Kenzie Hall, 17, is a senior with Venture Online Academy who has started Brat Pack 11, a non-profit organization that grants wishes to military children of wounded and fallen soldiers.
She began the program six years ago, at age 11, when her father, who is in the U.S. Army, deployed to Afghanistan. A fellow soldier of her father, Captain Rob Yllescas, was mortally wounded by an IED, and Kenzie wanted to do something nice for the two small children, Julia and Eva, he left behind. So, she did some fundraising and sent them to Disneyland. Kenzie recalled, “I saw how happy Disneyland made them and I wanted to do it for other kids.”
So, she began BP11, a 501c3 charity that gratefully accepts donations. In the past six years, Kenzie estimates she’s raised $60,000. She hopes to continue the work the rest of her life. To assist her, she’s assembled a team of volunteers.
Recent wishes granted include arranging an audition on The Voice for aspiring singer Alyssa Sheridan, which aired September 21st. Wanting to do something additional for Julia and Eva, she also arranged for them to attend a Taylor Swift concert and meet the performer, and for them to watch a taping of the television program Girl Meets World. Kenzie said, “I spoke to their mom, and she said they were obsessed with the show. We were able to arrange for them to meet the cast.”
Kenzie lives in Temecula. Like her younger sister, she is pursuing an acting career. She chose Venture Online Academy this year after her younger sister, Madison, tried the program and had success with it. She said, “I was looking for a good homeschool program because going to public school and running a charity is a challenge.”
