A group of students at Parish Episcopal School in Farmers Branch are on a mission to change the world.
They want to make people aware of the environmental issue of releasing balloons.
"When you release a balloon into the air and you don't see where they go for a while. And then, once it comes back down it usually gets to animals before we can put it in the trash and they will eat it or somehow get tangled in it," Jade Palmer, 12, explained.
When their teacher told them about the issue, several students started a club with a mission to spread the word and save the animals.
"It makes me sad that something that seems so innocent could be fun for a little kid or anyone really could be so harmful to animals," Palmer said.
A group of seven 5th and 6th graders started sending letters to those who are most likely to have a balloon release, starting with schools.
"I think we sent out so far about 23 letters," Palmer said.
Already two schools have responded and pledged to stop balloon releases.
"I was really excited because I thought they would just think 'oh, it's just a bunch of girls 5th and 6th," Nora Twomey, 11, said.
The group will now send letters to churches and city councils.
"I'm hoping that one day we can send a letter to Washington, D.C.," Palmer said.
The girls are learning valuable lesson they will carry with them forever.
"If I can make seven kids think that they can change the world, boy they can," teacher Gretchen Peterson said. "These girls are capable of doing whatever they want to do."
"What I hope the girls carry away with them is that if you see a need or something that you want to change, just start trying to change it and don't listen to anyone who tells you that you can't," Peterson said.
Schools and organizations hoping to join the movement are encouraged to call Parish Episcopal School at 972-239-8011.
