Best Of Patch 2019: Great Kids Doing Great Things Across America

The youth in the towns in Patch’s network of 1,200 hyperlocal sites are pretty special. They’re learning at a young age the value of community service in big-, small- and medium-sized ways.

They see a wrong and try to right it. They raise money. They show kindness. Collectively, these “Patch kids” send a powerful message to the world.

Below is a sampling of the many Patch stories demonstrating “the kids are all right.” And if you’ve got something to say about good kids doing good, reach out to your local Patch editor.

8-Year-Old’s Lesson: You Should See This Kid’s Kindness: "It's an honor to raise such a loving, compassionate child. He's a kid with a big heart,” a proud mom wrote after her 8-year-old son helped make the first day of school bearable for a boy crying by himself, via Wichita Patch.

Levi Chappelle, 5, Cleans His Corner Of The World: This little boy loves but is worried about wildlife and the ocean, so he’s doing something about it, via New London Patch.

Girl, 9, Sends 800 Cards To Military Troops: The young force behind KIDS CARE — Kindness In Doing Service, coupled with Connecting And Respecting Everyone, says she “just wanted to start a group where kids would get together and do community service projects.” Via Marietta Patch.

9-Year-Old Raising Funds To Deliver Sleeping Bags To Homeless: After seeing a homeless man living under a bridge every day on the way to school, this boy has gone out of his way for three years to make the lives of the homeless a little more comfortable, via Birmingham, Alabama, Patch.

How Boy Responded To Empty Halloween Candy Bowl: Video: The homeowner whose doorbell camera caught the whole thing on video said the boy’s response “has got to give hope to everyone that there are still amazing people in this world,” via Annapolis Patch.

‘Save Mount Diablo’: These Kids Work For Local Treasure: Combining work and the removal of invasive plants, with journaling, a new generation explores the landscape that inspired John Muir, via Walnut Creek Patch.

This Kid Turns His Wheelchair Into Amazing Halloween Costume: No one looks at 9-year-old Sam Buck’s wheelchair with envy any other time of the year, but at Halloween, they admire his creativity retrofitting his means of getting around into the coolest classroom in class, via Greenwich Patch.

Homeless Tennessee Teen Triumphs, Earns $3M In Scholarship Offers: Though homeless, Tupac Moseley graduated at the top of his class at a Memphis high school and earned $3 million in scholarship offers, via Memphis Patch.

Entire Kindergarten Class Shows Up For Michigan Boy's Adoption: Family isn't defined only by DNA, a Michigan kindergarten teacher says after her entire class showed for the biggest day in a classmate’s life, via Grand Rapids Patch.

Boys Hailed As Hometown Heroes For Helping Elderly Man After Fall: How the community said thanks to these five boys who helped an elderly man, tended his injuries and went back to check on him is sweet, via Boise Patch.

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4 Teens Put Life Of 90-Year-Old Woman Trapped In Fire Above Own: Grateful doesn't begin to describe how the children and grandchildren of Catherine Ritchie feel after four teens saw the 90-year-old woman’s house in flames and saved her life, via Tulsa Patch.

Boy, 7, Pedals Down Busy Highway To Save Dad; Teacher Finds Him: When he found his father unconscious in a diabetic shock, a South Carolina 7-year-old made a desperate ride for help on a busy highway, via Across South Carolina Patch.