Ben B.'s
KID NATION CAPTAINS CONTEST RESPONSES

1. Red Sox Kid Nation is about showing support for your favorite baseball team, but it’s also about “Kids helping Kids”. As a Kid Nation member, what does this mean to you?

As a RSKN member “Kids helping Kids” means I have a responsibility to help kids and our earth. If I am selected as a RSKN Captain, I will be a team player and respect my leaders. I will share ideas, listen and implement what is decided.

Some ideas I have are from experiences I’ve had while living in California. Californians work really hard to reduce waste, reuse and recycle. At my school we have a Green Team. Our Green Team is a group of students and a teacher who work together to teach all students to reduce, reuse and recycle. For example, kids who bring a “waste free” lunch get a reward for making our school green. The program is really successful. Everyday is Earth Day in California. It can be in RSKN too!

I would encourage Wally, the Green Monster, to become earth friendly. He is green and green is his favorite color. Wally could be the captain of our RSKN Green Team! Reducing, reusing, recycling is kids helping kids. Kids teaching kids, teaching kids will have a ripple affect. It will be so cool! We can blog about it on RSKN, film about it, develop programs around it and ask kids how to improve our Green Team. Maybe Mr. Remy would write a book about Wally & The Green Team. Maybe PBS Kids would do a show about us. RSKN would help Fenway encourage town ballparks go green! RSKN…kids helping kids by going green! Kids are the future!

2. If you could ask any Red Sox player any question, who would it be and what would you ask him?

This is so very hard. How can I just ask one player one question? I am a kid with so many questions and a desire to learn so much! I am a lover of history. History of baseball and history of my beloved team, The Red Sox.

If I could ask any Red Sox player any question, I would ask Jerry Remy a question. Here goes:

How did you come up with all those great Wally stories?

As for the rest of my questions, I will get the answers from reading books and websites about the Red Sox team, players of the past and present. I will get answers from my baseball cards. I will get answers from the sportscasters. I will ask my dad and Grampa questions. I will listen to their stories and grow from them. I will watch the games. My love will grow deeper. I too will pass it on.

I would be honored to be a Captain of Red Sox Kids Nation. I would represent the West Coast with pride. I am a proud member of Red Sox Kids Nation. It doesn’t matter where you live…it is what is in your heart.

Thank you for this opportunity. Go Red Sox and Red Sox Kid Nation!

EXTRA INNINGS:
My family moved from Massachusetts to California in 2003. It was hard to move away from my family and friends but we didn’t leave our Red Sox behind! To me, my room is RSKN headquarters for the West Coast! My room is covered with Fenway Park posters, player posters and banners including my first banner – Wally! Wally debuted in 1997 just like me!

Even though I live in California, I am a passionate fan! I watch Red Sox games on the MLB channel. My favorite games are not the games that the Red Sox win but the games I get to watch with my dad. I talk with my grampa on the phone about the games too. We have the Red Sox schedule posted in our kitchen. I spend my allowance on Red Sox baseball cards. Last year I gave 1/3 of my allowance for the whole year to the Red Sox Foundation to help children and families. I know it is important to give back. I have given my allowance money now I want to give of myself.

I have been to lots of Red Sox vs. A’s games in Oakland. In June 2007 I saw Curt Schilling pitch his one hitter against the Oakland As. I went to the Red Sox vs. SF Giants when the Sox came to SF. To me, it seems there are more Red Sox fans than As or SF Giants fans at West Coast games! Every February school vacation, my family goes to Florida to visit my grandparents. My grampa takes me to Red Sox Spring Training. I had so much fun! I ate Fenway franks, watched the pitching and catching training and got some autographs! I am having my 11th birthday celebration at the Red Sox vs. As game on Sunday, May 25th in Oakland, CA! I am part of something bigger…Red Sox Nation!

The best part of living in California is I get to watch all the games because they finish before my bedtime. A game could still be going at 11:30 pm in Boston but it is only 8:30 pm in California!

I see lots of Red Sox hats, shirts and more all the time in the Bay Area, at my school and beyond! When I see a fan wearing a Red Sox hat in California, I see myself in that person. I immediately have a connection. I am part of something bigger…Red Sox Nation!

WHY I AM YOUR GUY!

I go to a public elementary school with about 300 kids. I have received awards at my school’s all school assemblies for:

• Physical Education
• Amazing Progress & Hard Work as a Writer
• Positive Attitude
• Respect
• Integrity

As a fifth grader, I am a buddy to a kindergarten and a second grade student. I am a student volunteer for the Special Education PTA, in my city of Mill Valley.

I played competitive soccer for the Mill Valley Soccer Club in 2006. I was honored with the Ropers Award at the end of the season. My coach, Rick Fullerton, said, “this award represents Ben’s integrity, respect, teamwork, determination, kindness and teaching the coach a few things.” The award was an honor but the words of my coach were even greater.

THE CLOSER:
I am a Red Sox fan for life. I live around people who are SF Giants or Oakland As fans. Not me. Not ever. It doesn’t matter that I live in California. I am a member of Red Sox Nation! I want to give of myself and make big things happen with RSKN! It doesn’t get better than that!

Go Red Sox and Go Red Sox Kid Nation! THANK YOU!!!