Jayson Kimberly, a 6th grader at Montgomery Junior High in Montgomery, Texas and Lone Star Leadership Academy Dallas/Fort Worth and Austin/San Antonio camps alumnus, is making quite a name for himself among animal lovers in his community! As a member of the 2017-2018 Lone Star Leadership Academy Alumni Council, Jayson has helped hundreds of foster and shelter animals through his “Leave it for the Pooch” service project. With two Great Danes, two Weimaraners, and a Bull Mastiff in his family, it’s no surprise Jayson chose to create and lead a service project benefiting his four-legged friends!
In July 2017 Jayson started his project by creating a “Leave it for the Pooch” Facebook group as a place for donors to notify him of items for pickup and for those that shelter and foster animals to post their needs and wish lists. Thank yous for donations received and photos of donation drop-offs are also posted on this page. Jayson also partnered with Elite Repeat, a local resale shop, to be a donation drop-off location. The store also collects monetary donations in a “Pennies Four Paws” jar to provide funds to help pay vet bills for injured animals in shelters. Jayson also had “Leave it for the Pooch – Please Donate” t-shirts printed to wear at the 2017 Strut Your Mutt event to advertise his project. Proceeds from shirt sales are used to purchase even more donations.
A visit to Jayson’s “Leave it for the Pooch” Facebook group will quickly reveal the positive difference he is making and how this ‘project’ seems to have become a way of life for this outstanding young leader. Jayson has collected and delivered hundreds of items to families and organizations that foster animals and to numerous organizations including the Aggieland Humane Society, Brenham Animal Shelter, Conroe Animal Adoption Center, Huntsville Animal Shelter, and Little Woman Home for Animals, just to name a few.
“In leading my service project, my social skills have grown stronger,” Jayson stated. “I have been blessed to meet people in my community that share the same love for animals I do. My project continues to grow and I'm super excited about its future. I hope everyone will join my “Leave it for the Pooch” Facebook group and maybe others can bring “Leave it for the Pooch” and “Pennies Four Paws” to their communities.”
Jayson is a first year Lone Star Leadership Academy Alumni Council member and maintains an A/B average in all Pre-AP classes. He is on student council, a percussionist in his school band, has taken guitar since kindergarten, and is active in his church. Jayson serves as parliamentarian for the Montgomery County Shooting Sports 4H club, has won many BB gun shooting awards, and participated in nationals this past summer. Jayson looks forward to attending the Lone Star Leadership Academy – Houston/Galveston camp this coming summer.
Jayson and sixty-seven other outstanding young Texans are leading service projects across our state this school year as members of Education in Action’s Lone Star Leadership Academy Alumni Council. Upon completion of a Lone Star Leadership Academy camp, alumni may join the Alumni Council to continue their leadership development during the school year. To learn more, visit www.educationinaction.org/alumni-council. To view past years’ members’ projects, visit www.educationinaction.org/alumni-council/alumni-council-members-service-projects.