What does it mean to you to be an American?
"To be an American means to live your life in a way so that if today was your last day, you would feel good about the choices and decisions in life that you made. Choices that make a positive difference, leave a lasting impact for the goodness of others. As Gandhi said, 'Be the change you want to see in the world.' That is what being an American means to me - to be selfless, to be kind, to sacrifice, to give hope and grace to make the world a better place."
What moment touched and motivated you to launch this effort?
"About a year after (Kate's) accident, I was sitting with a friend and I looked at her and said, 'I can't believe there's not a helmet law in Indiana.' As educators, it's our jobs to keep kids safe."
What gives you hope?
"The goodness of our community and giving or helping others gives us hope. Giving is a way to channel our grief. It helps us focus on someone else's needs rather than our own sadness. We try to focus on the positives. In Kate's tragedy, we were confronted with an outpouring of good, hope, caring and compassion from our community. The community helped us to move forward and do something meaningful with the time we have left here on Earth in Kate's honor/memory."
What concerns you?
"What concerns me is all the hate, anger, belittling and resentment in the world today. You see it on television, on social media, in our leadership, and in every walk of life. Our kids and society in general need more love, compassion, empathy, grace and hope. It is all of our jobs as citizens to make that culture change ... into a culture of hope, humility and prosperity."
What do you hope to accomplish through your efforts?
"Zero preventable deaths from ATV accidents."
Ashlee Bruggenschmidt
Location: Boonville, IN
Age: 40
Profession: Principal, Sharon Elementary School, Newburgh, IN
Mission: Zero preventable deaths in ATV accidents
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