Young Student on a Mission to Give Back to Teachers

One young student has continued her mission to spread joy to her teachers through something many enjoy--snacks!

DULUTH, Minn. –It all started with a single dollar and a challenge from a teacher. How can you use that dollar to spread compassion?

“In 3rd grade, my teacher gave us $1 and said do something great with it,” said Amelia Hanson, 5th Grade Student.

“So, Amelia took that dollar and decided to use it to raise additional money, and that first year she was able to raise about $500 and she and her mom went out and bought a bunch of treats and put them on a cart to kind of take around to teachers,” said Melissa Peterson, Interim K-4 Academy Director, Duluth Edison Charter Schools.

From there the Happy Cart was born. Amelia Hanson is in her third year of pushing the Happy Cart through her school halls and delivering some sweet treats to teachers and staff.

“It just brings joy to the teacher’s faces, she said one of the favorite things she gets to experience with this Happy Cart is seeing the teachers come out and the smiles on their faces and just how it lights up their day,” said Peterson.

This year, the young student was awarded a Youth in Philanthropy Grant from the Northland Foundation. Amelia received $1000 through the grant to provide snacks to her cart.

“One of the things about these little acts of kindness and compassion is that they tend to spark other acts of kindness and compassion,” said Peterson. “And so that’s really a big part of what I hope would come out of this for sure and I know Amelia too, is just other people seeing what she’s done here and seeing what kind of impact she makes with something as simple as the Happy Cart and handing out snacks to our teachers.”

Amelia’s mom is a teacher, so she knows firsthand the demanding work they take on. Through the Happy Cart, each teacher and staff member gets two salty snacks, a sweet treat and a drink. Amelia says seeing the reactions from teachers gives her a “warm and fuzzy feeling.”

“When I give things, it just like, feels so great to do it,” said Hanson.

With the help of the grant, Amelia stocked up and is providing her school with two happy cart days this year.