Redmond senior recognized for her work with Invisible Children

Published 4:06 pm Thursday, April 25, 2013

Kara Chambers first learned about Joseph Kony, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the use of child soldiers and child brides in east and central Africa when she was in seventh grade.

The Redmond High School (RHS) senior was a fan of the band, Thrice, who had been working with Invisible Children (IC) to raise awareness of the issue and encouraged their fans to get involved. Chambers helped organize a book drive at Redmond Junior High School for the cause, but admitted “it didn’t make an impact on (her).”

A PERSONAL CAUSE

It wasn’t until she became more educated on the issue and realized, at 13, that if she had been born in that part of the world, she could have faced the same fate as these children.

“There’s such a great chance that I could’ve been abducted as a child bride,” she said. “And (those who are abducted) don’t have a say in it and that’s not acceptable.”

Chambers, who is now 17, said the fact that this crisis affected youth was what made the issue hit home for her. She said she is not truly free if her peers in central Africa don’t have the same liberties.

“My liberty is bound with theirs,” she said.

Once the issue became personal, Chambers became more involved in IC, founding and joining clubs in junior high and high school focused on raising awareness of the issues in central Africa and holding fund-raisers for the cause.

One of the clubs she is involved in and president of is Schools for Schools, an IC program that focuses on education and fund-raising, but also works with a sister school. The school Chambers works with is Anaka Secondary School in Uganda.

‘STANDOUT’ WORK

With all of the work she has done with IC, Chambers was recently honored by Soroptimist International of Bellevue Metropolitan with the Violet Richardson Award.

Sherry Schuler, spokesperson for Soroptimist International of Bellevue Metropolitan, said as an award recipient, Chambers will receive a $400 scholarship as well as a matching donation for the organization she works with, in Chambers’ case, IC.

In addition, as an award recipient at the local level, Schuler said Chambers can apply for the scholarship at the regional level — which encompasses Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska — for additional scholarships and matching donations.

Chambers said she was very excited to learn she had received this scholarship in particular because of the matching donation for IC.

“That scholarship meant something more,” she said.

Schuler said Soroptimist International is an international organization focused on projects that benefit women and girls. The organization has chapters in more than 120 countries and each chapter has projects that benefit their local community as well as the international community. The Bellevue Metropolitan chapter covers the greater Eastside and Schuler said some of the organizations they have worked with include YWCA and Herrington House in Bellevue.

The Violet Richardson Award is open to girls ages 14-17 and is strictly focused on volunteer service.

“Her’s was definitely a standout,” Schuler said about Chambers’ application and why she was selected. “She took the initiative to start something at her high school.”

OTHER ENDEAVORS

Chambers was limited to discuss only one volunteer endeavor on the scholarship application, but she is involved in other volunteer projects as well. She has been giving English lessons through her church, Meadowbrook Church in Redmond, for four years. As a result of this, Chambers said she is nearly fluent in Spanish as her “students” are mainly Spanish speakers.

“I love it,” she said.

Chambers has also worked with Liberty in North Korea (LiNK), an organization devoted to the North Korean human rights and humanitarian crises.

Next year, Chambers will attend George Fox University in Newberg, Ore. and plans to major in social work with an international concentration and Spanish. Post college, she said she wants to use what she has learned to continue serving others.

“Needless to say, I’m not sure I’ll be in the U.S. for much of my life,” Chambers said about her future, acknowledging her goals are unusual. “Most people wouldn’t call that a dream.”

As for traveling to Africa, Chambers said she wants to go for an extended period to become part of the community, which can’t be done in a few weeks. The opportunity hasn’t arrived yet, but when it does, Chambers’ stay will be measured in years.

And despite the dangers present in that area, she is not too concerned, saying she “(has) to go.”

“Let’s be honest, I’m not too worried about the safety part of it,” Chambers said with a small laugh. “Maybe my parents are.”