Literacy story inspires Alberta teen to build school for Sherpa children

Sam Terry built a school for Sherpa children in Nepal, is outfitting another, and had raised $32,000 all before she was 15 years old. What inspired this Barnwell, Alberta teen charity champion? A story about literacy.

Shelley Youngblut reports in the Globe and Mail that once Sam had seen the video on the Room to Read international literacy project, founded by John Wood, a former Microsoft executive, she was commited. Her grandparents showed her the video when she was in Grade 6, and she announced to her family her goal to build a school for Sherpa children.

The story is inspiring on a number of levels. It shows the impact one person can have on a global community. It demonstrates how commitment leads to creativity. And, it shows how young people and new media can combine to bring about change. The use of social media campaigns to put issues on the front page are gathering strength around the globe. It begins with inspiration.

The Room to Read theme - 'World Change Starts with Educated Children' - runs deep in this story about young people helping young people. We can all learn from this tale of courage and vision.