Nine-year-old Sophie Arnold was spurred into action after hearing about the plight of the Tasmanian Devil during a visit to Peel Zoo last year.
She decided to host an art exhibition, with money raised going towards to the zoo’s Tasmanian Devil breeding program.
Before that was given the green light, she put together a presentation and booked an appointment with Aubin Grove Primary School principal Frank Pansini.
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READ NOW“Without being prompted, she saw the issue and presented to me how she wanted to go about fixing it,” Mr Pansini said.
“She came to me with a problem and a solution. How could I say no to that?”
More presentations followed for the Year 5 student.
The second was to the school’s deputy principals, with two more to the whole school.
The school community was quick to jump on board.
More than 70 students took part in the art exhibition, with $350 donated to the zoo in a formal presentation last week.
“70 students – that was more than I expected would join,” Sophie said.
“I’m quite proud of myself and how it went.”
Sophie’s mum said she was proud to see her daughter take a positive approach to initiating change.
“I think it’s great she is not waiting until she’s an adult to do something she’s passionate about,” she said.
“She just says ‘why not now?’.”
Sophie’s next move looks like being a new conservation club, where children can come together to think up ways to help animals and clean up the environment.