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! 

Quinn Reed, a Friend to Snakes

Quinn Reed (12) from Minnesota loves wildlife, and she’s always been especially interested in snakes. Last spring, Quinn helped with a snake survey in a prairie near her home. During a five-mile hike, she was able to capture three bullsnakes and to record information about their size and markings. The biggest one was seven feet long!

Quinn loves to help snakes, but snakes have helped Quinn, too. When she was little, she was fine just with her family. But when around other people, she would “freeze,” unable to speak or even move. Her parents discovered that this was something called selective mutism. After a therapy program and lots of hard work, Quinn now feels much less anxious around others. She also discovered that snakes help her feel especially calm and happy. She volunteers at a nature center near her home, where she helps take care of two snakes and some other animals. Last year, Quinn spent a day giving a presentation about snakes to all seven of her school’s sixth grade science classes. It was a big deal for someone who once couldn’t even speak in class!

Quinn has helped many people understand snakes better. People think Quinn is brave to handle snakes, but she finds that snakes bring out the bravery inside of her

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.