It is rare for adolescents to devote their time and effort toward acts of generosity. However, for 13-year-old Salina Ramirez, spreading kindness and inspiring others to do good deeds is second nature. Over her few years, the local teen has graciously served the Coastal Bend community by feeding our houseless neighbors; donating school supplies to children and families; making cards and cooking meals for residents; and creating care packages for veterans, active duty and wounded soldiers.
“From a young age, I discovered my passion for community service and volunteering,” Ramirez said. “It helps me meet new people, be a role model to peers and feel connected to my community.”
While serving that community, Ramirez has connected with various organizations and collaborated on ways to bring awareness to their causes. Points of Light, a global network dedicated to inspiring others to take action that changes the world, recently awarded the local teen with a Lifetime Presidential Award for volunteering 4,016 hours with various organizations in Corpus Christi.
With multiple titles from United World Pagents, Ramirez continues to take part in philanthropic endeavors and recently founded the Be K.I.N.D (Kids Inspiring New Deeds) initiative. “This project began as a passion I had to help young adults my age be inspired to give back to others; to have a safe community where we can volunteer together and unify in spreading good deeds,” she said.
Ramirez is particularly passionate about bullying prevention among all the efforts she supports. Upon returning to school after the pandemic, she observed a shortage of friendships and an increase in peer bullying. She then decided to become an ambassador for the Be a Friend Project.
“I was bullied at a very young age and wanted to be the voice for others in the same situation,” she said. “I knew I wanted to create a positive impact.” As a freshman at Roy Miller High School, Metro School of Design, Ramirez is currently paving the path for her peers to get involved in anti-bullying awareness by starting an anti-bullying program on campus through Be a Friend.
By providing opportunities for others to get involved and leading by example, Ramirez hopes to inspire younger generations to help improve our society. “You are never too young to make an impact,” she said. “As young adults, we have the responsibility of leaving an impact for future generations, and the time to act is now.”
