Savannah James Hosts Third Annual "I PROMise Makeover" to Buy 60 Girls Prom Dresses

Mid-April is here, which means prom season has officially arrived! Riding in a limo with friends and wearing the perfect prom dress is something that many girls dream about for their junior and senior years of high school. Unfortunately, prom seems to get more and more expensive every year and for some girls, a brand new prom dress just isn’t affordable for them or their families.

Savannah James has watched high school girls experience the disappointment of not being able to afford prom, a milestone event for many young women, and vowed to find a way to make prom affordable for everyone. For the last three years, she has fulfilled that vow through the LeBron James Family Foundation’s “I PROMise Makeover” event.

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

For this annual event, Savannah James and her family treat 60 seniors from particular high schools in Ohio by helping them pick out and fund their dream prom dress. 

James and her husband, LeBron, first meet the lucky students for lunch at the Hilton, where they have a chance to receive tips from James’ personal stylist on must-have prom accessories or which undergarments they should wear underneath their dresses. Savannah also offers the girls her own advice, encouraging them to let the beauty on the inside shine through and to create a special memory. 

 After lunch, the girls are given a chance to sift through racks and racks of gorgeous prom dresses and even pick out the perfect pair of shoes from a large selection of everything from glittery high heels to fancy ballet flats.

When asked about her inspiration behind the creation of this foundation, Savannah responded, “Prom is a milestone event for most young women, and one that no girl should deny herself because she can’t afford to look the part. Prom is the icing on the cake because shortly after that is graduation and after is real life. So it’s about enjoying the last of your high school days because you never get that time back.”

Savannah James and her family’s kindness is truly amazing and gives high school seniors a special day to look and feel like a princess when they otherwise would not be able to.  

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

Anonymous “Layaway Angel” Shocks Toys R Us Customers with an Incredible Random Act of Kindness

A mystery woman in Bellingham, Massachusetts has shown over one hundred Christmas shoppers the true meaning behind the Christmas spirit this year. An anonymous shopper gave 150 people the gift of Christmas when she paid their layaway accounts at Toys R Us in full, a holiday act of cheer that totaled over $20,000 in merchandise. 

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

Toys R Us reported that the incredible display of generosity occurred last Wednesday afternoon a woman came in the store and asked to pay off every outstanding account, wishing to remain anonymous. Toys R Us shoppers, including Emily Burlingame, were overjoyed and shocked when they came in to pay their layaway balances and discovered what the Layaway Angel had done. 

To find the book series that inspires these stories, click here

This Story Demonstrates How Even the Smallest Act of Kindness Can Make the Biggest Difference

It is commonly believed by children that if they are not direct participants in the act of bullying, that they are not contributing to the problem. While not being the bullies themselves is a start, it is not helping to put a stop to a long-standing issue. It is so important that kids not only stay away from bullying, but if they see if happening they take a stand and put a stop to it. And one touching story demonstrates this importance, showing that a simple act of kindness can mean so much more to someone than you may think. 

The author of this story begins by talking about walking home from school one day during his freshman year of high school. Just like an other Friday, he was walking home with big plans for the weekend on his mind, when he saw another boy walking home carrying a large stack of books. He found himself thinking that he must be a nerd for carrying all those books home during a weekend, when he saw a group of larger boys running at him. He watched as the older boys ran into him and knocked all the books out of his hands. They then proceeded to trip him and break his glasses before taking off running and laughing. The author recalls how he saw the boy crawling around looking for his glasses with a terrible, heart breaking sadness in his eyes. So he jogged over, picked up his glasses, and helped him gather his books, comforting him by saying, “Those guys are jerks, they should really get lives.” 

With a grateful smile the boy looked at him, relieved, and said “Hey thanks!” After helping him up, he found out the boy’s name was Kyle and he lived near him. He walked Kyle all the way home, carrying his books, and chatting the whole way. At the end of the walk, he invited Kyle to play football with him and his friends that Saturday, and they ended up spending the whole weekend together. 

Over the course of the next four years of high school, he and Kyle became best friends. When it came time for college, Kyle attended Georgetown to study to become a doctor and the author went to Duke on a football scholarship. But the miles between them did not come between their strong friendship. Come graduation day, Kyle was to give the class speech. But the author recalls how, sitting in the audience, he had no idea just how much Kyle’s speech was going to affect him. 

He remembers how Kyle cleared his throat, nervous, and began by saying “Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach…but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them.”

Kyle then went on to explain that all those years ago, that day walking home from school freshman year of high school, he had planned on taking his life that weekend. He talked about how he had brought home all those books so his mom would not have to go through the pain of cleaning out his school locker. He goes on to say how it was a simple act of kindness that saved him that weekend. How one boy had helped him after being bullied and showed him kindness and friendship. 

It was not until that moment that the boy realized the deep importance of what had seemed to him like a small act. It is this story and many others that show us the power our actions can have on others, even things that seem small or natural to us. 

So even if your child is not being bullied or an instigator of the bullying, make sure to explain to them how crucial it is to stand up to bullies and show others kindness, because you never know how your actions can affect others- and in some extreme cases it might just be the thing that saves them. 

Houston Tutor Reminds Us of all the Good in the World

One of our favorite subjects to blog about at ONCEkids are people who inspire us. And thanks to the internet, finding and sharing inspirational stories has become easier than ever. I often hear people complain that because of the ability to share news around the world with the click of a button, it makes the negativity and tragedy that goes on shoved in our faces all the time, thus bringing us down. While this may be true to some extent, we have been working to change this idea by helping to share positive stories and instead of focusing on the evil in the world, to focus on all the love and kindness. Cause if there is one thing that you can’t argue it is that “sharing” on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and various blogs has shown us that there are so many real life heroes in every corner of the world who, without the Internet, may have gone unnoticed. 

Take Kenny Thompson for example. This man has been dubbed the “lunch angel” after paying off the overdue lunch accounts of 60 kids at Houston’s Valley Oaks Elementary School. The longtime tutor and mentor was uneasy and upset after learning that many of the children who go to the school are on a reduced lunch meal plan and even then cannot afford the daily meals. Many of them will even skip the lunch line out of shame and embarrassment. It was after hearing this that he took it upon himself to go down to the school and spend $465 dollars to make sure that all the children were getting properly fed each day. He did this in the hope that it would ensure the children had the nutrition and security they needed to make each day at school a happy one. 

He comments on his actions saying, “These are elementary school kids. They don’t need to be worrying about finances. They need to be worried about what grade they got in spelling. When I left the building knowing that they were getting fed, they didn’t have that stress- the best money I ever spent.” 

Mr. Thompson’s concern and generosity is admirable, and thanks to social media his touching story has already inspired thousands of readers. 

For other inspirational stories of real-life heroes, but sure to check out our blog page! 

Middle School Football Team Demonstrates Humility and Kindness Adults Can Learn From

Mothers spend all of their time trying to teach their kids; teach them how to behave, how to treat others, how to achieve their goals- but then we hear stories that make us realize how often it can be the kids who teach us. 

The football team at Olivet Middle School in Olivet, Michigan shows how inspiring and courageous acts can come from the most unexpected places from the most unexpected people. 

For weeks, the Olivet Eagles plotted amongst one another, without the knowledge or involvement of any coaches or teachers, to make a play that would permanently change the way the game is played. 

The play thought up for one of the members of the team, Keith Orr, a special needs boy with a very big heart. 

Despite the dismay from the crowds, Sheridan Hedrick, one of the players for the Eagles, sacrificed a potential touchdown to take a knee on the 1-yard line. His reason for doing this? To allow Keith to know what it feels like to score a touchdown and be the team hero, a joy the boys on the team felt every person deserves to know. 

Once Hedrick took a knee the play affectionately referred to as the "Keith Special" began. The ball was hiked and handed to Keith, who ran the touch down without a scratch thanks to the protection of his fellow teammates. 

What the boys did not know during their plan, was that the play they made was so much more than a touch down for a middle school football team. It was a moment that changed the outlook and perspective of one boy but also of a team and everyone who hears their inspiring story. It is proof that there are children out there that posses a level of humility and heart that many adults struggle to achieve. And perhaps, instead of us adults always having to be the teachers, that there are lessons for us to learn from them as well. 

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Click Below to Watch the Inspirational Video About the Olivet Middle School Football Team: