'Pay It Forward' projects help nonprofits

"I know kids don't relate to adults, so I thought it could be a way to help other teens," she said, adding the PSA will run on the government channel once it is finished.

Allie's PSA is one of many projects prompted by seventh-grade social studies teacher Amanda Van Ess.

This 1997 teacher of the year at Kennedy Middle School in Rockledge showed the movie "Pay It Forward" to her class at the beginning of the school year. She challenged students to do something to help any living thing three times during the school year.

"People need to see that kids don't always think about themselves," Van Ess said. "It just makes me so proud to see this assignment be so productive."

The theme of the movie is that each person should do something kind for three people and ask them not to pay it back, but to "pay it forward" by helping three other people.

The students' projects have ranged from visiting seniors at a nursing home to painting a neighbor's door to making blankets for animal cages.

In addition, the students in Van Ess' class banded together to help raise funds and collect goods for the Humane Society of Central Brevard. A recent "Rock-A-Thon" at Merritt Square Mall raised $3,000 when 100 students rocked in rocking chairs for 11 hours in front of Dillard's.

The Humane Society's executive director said she thinks it's great.

"Rock on," Theresa Clifton joked. "The benefits are two-fold. They're learning how to help non-profits in our area and they're reducing the animal population in the community. To say nothing of how it enriches their lives."

Even "Pay It Forward" author Catherine Ryan Hyde is applauding the students.

"I'm a huge animal lover, and I think it's a terrific project," Ryan Hyde said. "I think she's a terrific teacher and we really appreciate what she's doing to keep the Pay It Forward idea going."

This is the second year Van Ess assigned the Pay It Forward project. She said she is always amazed at the level of commitment some students have about the project.

"Some of the kids' projects move me so much, I have to keep a tissue box on my desk," she said.

Heather Gaugeo was in Van Ess' class last year. Her project involved personal sacrifice, especially for a then-13-year-old girl.

"I cut my hair and sent it to Locks of Love," Gaugeo said. Locks of Love is a nonprofit organization that makes wigs for children with medical hair-loss, such as cancer patients.

Gaugeo's brown and blonde mane stretched all the way down her back, but one day she walked into class with a bob, sheared at about chin level.

"I thought it was pretty cool because I wouldn't want to be bald," she said.

Van Ess said her students are learning the value of giving.

"This is what teaching is all about," she said. "To me, it is the ultimate lesson that I have been trying to teach my students this year -- it is better to give than to receive."