Wes Crockett, a 15-year-old at Discovery Canyon High School, needed to figure out what to do for his MYP, the International Baccalaureate schoolís Middle Years Programme. The program has five areas of interaction: environment, health and social education, community service, human ingenuity and approaches to learning.ìIn our sophomore year, we are required to complete a personal project on a topic of our choice,î Crockett said, adding that he had no clue what he wanted to do for a project.He had a brainstorming session with his mom, Jennifer Crockett, and learned all about the Canadian man who used his networking and persuasive skills to ìtrade upî from a red paperclip to a house. Crockett thought this could be a great project and a perfect way to perhaps get that car most teenagers are eyeballing at that age.Starting out with an unusual, limited edition purple Lego from a set he received at age 4, Crockett started trading up with family and friends. First, he traded for a kinder egg toy and then some golf balls. He then set his sights a little higher and began to use Craigslist as a tool to reach out to total strangers.When Crockett was able to trade for a pair of snowmobiles, he began to realize the impact he could have not only for his own personal interests, but also to help his community. He knew many people affected by the Black Forest fire, and it seemed like a great starting point.Through all his trading up efforts, Crockett raised about $2,650 for the Black Forest charity, Crosses for Losses. The money paid for an older ambulance they will use as an emergency response vehicle.And Crockett got that car he wanted ñ specifically, a 1986 Nissan 4×4 pickup. Ray Sevits, a teacher at North Middle School traded him for one purple logo, according to an April 2 article in the Gazette. Sevits said he had been looking to donate the truck to a worthy cause, and he found Crockett on Facebook. ìI really enjoyed this project, and now I already have a car,î Crockett said.Crockett said the project has been amazing and a true learning experience. ìIíve learned so much throughout this project,î he said. ìFirst of all, helping people out that are going through a difficult time is the most important thing. I also learned that this project wouldn’t†have been possible or successful without the support from God, family, friends, teachers and total strangers who traded with me. They all believed in me and the idea of the One Purple†Lego Project. But most importantly, God has guided me through every step and helped me make lasting connections, for that I am eternally thankful.î
