Sophie is a marvel in my world and a treasure to society, because she does not care about who in the Keys has the most money or who has the biggest car, Sophie is impressed by what you do to better our world or what you are doing to make society better.

Sophie is just one of those special people who are in my opinion, just better people.

Her mom, my first Chapter leader Pam Caputo is a Science teacher at Key Largo School and welcomed me and Ric when we were just starting our organization.

In the beginning, I had this grand idea and I was basically making Ric go along for the ride because I couldn’t do it alone at 14. We both were trying to create something that would resonate with kids and Pam helped guide both of us on the right path.

Ric was an advertising guy, I was a student in 8th grade, we just both had a passion to clean the planet and we were lucky to meet Pam Caputo early in our endeavor.

Pam gave great support and I spoke in her classes when I could and Ric filled in for me when I had to be in my own classes.
Pam gave amazing support all the way.

Sophie Caputo is an example of a child raised, much like me with caring parents who support them in every way.

This message is as much to parents as it is to kids, what you do as parents makes us kids what we are.

In the beginning, I wanted to make this a monthly award, but this award and my respect for Sophie requires this award to be given rarely and based on great merit.
With that said, I’m proud to announce that the next Sophie Caputo-The Change Begins With us’ Award will be given to Joey Goldstein, the Founder of SOL Saving Ocean Life.
Joey Founded her organization at just 13 years old!
Let me break it to you, kids have a passion to save our planet.

I know I was driving Ric crazy when I told him about my mission to save the planet and for me to make it work, he would have to give up a lot of his time to help me and have his people make videos for me and support my organization and so on.

The point is, Sophie, Joey and I have a passion to clean the planet and we’ll do all we can, but we need adults for some things and Sophie, Joey and I have great parents and other people who help us make our own difference on this planet that needs us so much.
Sophie, I love you and you are my inspiration.
~Izabella Hernandez