Twig’s Beverage is on a quest to find some golden children.
They could be the ones who help out in the classroom or bake cookies with Grandma. They might help out with a food pantry or stand up for their classmates against bullies.
Whoever they are, Jaime Lee wants to take them under her wing and show them how to be part of the positive side of Shawano in a new contest where they continue to promote the local Sun Drop soda. Twig’s is looking for a pair of children in fourth grade in Shawano to be their Golden Girl and Golden Boy for the next year to represent the soda company and spread positivity in the community.
Lee recently visited the fourth grade classrooms at Olga Brener Intermediate School, St. James Lutheran School and Sacred Heart Catholic School to promote the contest and encourage students to apply. The Shawano native was especially eager to visit St. James, as she attended school there in her youth, and her son, a high school sophomore, also spent his early years of learning there.
“I had the idea for a citywide program to inspire our youth,” Lee said. “I’m proud to be from Shawano, and we wanted to get the younger Sun Drop fans on board that, yes, the Sun Drop tastes good and it’s flavorful and sweet, but more importantly, that it’s a hometown company with the small-town values. We’re looking for two children to represent this and help us spread this message to the younger generation that giving back to the community is so important and to spread your gifts where you were raised.”
To be considered for the contest, students have to write a short essay talking about how they currently help others and spread positivity in Shawano, ending with what their dreams are for the future. That essay, along with two letters of recommendation from adults, will determine who the Golden Girl and Golden Boy are. The deadline is May 16, and students have to turn in their materials to their teacher.
The prizes are tempting, as the winners get their own specialized T-shirts and crowns, along with a year’s supply of Sun Drop. They’ll be taken on a VIP tour of the Sun Drop Museum with Lee and six guests and be part of a special feature story on Shawano News, Lee’s online program that features the positive side of the Shawano area. Developing some projects for the Golden Girl and Golden Boy is another thing Lee hopes to accomplish with the winners.
Lee noted that all students have a chance, and that it’s not going to come down to who’s the better athlete or the grade A student.
“Everyone has special talents and gifts,” she said.
Lee hopes that the winners — and even those who apply and don’t win — will realize that it’s just fine to dream big.
“Even though we live in a small town, they can make all their dreams come true with hard work and people that support them in the community,” Lee said, noting that her life has come full circle with being a representative of Twig’s as the Sun Drop Girl.
Lee noted that her efforts to spread positivity come after a rough patch. It’s no secret that Lee spent years dealing with depression and anxiety before making the decision to get help for herself. She hopes that the contest will encourage students to follow their dreams, no matter what life throws at them.
“It makes them feel special and to have a purpose and work toward something that’s positive, because each child is a gift from God and is here to share,” Lee said. “We’re here to help each other.”
lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com
Twig’s seeks Shawano’s golden children
