
Kellen McMahan, age 9, wants everyone at his school to know they are a valued part of the group. “No one wants to feel like they don’t belong here,” he says. That’s why, when he saw a ____1____ kid on the playground, he came up with Kellen’s Project for Belonging.
Kellen wanted to give something ____2____ to everyone at school to remind them they’re important. After talking with his parents and teacher, he ____3____ on buttons (纽扣). He says, “I explained the idea to my class. We had to plan it out ____4____ my school has over 400 kids.”
He and his classmates decorated (装饰) paper circles with kind slogans (口号) ____5____ “You Belong Here!” They made the circles into ____6____ using a machine and sent them to each classroom. He hoped that the buttons would help students ____7____ that they belong. He also hoped they’d inspire kids to treat others like they belong too.
Kellen still sees people ____8____ the buttons on backpacks and clothes. He thinks they’ve made a difference. “I’ve observed (观察) some of the kids interacting (相互影响) a bit more,” he says. “I’ve seen the kids ____9____ seemed lonely before, and they’re starting to play with more people.”
Today, Kellen is on the lookout for new project ideas. “You’ve got to be thoughtful about the people around you,” he says. “It’s a good ____10____ to help someone out.”