Kids like you can make a difference for wildlife and the environment. Meet some inspiring young heroes who have turned their love of animals into action! 

Anusha Vaish, Insect Guardian

Have you ever asked someone, “What’s your favorite animal?” Many times, the answer will be “lion” or “giraffe” or some other mammal. But ask 11-year-old Anusha Vaish that question, and you’ll get a different answer. “The nine-spotted ladybug,” she’d say. “It is the state insect of New York, where I live. And it’s so beautiful!”

A school project in second grade sparked Anusha’s interest in insects. “I just found them fascinating,” she says. Sadly, insects are being hurt by pollution, pesticides, habitat loss, and climate change. When she learned this, Anusha was determined to make a difference.

She created a website, saveinsects.com, to teach people how important insects are for the environment. For example, insects pollinate flowers and crops. They provide food for animals. And they’re “trash collectors,” gobbling up plants and animals that have died.

Anusha has spoken to many different groups about saving insects. She has been featured in news articles and on radio shows. She also started a “Little Critters Club” for kids in her town. Another website she created, livinggreenways.com, encourages families to plant insect-friendly gardens and to stop using pesticides in their yards. Here’s hoping her big support for these little creatures will start a craze for creepy-crawlies!

Meet more kid superstars!

Do you have a story to share about helping wildlife and the environment? Email us at buzz@nwf.org. We love hearing everyone’s stories, but we are able to feature only a few of them. All submissions become the property of the National Wildlife Federation.