Emerald Skye from Hawaii

From an interview by Amie Jane Leavitt

Aloha, friends!

Have you ever seen a penny lying on the ground and passed it by? Maybe it didn’t seem like it was worth enough to make a difference. Maybe you have felt that way sometimes too—like you are too small to make a difference. This is Emerald Skye F., and she wants to tell you that everyone is valuable. Everyone can make a difference!

My friends Hoku, Minami, Sophia, Eden, Jane, and I wanted to help kids in other parts of the world, so we collected lots of pennies and sent them to an organization that builds schools. I felt happy because helping others is something Heavenly Father wants us to do. And I learned that even something as small as a penny can help others.

My name is perfect for me. First of all, my birthstone is an emerald. I also have ancestors from Ireland, which is known as the “Emerald Isle.” One of my favorite movies is The Wizard of Oz, which has an “Emerald City.” Finally, I live on an island that is as green as an emerald.

My favorite building on the island of Oahu, where I live, is the Laie Hawaii Temple. I got to visit the temple open house before it was rededicated. I felt happy because I’d never been inside the temple before.

When I grow up, I want to be a graphic designer, a modest-clothing fashion designer, or maybe an ice-cream taster. I want to do more service projects too—maybe helping endangered pandas or earning money for cancer research. For now, I will keep doing what I love: swimming, riding my bike, and spending time with family and friends.

Top left: photograph by Adam Palmer; right: temple photograph by Amie Jane Leavitt; family photograph by Dr. D. Errol Miller; other photographs courtesy of the family