21x03 - Boxes for Katje

[bunniefuu]

♪ Reading rainbow ♪

♪ Butterfly in the sky ♪

♪ I can go twice as high ♪

♪ Take a look, it's in a book ♪

♪ Reading rainbow ♪

♪ I can go anywhere ♪

♪ Friends to know
and ways to grow ♪

♪ Reading rainbow ♪

♪ I can be anything ♪

♪ Take a look, it's in a book ♪

♪ Reading rainbow ♪

♪ Reading rainbow ♪

Captioning made possible by
u.s. Department of education

Hey. You see all of these boxes?

We're going to use them
to build a library.

How? By filling them with books.

Then we're going
to send them to a town
that lost its library

And needs help restocking
its shelves.

Of course, it wouldn't
be the first time

That boxes helped
someone do a good deed.

The boxes in this story
did just that.

It's based on true events that
happened during world w*r ii

When a lot of towns in europe
were devastated by the w*r.

It's called "boxes for katje."

Girl: written by...

Tuke: after the w*r,

There was little left
in the tiny dutch town of olst.

The townspeople lived on
cabbages and seed potatoes.

They patched and repatched
their worn-thin clothing,

And they went without soap
or milk, sugar or new shoes.

One spring morning when the
tulips bloomed thick and bright,

Postman kleinhoonte pedaled his
bicycle down the cobbled street.

[Bicycle bell rings]

"I have a box for katje!
A box from america!"

"America?" Exclaimed katje.

"Who would send me
a box from america?"

"The children's aid society,"
replied the postman.

"Children in america
are collecting and mailing

Many hard to find items
to the children of holland."

Katje took the box.

She rubbed her finger
across the block letters
that spelled "u.s.a."

Katje's mama came
to stand beside her.

"Open it," she urged.

Katje pushed back the flaps
and pulled out a cake of soap.

"What luxury!" Said mama.

"No more bathing with gritty,
homemade stuff for you!"

Katje pulled out the next item:
a pair of wool socks.

"Now, that is luxury,"
said postman kleinhoonte.

"Holland has become a sockless
country since the w*r."

And then he rolled up his pant
leg to show his bare ankle.

Katje dipped into the box again.
Out came chocolate!

Mama sniffed, then sighed.

"I have not smelled
chocolate in years."

Postman kleinhoonte
smacked his lips.

"I have not tasted
chocolate in years."

"Neither have i," added katje.

Quick, before she
could change her mind,

She broke the bar into pieces
and passed them around.

For several moments,

The 3 savored
the almost forgotten taste.

Then postman
kleinhoonte pointed.

"That box is not empty yet."

Katje reached in
and pulled out a letter.

It read...

The postman nodded.

"Ya, rosie's box
brightened my day."

"And mine," agreed mama.

"I'm going to tell her,"
decided katje.

"I'm going to send
a letter to rosie."

Weeks passed and summer came,
hot and bright.

One morning, postman kleinhoonte
came pedaling down the street.

"She has another one!"
He hollered.

"Katje has another box
from america!"

Everyone gathered around
as katje eagerly opened
the second, bigger box.

From the box, katje pulled


And a letter from rosie.

"Sugar, sugar, sugar!"
Sang postman kleinhoonte.

And katje made a decision.

"There is plenty to share,"
she said.

Later, she wrote to rosie...

Autumn came, rainy and gray.

The townspeople of olst
picked the last of their
cabbages and potatoes.

They lined their old coats
with newspaper to keep out
the cold air,

And they worried
about coming winter.

They asked each other,

"How will we survive without
good food or warm clothing?

How will we live?"

Weeks passed and winter
roared in,

Snow deep and bitter cold,

The worst winter
anyone could remember.

One dark morning,

When katje felt as frozen
as the tulips' bulbs
buried beneath the snow,

There came a pounding
on her door.

[Knock knock knock]

"What a delivery I have
for you!" Whooped the postman.

He pulled a sled
stacked high with boxes
straight into the house.

"So many!" Gasped katje.

"Awk, but there are more,"
cried the postman.

Squeezing his way
through the crowd,

He returned with another
box-stacked sled,

And another, and still another.

There was barely enough room
for boxes and people

As katje pushed back flaps
and pulled out

Coats, mittens, socks and shoes,

Scarves, hats, and sweaters,

Cakes of soap, chocolate bars,

And bags, cartons,
and cans of food.

At the bottom of
the very last box,

There was a letter from rosie.

"Dear katje..."

For several seconds,

The townspeople of olst stood
in speechless wonder.

Then katje cried,
"there is plenty to share!"

Postman kleinhoonte danced
a jig in his new wool socks.

Mama wrapped her arms
around katje.

"You have brought us a miracle."

"No," replied katje.
"Rosie did."

Slowly, the snow melted
and the win lost its bite.

Each day more and more tulips

Poked their green tips
through the soil,

Blooming into a sea of pink
and yellow, purple and red.

One warm morning, katje said,

"It would be nice to send
a box to rosie."

"Yah," said mama.
"But what would you send?"

Katje smiled as she told her.

"This is a good idea,"
said mama.

And so one sun-bright morning,

Mr. Everett the mailman
hurried down elm street.

"I have a box for rosie!"
He announced.

"A box from holland!"

"Holland!" Exclaimed rosie.

"What could it be?"

Eagerly she ripped off
the wrapping

And pulled back the flaps.

"So many!" Gasped her mother.

Then rosie read the letter.

You know, as long as
there have been boxes,

People have used them
to send care packages.

And not only during
times of w*r,

But also when natural
disasters strike.

When a hurricane named katrina
struck the united states,

People from all over the world
sent boxes of food and clothes.

But one group in particular,
called children for children,

Had a different idea
of what to send.

They designed boxes
especially for kids.

When hurricane katrina stormed
through new orleans

And other areas of the south,

High winds and floods
devastated the area.

Many families lost their homes,

And had to rebuild their lives.

Children for children
in new york city
decided to help out,

One group of kids to another.

We are aware of other
people around us,

And if they have problems,

Then, like, we should care
about their well-being.

Woman: thank you so
much for coming out
to volunteer today.

How many of you guys know
what volunteering is?

It's helping people
so that you give
something to them

And it makes
you feel better.

I think that is a perfect
definition of volunteering.

Ok, great, guys.

So, let's
get started.

Levar: they came up with
a very different idea.

They called it
backyards in a box.

Boy: we were making
backyards in a box,

Which means that we
were designing boxes,

And then we were putting
all these different things

For the hurricane
katrina victims.

Levar: they will fill the boxes
with all kinds of stuff

That kids can use in
their rebuilt backyards.

Girl: if I had been affected
by hurricane katrina

And all of a sudden I got
a big, sparkling, cheery box

Filled with toys and things,
and flowers and things,

I'd be really happy.

I'd feel good to know that
there were still people
out there that cared.

Levar: to make
the boxes cheerful,

They decorate each box
with artwork

And a message that the kids
come up with themselves.

Woman: are you guys gonna
write any messages on here?

Yeah, we did.
"Happiness comes
to one in need."

Like, if someone
needs something,

They always keep
their spirit up.

I'm making a roller coaster,

Because sometimes your life
can have ups and downs.

Like, bad things can happen,
which is the downs,

And then something helps
to make it better.

I think that's great.

I think this is
going to be an up.

Are you going to write
a message on there, too?

Yeah.
Yeah.

We're not meeting them
face to face,

But we're meeting them by,
like, what we just wrote.

I think is going to make kids
feel much happier.

Like, we didn't forget about
their worries or problems.

Woman: wonderful!
Well done!

You are such an artist.

Thank you.

Boy: I really like
thinking about the people,

And I like the boxes
that we're making,

Because we're giving something
to the people in new orleans.

And even though
they don't know us,

The box are just,
like, a piece of us.

Levar: now that the boxes
are decorated,

They're ready to be filled.

These boxes
look amazing!

Levar: the items that
will go inside the box

Have all been donated
to the project.

These supplies were acquired
by a special committee of kids

Who thought up the project
and asked for donations.

My name is christina hu,

And I'm calling on behalf
of children for children.

And we're going to
have a project called
backyard in a box.

Boy: I was wondering if
perhaps you would be interested

In donating some goods.

Levar: if they make
plenty of phone calls
and write enough letters,

They'll find a business willing
to donate to their project.

Man on speakerphone:
you guys sound like you're
doing a really great thing.

If you come by later today,
we can help you out, I think.

Thank you.

Kids: thank you!

Woman:
thank you so much.

That's exciting.
Good work.

Levar: after a yes like that,

The kids rush down to the
store to pick up the supplies.

Ok, there's
the garden stuff.

There's
garden stuff.

We went to the hardware store
and picked up gardening tools.

Man: oh, and some of that soil.

They also said they would give
us some things on discount,

So we also bought
some other items.

Perfect.

Looks like they have
some balls and frisbees.

Ok, these are lightweight.

These will be good
for mailing.

Girl: and I was really happy

That they were so generous
to donate those things.

Levar: now that they've
gathered all the donations,

The kids are ready to fill
the decorated boxes.

Woman: and the turtle.

Second woman:
oh, the turtle!

There you go.

Boy: we let them know
that we care,

That there's somebody
out there to help them.

Woman: "dark nights always
lead to a bright dawn."

I love that.

So, your boxes look amazing!

Now what we're
going to do, guys,

Is we're going to come
around assembly line style

And you're going to put one or
two of each item into your box.

Levar: this is where all
their work comes together.

Woman: all right, so you
want a kite for your box?

Levar: they'll package
the much needed supplies
with a lot of love.

Boy: it brings joy to me
to see that me,

Myself and other people
around me,

Are putting a smile
on other people's faces
around the country.

Bubbles and play-doh.

Girl: it might be kind of
confusing for someone, like,

To know that you're giving
something to someone but
not getting something back,

But you actually are getting
something back--

The feeling that
you're helping someone.

I think that's more worth it.

Really, really love
this jump rope.

Boy: volunteering is
a great way to, like,

Make you feel good and the other
person that you're helping,

It's like, you're not only
helping yourself.

You're helping
the whole wide world.

So...

It makes me feel special
to know that I can make
a difference in the world.

I think a lot more of
this should be done because
our world's not perfect.

The more good things you put
into it, the better it'll get.

Often, when we volunteer
on a project,

We don't get the chance to
meet the people that we help,

Especially if they live
far away.

But these days, that's changing
because of technology.

Thanks to video
and the internet,

We can reach across
the globe in a second.

Technology is like a bridge
that connects us to everyone

And makes us aware
of the ways we can help.

Woman: hi, guys. Come on in.
Set up your bed, ok?

Levar: this is the meeting room
at eastview middle school.

Tonight, these kids
are setting up for an
overnight video conference.

Their group is called
global ambassadors.

Girl: global ambassadors,

It's an ambassador program
at eastview.

We do video conferences
with international schools
all around the world,

And we learn about different
cultures from different places.

Levar: their mission is to use
technology to meet people
from other cultures,

Discover new things about them,
and find ways to help.

We're interacting with kids
and not only kids, adults.

And because we're
interacting with them,

We're helping them
and they're helping us.

Put all this stuff
back over here.

Levar: miss kennedy is the
global ambassadors' moderator.

Miss kennedy: in our school,
we have a camera,

And that camera is connecting
through the internet

To another school
that has a camera.

And so, we call each other up
with remote control,

And poof, we're wherever we
called, just like a telephone.

Boy: first we're going
to mexico,

And I'm going to meet
a bunch of people

Who I probably will never meet.

Miss kennedy: they get
really excited about just

Meeting other kids their age
in another country.

They're very curious about them.

They tell us a lot
of different things.

And then I'm like,

"Wow, I actually
talked to, like,

Australia or senegal,"
or something.

Levar: just a few
final adjustments
of the video equipment,

And the kids are face to face
with students in mexico.

Miss kennedy: hi! Guys, wave.

Kids: hi!

It's a little earlier there.

It's 7:30 here and we're
going to be conferencing
all night long.

So, you're our first one.

Girl: we go video conferencing.

Like, there's a screen
and we just talk and
then they can hear us.

It feels like we're there, yeah.

Woman: so, if we can spend
some time talking to you

And have the kids ask
questions back and forth,

That would be really great.

We get to ask them questions
about their culture,

Language, and their school.

Miss kennedy: we have
a question here.

Um, what types of things do you,
like, do on the weekend for fun?

Boy: sometimes
I go to the club.

Woman:
like a sports club.

Girl: whoa,
a sports club.

Girl: when we talk to them,

Like, from kid to kid, it's
like, similar, 'cause, like,

We think the same things
and we do the same things.

There are just little things
that are very different.

On the weekends, we really
like to go shopping.

And buy a lot of toys.

Kids: no!

Kids: yes!

I like to go shopping,
at least.

Miss kennedy:
they're very surprised

At how much they have in common
with other young people.

So much of what other kids
care about:

Music, clothing, you know,

How to you pass your time
on the weekends,

All of those things are,
you know,

The same wherever they go.

Woman: this is
a bilingual school,

And so from the time
when they were 6,

They have one whole year
of english all day,

And they take subjects
in english,

And then they take other
subjects in spanish.

Woman: we'd like to know if any
of the students from mexico

Have a question for any of
the students from white plains.

Boy: how many hours
are you studying spanish?

Uh, 40 minutes a day.

Woman: ok.

Boy: and do you
study every day?

Woman: every day.

It depends on the school that
you go to. Some schools don't--

Girl: I think I learned
a lot from it, like, about
myself and other people.

We would like to talk
to you also a little bit

About a project that we've
been working on: global run.

We partnered up with
a company and we
started running miles.

And for every mile
that we ran,

They gave us a dollar
for charity.

And um, all of the money
we raised was for
a school in kenya.

It meant so much,

Because we were able to connect
to that school in kenya,

And we saw pictures of them and
our students really figured--

Saw how they could make
a difference.

Boy: their roof was--got broken,

And that was their supply
of water.

So, whenever it rained,
that's how they collected water.

So, we raised money
to build them a new roof.

Ok, thank you, 'cause that
would be something we would
be interested in doing also.

We'll talk to people
in other parts of the world.

Girl: not everybody gets
this opportunity to do this.

You don't need a thank you.

We already know we
did something good.

And it's just a good feeling.

It makes you feel good
to know that, like,

We're doing something
good for the world.

I think we're going to go
ahead and cut off here.

Our students are not
spending the night.

But this has been
a wonderful experience

And thank you so much
for including us in this,

And we look forward
to meeting you.

Thank you.

[Cheering and applause]

Levar: after they disconnect
with mexico,

It's time to camp out
in the media room.

We have about 4 hours
until we go to
mozambique, ok?

So, two minutes we're
going to shut the lights.

Turn off the lights.

[Indistinct chatter]

Levar: they will sleep
until 2 a.m.,

When they'll be awakened
for the next conference.

These ambassadors will
be internet globe-hopping
for the rest of the night.

Well, we can't send a box
without these 3 books.

Each one tells a story
of someone who helped out others

Because they knew in their heart
it was the right thing to do.

They're all based on
true-life experiences,

And each show how one
act of kindness can make
a difference in the world.

But you don't have
to take my word for it.

Hi. My name is madison.

I just picked a book out
from my collection called

"Luba: the angel
of bergen-belsen."

It's about a lady named luba

Who finds many children
who are captured

Along with her
during the holocaust.

The holocaust was a time
when many families were captured

And brought to concentration
camps by the nazis.

Luba was a hero because
she saved kids' lives.

She realizes that the kids
haven't eaten in days,

So she goes out
and finds food for them.

Luba inspired me because
she showed me

That she didn't give up,

Even though her husband
and child was captured.

She believed in herself
and saved many other
lives along with her own.

This book is a true story.

All these events happened
in real life.

I think books like this
are important,

Because they teach you
things that happened

Before you were born,

Things that weren't that good
and things that could be good.

I'm madison, and I'm hoping
you'll read the book

"Luba: the angel
of bergen-belsen."

I'm todriana, and I just
read a book called

"The librarian of basra."

This book is about a woman
librarian of basra

Who was in iraq,
and there's a w*r going on.

The librarian was really
worried that her books

Will get destroyed from all
the fighting and all the w*r.

The government said that
she couldn't move her library,

But she refused
and she moved them

And then her library
got b*rned down.

But they still had a library
at her house

And at her friends' houses.

This is a great book, and I am
recommending this book to you.

I'm harrison, and I just
finished "the lady in the box,"

And I think it's a great book.

It's all about a boy
and his sister

That meet a homeless person
on the street.

But their mother does not want
them talking to strangers.

The homeless person, she was
in front of a store

That from the basement
had hot air coming through.

But the storekeeper
got complaints about
her standing in front,

So she got kicked out
of her spot.

And then the two kids came
back with their mother,

And they talked
to the storekeeper,

And the storekeeper
decided that the lady

Could get back her spot
in front of the heater.

I think the kids in
the story are heroes,

Because they helped her and she
felt very good that winter.

If you are looking for
a good book to read,

You should put this one
on your reading list.

Levar: "dear readers,
hope you enjoy these books.

"We're glad that
we could share them.

"Happy reading,

From levar and your friends
at "reading rainbow."

Well, this box is now packed
and ready to ship along
with the others.

And you know what?

I feel great knowing
that soon they'll be on
their way to do some good.

You know, it's just not
possible for one person alone

To fix the world's problems

And take away poverty
and suffering and w*r.

But if enough of us reach out
and help someone else

And change things
just a little bit,

I know we can make
our world a better place.

I'll see you next time.

♪ Take a look, it's in a book ♪

♪ Reading rainbow ♪

♪ I can go anywhere ♪

♪ Friends to know
and ways to grow ♪

♪ Reading rainbow ♪

♪ Reading rainbow ♪

Levar: today's
"reading rainbow" books are

"Boxes for katje"
by candace fleming,

Illustrated by
stacey dressen-mcqueen,

Published by
melanie kroupa books,

Farrar, straus and giroux,
new york.

"Luba" as told to
michelle r. Mccann

By luba tryszynska-frederick.

Illustrated by anne marshall.

Published by tricycle press.

"The lady in the box"
by ann mcgovern,

Illustrated by marni backer,

Published by turtle books.

"Librarian of basra,"

Written and illustrated
by jeanette winter.

Published by
harcourt incorporated.

Hi. I'm levar burton.

In uncertain times,

There's no more effective
way to make your kids
feel good and safe

Than to spend time with them.

We at "reading rainbow" suggest
sharing a book with your family.

Read for fun, read for family,
read for our future.