T.H.E. Zebra Initiative started with one speech that a 7th grade student named TR made for a class assignment, which then got entered into a school competition. After every 7th grade student delivered their speeches, 30 were chosen for the semi-final round and 5 made it to the final round.
To TR’s surprise, he was one of the five students who won the opportunity to deliver the speech in front of the whole 7th grade class in the speech showcase! After the showcase, the Superintendent of his School District summoned TR and his parents to his office and requested TR to do something wildly unexpected.
TR was invited to deliver the speech in front of 350 staff member in the Los Gatos Union School District. Furthermore, the Superintendent planned to use T.H.E. Zebra Initiative as the following school year’s theme. From that point on, TR is motivated to spread T.H.E. Zebra Initiative to as many schools and communities as possible.
Interesting Fact: In case you are wondering what T.H.E. stands for in the initiative, it’s TR’s initials.