

WitKids, Inc.- Whatever It Takes

Thanksgiving Food Drive

1501 India Street Suite 103-5

San Diego, CA 92101

(pic is from last year's food drive...let's do it again this year!)

VSD + WIT

This week Volunteer San Diego (VSD) asked if WIT would be interested in partnering with VSD. My answer? Yes! You will now be able to find our monthly volunteer projects on their Event Calendar. I'm excited about the opportunities this partnership will bring.

WitTV

This week I found myself on the set of The Singing Bee waiting for a meeting about WIT. Many of you know how much I like to break into song, so when the band started to play one of my favorite songs...I really had to hold back. So, instead of singing loudly...I just sang softly to the guy sitting next to me.

As for the status of WitTV? I hope to tell you more in 2-3 weeks. It's so exciting!!!

WitKids

To all the WitKids and WitFans out there, we are still accepting logo submissions. You can email them or mail them to me. Want to get inspired? Check out some of the logo ideas we have received here.

WitFan of the Week

Steve- owner of Caffe Italia

Thanks to Steve for always being willing to help out when it comes to the kids! He is doing whatever it takes to make this year's Thanksgiving Food Drive a success. Thank you!

WitKid of the Week

Garrett from W.W.

Garrett's enthusiasm and dedication for doing WIT deserves to be applauded. He spent many hours preparing and helping out at the first W.W. fundraising event. Garrett also submitted an inspiring and creative logo idea, and he earned a spot as a WitKid Reporter. Way to go, Garrett!

All of my students past and present...I'm proud of you!

All of the WitFans and friends that have been supporting WIT...I appreciate you!

Everyone....keep doing WHATEVER IT TAKES!

Love,

Miss Hernholm

Extra..Extra..Read All About WIT!

Words of WIT

What does WIT mean to WitKids?....

We do whatever we can do to make our school better.–Cameron 9 years old

Whatever It Takes is not just a name

It’s a way to help….

It’s you, it’s me, it’s we.

-William 11 years old

We fix the school

We fix the world

We spread the word so everyone can hear

-Michael 10 years old

WIT Schools

Sunset Room 5- Check out the video WitKids Macallister and Allyson made about doing WIT. Room 5 WitKids have done an amazing job inspiring others to do WIT. They even encouraged the Room 8 kids to start their own WIT project- fixing the basketball hoops on the playground.

W.W. Room D-29- Congrats on raising $300 at the Fall Festival!! A big thank you to Mr. Mitchell for donating some of the supplies. It’s exciting to think about how close the D-29ers are to meeting their goal. New sports equipment is right around the corner. J

Taft Room B-5- Exciting news! A WitFan saw the video Dashaun and Layla made about wanting to have Easy Turf on part of the school’s field and…..they want to help! So, the WitKids in B-5 are in meetings trying to get everything figured out. Way to do WHATEVER IT TAKES!

WitWorld

Nancy Hanssen is taking WIT to Kenya’s Daraja Academy in early 2010. This will be a fact-finding mission as Nancy researches the 1^st International WIT Project.

WIT @ Work

Thanksgiving Dinner- WIT has chosen 15 families for our annual Thanksgiving Dinner Drive. These families were chosen based on financial need and family situation. If it wasn’t for WIT and all of you WitFans, these families would not have a Thanksgiving meal, and as WitKid Michael said, “It’s not the kids’ fault, so we should help the whole family, they shouldn’t miss out on Thanksgiving.”

Michael’s Proposed Thanksgiving Menu- Turkey, Bread, Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, Green Beans, Pumpkin Pie

If you would like to donate food or make a monetary donation, please email me at shernholm@hotmail.com

November Volunteer Project- Come join us on November 28^th for a beach clean-up in Ocean Beach. Maybe we can even have lunch at Hodad's? Yum! Hope to see all of you there. Feel free to email me if you need more information.

WIT Beach- WIT has adopted a beach through San Diego's Adopt-a-Beach program. Our part of the beach is located in Mission Bay. We will be planning the first clean-up of WIT Beach soon. Stay tuned.

WitKids

Keep those emails and drawings coming. The t-shirt designs all of you are coming up with are wonderful! You have until the end of the month to submit your design ideas.

I'm so proud of all you WitKids! You are changing the world...one WIT project at a time.

Keep showing Character Counts..and

Keep doing WHATEVER IT TAKES!

Love,

Miss Hernholm

Remember to check us out on our WitKids Facebook Page...become a Fan!

p.s. The pic is of last year's Thanksgiving Dinners. Let's do it again this year...we can do it..WHATEVER IT TAKES!

W.I.T. in The Big Apple

NY State of Mind

Sitting on the plane about to depart NYC, I can't help but think back on one of the highlights of the trip. Two hours into cleaning up the neighborhood park, a young girl turned to me, leaned on her rake, and said, "I'm so tired, but this is so much fun." She sighed, smiled, and then went back to raking. We continued to work together and with the help of some other kids, we picked up litter, cut back overgrown ivy, cleared a path, and planted some bulbs.

It rained on and off throughout the morning, but nothing could dampen our spirits. As my time there came to an end, I was struck by what had occurred in only a few hours. A dozen people ranging in ages, and from different parts of the country and city, had come together and bonded over one common goal- to make a difference...and we did. I left the park soaking wet, smiling, and thinking, "I'm so tired, but that was so much fun."

D-29ers do WHATEVER IT TAKES!

Wow, with only a week to prep for a fundraising activity, the D-29ers managed to pull off a great event and raise $300! This $ will go towards purchasing new sports equipment for their school. They are wonderful examples of teamwork and of what it means to do W.I.T.!

Play Ball!

Now the Room 5 students no longer have to use rocks for bases. As William said, “It gets really confusing to figure out which rock is what base.” Recess games should run more smoothly now that “Bases on the Field” is completed. High-fives all around!

B-5 Students Stay Positive…

Despite the fact they were told that their project will cost between $500k-$1mil., the students in B-5 are staying positive. As one kid said, “We’re gonna have to sell a lot of lemonade!” They think the next step will be meeting with the district personnel to explain their project and seek more support. They are also considering starting a smaller project (perhaps a school garden) that they can work on as they continue to get a field built at their school. I don’t think anything will keep these kids from doing W.I.T..

W.I.T. Around the World

As many of you know, W.I.T. projects are done locally and around the U.S., but did you know that we are going international?! This spring we will be partnering with a school in Lithuania and our next stop is Kenya. Mrs. Hanssen had a chance to visit the young women at Daraja Academy in Kenya and found them to be an intelligent and inspiring group of learners. She also found out that their school might close because there isn’t any clean water for the students. They need a well which will cost about $3,000.

Back to the Big Apple

I’ve been invited to come back to NYC in a couple months for another community service project. If I can…I’ll be there. Thanks to the supporters and fans of W.I.T. we continue to grow and get busier and busier. We’re thrilled about the progress and although it can be tiring… “this is so much fun!”

Keep showing CHARACTER COUNTS! and….

Keep doing WHATEVER IT TAKES!

Love,

Miss Hernholm

P.S. To all you WitKids out there from 2005- the present you are inspiring & amazing!

P.P.S. Check out our WitKids Facebook page and our Cause Page…become a fan. J

Some Firsts for WHATEVER IT TAKES!

1st Fundraiser

Last Thursday Room 5 did their lemonade stand for "Bases on the Field", and it was a success. They sold over 100 cups of lemonade, and when the staff in the district office heard what Room 5 was doing, personal checks were written to support the Room 5 cause. The students reached their goal in 1 day! I am so impressed with what the students have done, and happy to see them walking a little taller. They have made a difference, they are feeling empowered..they have done "WHATEVER IT TAKES!".

1st Graduate Class

As most of you know, I've taught preschool, 2nd grade, 4th grade, and 5th grade. Last week I got to add another "grade" to that list. I was asked by Mrs. Hanssen to be a guest lecturer for a graduate class at USD. At first I was nervous, but once I started talking about one of my favorite subjects (Character Education & Community Service) I relaxed and had a fabulous time! I can't wait to get back there tomorrow night. I think there are some future W.I.T teachers in that class.

1st Donation

WHATEVER IT TAKES! is in the process of becoming a non-profit, and in the meantime we raise money by selling WHATEVER IT TAKES! bracelets and accepting donations. This week we sold our 1st bracelets and received our first donation. We are celebrating!

1st International W.I.T. project

This spring we will be doing our 1st International W.I.T project in Lithuania. Next stop...Kenya.

1st Timers

All of you who haven't been able to make it to a monthly W.I.T. volunteer project...mark your calendars for Saturday, November 28th. We will be doing another beach cleanup. Can't wait to see all of you there. (Ashely & Kaela, I hope you can come again!)

1st Place

Would you like to win 1st place in our W.I.T. t-shirt design contest? If you think you have an award winning design idea for our 1st t-shirt, email me for more details at shernholm@hotmail.com.

Many of you have asked how you can learn more about W.I.T.. You can always become a fan on our WHATEVER IT TAKES! Facebook page and/or check out our Causes Facebook page- WitKids WHATEVER IT TAKES!. You can check out pictures, video blogs, and meet other WitFans.

Have a wonderful week & keep doing WHATEVER IT TAKES!

Miss Hernholm

Week of W.I.T.

W.I.T. Bracelets...

A big round of applause for the 100+ WitKids that are sporting the blue bracelet! You are carrying the WHATEVER IT TAKES! message far and wide. You should be so proud of yourselves! All of you are making a difference in your school, community, and the world. Go WitKids! (the pic is of some B-5 students showing you their W.I.T. bracelets)

Lemonade for Sale...

Room 5 students hung their fabulous posters around the school last week and are getting ready for their first sale on Thursday! Mrs. Hanssen deserves a big "Shout Out" because she has managed to get 4 grade levels involved in this project. Each student has an important job and they are excited to start selling!!!

WitKids Around the Country...

Soon we will be starting WitKid groups in different parts of the country. These groups will be run by my previous students. So far Virginia, Colorado, and Florida are all possible places. If you'd like to run a WitKid group, email me and let me know.

On Our Way...

Steps are being taken to register WHATEVER IT TAKES! as a non-profit organization. This is an exciting process and when it is completed it will be a dream come true!! We are doing WHATEVER IT TAKES to make it happen. Stay tuned...

Tune In...

The video blogs are much cooler now that kids are in them! I think you'll like watching them. You can find this week's here. I know the sound quality is a bit off, but the boys are just so great...I had to post it! Next week there will be more kids making videos and sharing how they are doing W.I.T..

New York City...

In less than two weeks I will be heading to NYC to do a couple volunteer projects and catch up with W.I.T. fans. It's exciting to see the W.I.T. message reaching all the way to the east coast!

I'm so proud of all you WitKids and am grateful for all the WitFans. (WitFans are the adults out there wearing the W.I.T. bracelet and doing W.I.T..) Thank you for believing in the message...and the kids. We couldn't do it without you!

Keep on doing W.I.T.,

Miss Hernholm

W.I.T. in San Fran

Greetings from San Francisco!

First off, I LOVE this city! I appreciate its beauty, history, and most importantly the people here that are doing WHATEVER IT TAKES!. On Saturday we saw parents and children working together to landscape their school and plant a school garden. They were offering those that passed by bagels and coffee to lend a helping hand. Everyone was pitching in! I'll be posting the before & after pics for you to enjoy.

The Latest in San Diego-

I'm now working at 3 schools and with 3 different classrooms. Each are full of talented, intelligent, and inspiring WitKids...Room 5, Room B-5, and Room D-29.

I continue to be impressed by the students' enthusiasm and willingness to do WHATEVER IT TAKES!. Their W.I.T. projects include a Field Improvement Project, a Samoa Fundraiser, a Playground Remodel, and as you know Room 5 is taking good care of an orphaned elephant, Mutara.

(Picture is of B-5 students prepping for their final pitch...their project won the most votes!)

Upcoming Events-

Next Saturday is the monthly W.I.T Volunteer Project. It looks like we will be doing a San Diego River Cleanup. If you’d like more information email me at sarah@witkids.org.

Do you have a good idea for the monthly W.I.T. Volunteer Project? If so, let me know!

Shout Outs-

Way to go Justin & William! They met with their principal and got approval for their fundraising event. Start squeezing those lemons…you’ve got over 250 people to serve!

B-5…I like how you’re wearing your W.I.T. bracelets with pride and passing on the WHATEVER IT TAKES! message.

Sports Chalet- Thanks for supporting the kids and for doing WHATEVER IT TAKES!.

I'm off to enjoy more of San Fran....

Keep doing WHATEVER IT TAKES!....

Miss Hernholm

W.I.T. Questions & Answers

There are certain questions that I am frequently asked in classrooms, emails, and meetings. So, this post is all about giving you the answers……

Q: When did “Whatever It Takes!” start?

A: One night when I was setting up my first classroom, I grabbed some paint and butcher paper. I painted “Whatever It Takes!” and hung the banner above the whiteboard. It became our classroom motto, and we applied it to everything we did. When Hurricane Katrina hit, we did our first “Whatever It Takes!” fundraiser. Since then over 100 students have been involved in doing “Whatever It Takes!”.

Q: What’s a “WitKid”?

A: A “WitKid” is a kid that does “Whatever It Takes!” to be successful at school, in their community, and as a citizen of the world. You can often find “WitKids” doing community service and organizing local and international volunteer projects. You will often notice that “WitKids” show Character Counts whenever they are doing “Whatever It Takes!”.

Q: Is there a website?

A: We are currently working on getting our website www.witkids.org up and running. We hope to have you using it by early October.

Q: Can any classroom get involved in the “Whatever It Takes!” program?

A: Yes. If you want us to come to your classroom and help you get a “Whatever It Takes!” project started, just email me at shernholm@hotmail.com and tell us why we should come to you!

Q: Are there other ways to get involved in “Whatever It Takes!”?

A: Yes. Even if your class isn’t involved, YOU can come to our local monthly community service events. A couple of weeks ago we did a Mission Beach cleanup, and next month we might be doing a San Diego River cleanup. If you have any suggestions for our "W.I.T." monthly community service activity, just email them to me- shernholm@hotmail.com.

Q: Is there a “Whatever It Takes!” TV show?

A: Many of my D-9 students know that I have been working on the show idea for 3 years. Recently, I partnered with my friend Ellen (we met on ELF) and we have been working on getting it produced and distributed. I’ve really enjoyed being back in the TV world. I trust that all of my students will be loyal viewers!

Q: When are the bracelets coming?

A: We hope to get them in 2 weeks. I think you will like the message we had printed on the inside.

Q: Do you still sing and dance in the classroom Miss Hernholm?

A: This is one of the most frequently asked questions. The answer is.....YES!!!! Of course!