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Author:
Rachel Renée Russell

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Dork Diaries Book 14

Dork Diaries

#1 New York Times Bestselling Series

It's the Valentines Dance! And the girls ask the guys! EEEEK!!

Nikki wants to ask Brandon

But Mackenzie
has other ideas!

January 18, 2021

SPOTLIGHT ON…WILLOW PHELPS!!!

When Willow Phelps was in fourth grade, she was named Kid of the Year by the ASPCA (the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). She had been caring for animals for years—not just the assortment of pets she had at home, but all kinds of animals all over the world!

She had done 5K runs, mile-long swims, and sewn and sold catnip toys to raise over $15,000 for different causes. Some of the causes she raised money for include homeless pet owners, chimps in Liberia, orcas in aquariums, and senior shelter pets.

One of Willow’s special projects happened close to home. At her school carnival every year, there was a booth where students threw ping pong balls at goldfish in glass bowls. If they hit a bowl, they got to take home a goldfish in a bag.

This didn’t seem right to Willow! “Goldfish can hear really well,” she explained, “so when they hear those ping pong balls pinging against their bowls, it probably hurts them and scares them. And then when they got home, a lot of them might not have the right care.”

Willow not only got her school to stop the goldfish booth, but she also raised the money to make up for what the school used to earn at the booth. 

Now Willow’s in seventh grade and she’s still throwing herself into helping animals and the environment. Over the last couple years, climate change has hit close to home for Willow, who is a competitive swimmer. Her swim team had to cancel their season because the lake they swim in became infested with blue algae bloom, which is unsafe to swim in. And then the surf camp she attends every summer, Girls Wave Riding Surf School was cancelled because of a hurricane. Both hurricanes and blue algae bloom are made worse by climate change.

But Willow’s not just going to sit around and watch while climate change threatens the activities she loves, and even more importantly, the habitat of the animals she adores. She has marched for climate change awareness in New York City, and is part of a lawsuit against the federal government over climate change.

How cool is that?! Go Willow! I know Willow is just getting started and I can’t wait to see what she does next! 

What’s something that you’re really passionate about? What are some things you can do to start spreading awareness about that topic? Enlighten us in the comments section below!

Category: My Diary Tags: Spotlightnikki

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Comments

  1. wildydork says

    January 30, 2021 at 10:58 am

    I really love animals, and now Willow is my new inspiration. Go willow

  2. Anonymous says

    January 30, 2021 at 10:36 am

    OMG, Willow’s SO nice!

  3. Perturbed Pianist Dork~(ㅠㅅㅠ)~ says

    January 30, 2021 at 3:59 am

    That is a wonderful passionate thing you’ve got, Willow! I love how Nikki posts about amazing people sometimes!!

  4. Star_Singer68 says

    January 30, 2021 at 12:23 am

    To be honest, I could never to what Willow is doing. Though I feel so passionate about the ocean. I have only eaten fish sticks and I never will eat fish again. My differences will make a difference for the fish and sea creatures. 🙂

  5. Shortie (4 real) says

    January 29, 2021 at 5:39 pm

    ♡ Willow!!

  6. The Dorky 8 Year-Old says

    January 28, 2021 at 1:04 pm

    OMG!! I love animals too but I never did that!! She is so kind!!

  7. Sandy says

    January 28, 2021 at 8:57 am

    My friends and i play and feed the animals in a animal centre!!!

  8. blink says

    January 28, 2021 at 12:33 am

    OMG!!!!

  9. Dorky Artisit says

    January 27, 2021 at 11:36 pm

    I’m passionate about writing and animals. I have 8 parakeets. I write lots of books as well!

  10. twilight sparkle says

    January 27, 2021 at 11:06 pm

    i think willow is grown to be a animal protecter.what a great job!

  11. ~Xx*Fennecfoxes*xX~ says

    January 27, 2021 at 10:58 pm

    is that nikki irl? OMG!

  12. ✯Dazzling Dork✯ says

    January 27, 2021 at 1:15 pm

    Go Willow!!!

  13. lov your books girl says

    January 27, 2021 at 11:39 am

    GO GIRL!! You got this!!!!

  14. Dorky fan says

    January 27, 2021 at 9:47 am

    I think willows done a great job looking after the animals

  15. 123_CRUELTY says

    January 27, 2021 at 5:40 am

    I like how you save animals from cruelty.

  16. Love Dork says

    January 26, 2021 at 12:45 pm

    You go girl!!! I BELIVE IN YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  17. Farmers daughter says

    January 25, 2021 at 8:21 pm

    I love on a horse farm and have a pony

  18. Flower Power (Passionate Power says

    January 25, 2021 at 5:48 pm

    Amazing job, Willow!! One of my cats is named Willow! The other is named Mia
    I am actually a Girl Scout and I’m passionate about…hmmm…ooo! Saving the ocean/ocean animals from litter. Also I want every shelter animal to get adopted! Also I want people who don’t have a lot of money to have food and everything that they need to live.

  19. Anonymous says

    January 25, 2021 at 5:24 pm

    I’m really passionate about animals, too! Of course, as passionate as Willow! Props to her! I suppose I can slip in a little detail about animals for the poster I have to design. But I won’t get as many marks. So I’m not doing that. Maybe I should start talking to my friends instead about getting a pet!

  20. mo. chon says

    January 25, 2021 at 3:36 pm

    i want to save animals because i have a lot of cat in my neighborhood and plus people put their trash in are ditch and then the cats eat inside of them and they get sick.

  21. Huygens says

    January 25, 2021 at 12:50 pm

    I love animals!

  22. ♡♡♡♡♡♡ says

    January 25, 2021 at 11:51 am

    I want to help people with different diseases and illnesses [not contagious ones because my parents won’t let me!] like wheelchairs and cancer and blindness and deafness. I will help them by telling them what to do if they want me to and also I will help them by paying for stuff they can’t afford with my own allowance because I see homeless people a lot and it makes me feel bad so I’m gonna buy them food and make them sweaters. [especially in the pandemic since it’s winter so the Corona-virus germ can spread more easily] Since I got a new knitting kit I’m gonna knit sweaters and also I’m gonna make drawings because I’m good at drawing and sell them for money to pay for homeless peoples’ food.

    • Anonymous says

      January 27, 2021 at 1:07 am

      Awww you look so nice!!

  23. girl says

    January 25, 2021 at 10:13 am

    I love animals very much but my friends throw trash on the road and it’s just sad and people that are on a beach they throw trash in the ocean and turtles think it’s food then they eat it it could kill them or make them sick so people out there throw trash in the trashcan please I love animals very much

  24. °✧♡・Anonymouslygorgeous°✧♡・: * says

    January 25, 2021 at 10:04 am

    She is like the kid Gretta Thunberg for animals!!! XD

  25. Beanie says

    January 25, 2021 at 9:47 am

    So nice!

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