Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: Premature end of data (mysqlnd_wireprotocol.c:553) in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: OK packet 1 bytes shorter than expected in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_select_db() expects parameter 2 to be resource, boolean given in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 94

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: Premature end of data (mysqlnd_wireprotocol.c:553) in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: OK packet 1 bytes shorter than expected in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_query() expects parameter 2 to be resource, boolean given in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 112

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: Premature end of data (mysqlnd_wireprotocol.c:553) in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: OK packet 1 bytes shorter than expected in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_fetch_array() expects parameter 1 to be resource, null given in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 161

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: Premature end of data (mysqlnd_wireprotocol.c:553) in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: OK packet 1 bytes shorter than expected in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_query() expects parameter 2 to be resource, boolean given in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 112

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: Premature end of data (mysqlnd_wireprotocol.c:553) in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: OK packet 1 bytes shorter than expected in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: Premature end of data (mysqlnd_wireprotocol.c:553) in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: OK packet 1 bytes shorter than expected in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_query() expects parameter 2 to be resource, boolean given in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 112

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: Premature end of data (mysqlnd_wireprotocol.c:553) in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: OK packet 1 bytes shorter than expected in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79
Fall Contest - Zak Tanjeloff
 
"Why Me?"

Zak Tanjeloff
Sarasota High School, Class of 2003


I was lucky enough to travel a lot in my teen years, especially in the third world. The things I saw were unimaginable and very hard to deal with. I asked, “Why me? Why I am I so lucky to have all that I do, while the majority of this planet suffers so greatly?” This experience really shaped me as a person and I wanted to share it with others. So I started a club at school, appropriately named “WHY ME?”, the exact question I had asked myself months earlier.

We started by just collecting school supplies to send to the third world, but it quickly became more than that. It evolved into a youth led global awareness and relief agency. WHY ME and its volunteer shave hand delivered supplies in 5 countries, and also has helped out right here in our hometown. We deliver much needed things such medical supplies, school supplies, sporting goods, toys, clothes, etc. Twenty students have truly shared my experience and more, by traveling on two separate trips to Guatemala. These students lived in houses with local families with no running water, electricity, or even beds. In spite of these hardships, the kids had a great time, learned a lot about the world they live in, and managed to hand deliver $200,000 worth of medical supplies to the local medical center. We also put 35 elementary school kids on scholarship, kids who would otherwise not be able to attend school. All this was done in less than a year and was 100% youth led and organized.

Currently, “Why Me?” has expanded to 5 high schools. It is also being started at the university level at Tufts University. This fall we are bringing 4 Guatemalan teens to Sarasota, the same teens in whose houses we stayed, to stay with us. This will finish off the culture exchange and give these kids a new view on the world as well. WHY ME is also raising money for scholarships for children in Zambia and Namibia, as well as Nepal. We are in close work with the Peace Corps to also achieve some community projects in Latin America and east Asia. We have received recognition for our works from the School Board, the mayor, and even from Congress.

Besides helping countless children abroad, “Why Me?” has helped teens here, teaching them that the world we live in is not the world we live on. Who would have thought one person can make such a difference?


About Zak

Zak also runs Cross Country and Track. His crowning achievement of his running career was the marathon he ran last January, finishing first in his age class. He also ran across Florida to help raise money for children with motor disabilities. Zak spends a lot of his time with his WHY ME program, helping kids locally and internationally. Zak hopes to go to college and major in political science. He has two loving parents, a sister Jasmin, 21, and a beautiful girlfriend of four years, Emily. For more information on the WHY ME program, or to start it at your school, go to www.whymerelief.org.


· Click here to go back to the list of Fall Contest winners


 

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Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: OK packet 1 bytes shorter than expected in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

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Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

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Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

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Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

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Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: Premature end of data (mysqlnd_wireprotocol.c:553) in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

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Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_query() expects parameter 2 to be resource, boolean given in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 112

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: Premature end of data (mysqlnd_wireprotocol.c:553) in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: OK packet 1 bytes shorter than expected in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: Premature end of data (mysqlnd_wireprotocol.c:553) in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: OK packet 1 bytes shorter than expected in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_query() expects parameter 2 to be resource, boolean given in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 112

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Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: OK packet 1 bytes shorter than expected in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: Premature end of data (mysqlnd_wireprotocol.c:553) in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: OK packet 1 bytes shorter than expected in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_query() expects parameter 2 to be resource, boolean given in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 112

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Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: OK packet 1 bytes shorter than expected in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: Premature end of data (mysqlnd_wireprotocol.c:553) in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: OK packet 1 bytes shorter than expected in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_query() expects parameter 2 to be resource, boolean given in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 112

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Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: OK packet 1 bytes shorter than expected in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: Premature end of data (mysqlnd_wireprotocol.c:553) in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: OK packet 1 bytes shorter than expected in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_query() expects parameter 2 to be resource, boolean given in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 112

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Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: OK packet 1 bytes shorter than expected in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_pconnect() [function.mysql-pconnect]: mysqlnd cannot connect to MySQL 4.1+ using the old insecure authentication. Please use an administration tool to reset your password with the command SET PASSWORD = PASSWORD('your_existing_password'). This will store a new, and more secure, hash value in mysql.user. If this user is used in other scripts executed by PHP 5.2 or earlier you might need to remove the old-passwords flag from your my.cnf file in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 79

Warning: mysql_numrows() expects parameter 1 to be resource, null given in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 154


Warning: mysql_numrows() expects parameter 1 to be resource, null given in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 154


Warning: mysql_numrows() expects parameter 1 to be resource, null given in /usr/home/natavi/phplibs/dblpair.inc on line 154