It’s true that young people from America, Canada and the rest of the world have done some incredible things while they were babyfaced. Just ask Max Stevens, a man who wants these people to be remembered forever.
And, he wants these accomplishments to be forever celebrated in Plant City.
Along with co-founder Joyce Punt, Stevens has acted upon roughly a decade’s worth of ideas and begun the process of making the World Youth Hall of Fame into an actual place. The founders want children and teenagers from all over to come to the museum for some education and inspiration.
“The youth have an incredible peer group, and they’ve achieved greatness in every area you can think of,” Stevens said.
From the biggest names of the past, such as Annie Oakley and Shirley Temple, to present-day favorites, such as Justin Bieber and Mark Zuckerberg, the World Youth Hall of Fame wants to honor every youth who did something great. To meet its ideas, Stevens and Punt have created an IndieGoGo page with the goal of reaching $950,000 by July 15.
If the goal is not reached, Stevens said, everyone will get their money back.
Part of the cost would cover the remodeling process. The building Stevens has chosen, an old truck stop, is in need of some landscaping, miscellaneous work and a new roof.
Depending on how much money a person donates, he or she will be eligible for several perks: a custom-engraved brick in the museum’s Walk of Honor and engraved benches, and spots in the Wall and Patio of Honor.
The rest would go to the museum’s exhibits and upkeep.
Stevens chose the old truck stop on Highway 39, north of Interstate 4, for its close proximity to and visibility form the highway.
“On I-4, 10,000 people an hour go down that road,” Stevens said. “Many of them are tourists going between Disney and Busch Gardens. All you really need to do is put to logo out there, and you’re gonna have all the business you need to make it viable.”
He’s raised $1,100 since the IndieGoGo page was created in April, and he knows there’s a long way to go. But for the sake of the youths, he’s willing to try and reach the goal.
Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com.
TIME FOR CHANGE
Want to hold a world record?
If so, then supporting the World Youth Hall of Fame is a good idea. The museum will feature the world’s largest collection of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters, which is expected to value $150,000.
“All kids relate to saving change in piggy banks,” Max Stevens said. “I suppose I could say this is the world’s largest piggy bank, but I didn’t want to leave out the teenagers who don’t call them piggy banks.”
Stevens’ goal is for kids to come in and drop money in the container. Whoever gives money will automatically hold the new world record, get a certificate and have a more self-confidence.
“When kids and people are in there, many will go, ‘Yeah, they were geniuses, I could never do that,’” Stevens says. “But they could walk over to the center, put a coin in and hold the world record.”
THE DETAILS
For more information about the World Youth Hall of Fame, visit WorldYouthHallOfFame.org. To donate to the IndieGoGo campaign, visit indiegogo.com/projects/the-world-youth-hall-of-fame–2.