Brady Baldwin may be one of the busiest teens you’ll ever meet: A junior in high school, he’s in the International Baccalaureate Program and 4-H; he’s an Eagle Scout, a recipient of the Hornaday Medal for conservation, a Youth Venture ambassador, and a member of the Fairfield Youth Commission.  He also runs an egg, wreath and produce business.  

But most importantly, he and his brother started My Own Book, a youth-led project to spread the joy of reading to underprivileged children.

What would you say is the most important impact you’ve made?

The most significant impact I have made is running an organization, My Own Book, which has given out more than 15,000 brand new books to K- 3rd graders. In turn this has spread the joy of reading to thousands of children, opening new doors for them and giving them a gift, which they otherwise may not have had. Another impact my organization has had on our community is with the teen volunteers of My Own Book.  The teens have benefited from the program because they have gained new skills and learned the value of community service.

Who or what inspired you to become a leader? How did it all begin?

Our program began when I was helping my brother with a community service project dealing with literacy. We didn’t mean for it to turn into an organization. We meant for it to be a one-time shot: building bookshelves, recording books and giving out some books. While doing this we found that some children did not own a single book. We were shocked. We knew we had to do something so we decided to start an organization to solve this problem. With the help of others in our community and Youth Venture, our program grew. We learned from each experience, building our program into what it is today. We plan to continue learning new lessons to build a bigger organization and change the lives of more children.

What three things have contributed to your success?

Several factors have contributed to My Own Book’s success. Youth Venture gave us a $1000 to start our organization but in addition they helped us get organized, making us really think about what we wanted to do and how to do it. Another thing that has helped us is our community which gave us the inspiration to do what we did and gave support by hosting book drives and spreading the word of our organization. The last thing would be my brother and I working together as a team; uniting our ideas and opinions and blending our different talents to form a well rounded organization. 

When do you most feel “in the zone”?

I am most “in the zone” when I am standing there when the children pick out their very own book. The enthusiasm of the children can be felt in air as the children eagerly search for a book to read and take home to show their siblings and parents. It is during this time that I see what an influence My Own Book is making.

Is there one story that illustrates why you do what you do?

Over the summer we ran weekly reading events at a neighboring town. There were two little girls, about 5 and 7 years old, that came each Saturday. After several weeks the older girl asked if she could be the reader that week. After that, every week one of the little kids wanted to read aloud to the other children. It really showed that My Own Book was working and spreading the joy of reading by the eagerness of the children wanting to read aloud.

What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned form your work as a leader?

The most important lesson that I have learned running My Own Book is that everything you do is dependent on a series on smaller actions you have taken. In Autumn Garden it says, “So at any given moment you are only the sum of your life up to than. There are no big moments you can reach unless you’ve a pile of smaller moments to stand on.”  

You do not just wake up a leader one day. There are a series of events that lead up to becoming a leader. That first time you ask for a donation, the feeling you get when you first give out a book all influence who you become and build you up to ask for the next donation, the impetus to give out the next book, and to do more. Eventually you can build yourself to become something just as long as the roadblocks do not discourage you. Most importantly you must keep on it everyday to continue to be successful and make progress.

Who are the current leaders or thinkers you admire?

The current leader that I admire is Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Apple creates innovative, simple products that are easy to use.  Apple has shown how something simple can drastically change the way people think and do things. I also admire Zig Ziglar. Zig Ziglar emphasizes the power of positive thinking. When asked how he is doing he doesn’t just say “good,” he says “better than good.” He brings charisma and enthusiasm to everything he does.

What book has made a great impression on you in the last few years? Why?

The book that has made the greatest impression on me over the last few years is the Time Almanac. Time Almanac has been influential to me because it shows what a large world it is. It allows me to escape out of my hometown and lets me imagine the difference I can make by reading about famous people and events.

What gives you hope for the future?

What gives me hope for the future is that youth today are concerned about making a better world for tomorrow. It does not matter what the cause is that they are involved in. What matters is that they are looking ahead trying to improve the world. With everyone working together to make a better place our world can be vastly improved.

What advice would you give to aspiring young leaders today?

The advice that I would give to aspiring young leaders is to not get discouraged by setbacks. I would tell them to keep working towards their cause, to imagine the difference they can make if they do not give up.

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