Lindsey Fella Berry is a mother of four children and CEO of Helping Ninjas, a nonprofit organization founded and created by her ten-year old son, Leo. The mission behind Helping Ninjas is to create awareness of the importance of teaching our youth how to help the planet, each other, and oneself, while becoming future leaders and ambassadors of help, hope, and change. Here, Lindsey reflects on how Wild Classroom's "Conservation in the Classroom" livestream program has helped sparked new enthusiasm and action project ideas for many of the Helping Ninjas.
Helping Ninjas seeks like-minded young people who are wildly passionate about doing the best we can for our planet and for all living species on Earth. Wild Classroom enabled Helping Ninjas to learn, help, and share about subjects that are important to us, such as our oceans and endangered species.
On World Oceans Day 2019, a group of Helping Ninjas organized a community party in Indianapolis, Indiana to celebrate nature and learn more about how to help our oceans and marine life by participating in Wild Classroom's Conservation in the Classroom livestream program debut with WWF sustainability expert, Erin Simon. This live session with a WWF staffer gave Helping Ninjas youth the opportunity to talk with Erin and learn about how plastic is harming ecosystems, why it matters, and what measures are being taken. Because of the visual and virtual interaction, the kids felt more connected to the subject of healthy oceans and better understand plastic pollution causes, consequences, and ways to help.
This Conservation in the Classroom experience led Helping Ninjas creator and founder, 10-year old Leo Berry, to invite his fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Roher, and his class at College Wood Elementary to participate in the next livestream event.
Wild Classroom is a new arena of learning that promotes children's thinking and problem-solving skills, while allowing development of their own ideas and questions. After participating in the Conservation in the Classroom livestream events, the Helping Ninjas shared what they learned through drawings, pictures, and text, building on their understanding of global issues and connecting with others. Letting children learn how to help the world and share that knowledge is truly empowering. When kids are willing and can successfully interact with peers and socialize for a cause—there really is reason to celebrate!
