Age: 12
Hometown: Saratoga Springs
School: Maple Ave Middle School
Community involvement: Saratoga Springs Children’s Theater, Saratoga Springs Public Library and more
It’s a common occurrence to see kids posted up around Saratoga Race Course selling bottled water from coolers. Twelve-year-old Maple Ave Middle School student Mackenzie Bedard is one of them. Except she’s not pocketing the money she makes—she donates it to the Saratoga Springs Children’s Theatre (SCT), an organization she’s been involved with since she was 4. This past summer alone, Mackenzie earned more than $500 for SCT.
At school, Mackenzie is a member of several service-oriented clubs, and spearheaded a video series that recognizes students and staff members who are positively impacting the community. In a recent ELA assignment with the journal prompt, “If I had a remote control that could control the world…” Mackenzie wrote, “I would make sure every channel was different and accepted because every person is different and should be accepted. I know a magic remote does not really exist, but I can make my own. I will change the world, step by step.”
This feature is part of a series in which we feature 12 young people from Saratoga Springs and the Capital Region who are making their communities a better place. Know a kid who fits the bill? Send their story to editorial@saratoagliving.com for a chance to be featured in a future issue!