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In January of 2018, Palmer Trinity School senior Megan Keller and two friends began a non-profit called One Change Bracelets. All proceeds from the non-profit go to Melanoma Cancer Research. Since inception, they have raised over $90,000.
They started the non-profit because Attie Crews’ mom had been diagnosed with Melanoma.
“Since Melanoma is one of the few preventable cancers, we thought we should educate people in order to reduce the incidence rate,” she says.
They created two kinds of bracelets. One is a regular cord bracelet made of string with a bead that changes color in the sun. The girls also partnered with Keller’s sister’s non-profit to make Rafiki Change bracelets. A portion of the Rafiki bracelet proceeds go to One Change Bracelets and the rest fund school supplies for students in Tanzania.
“We don’t sell them at school but attend fundraisers and 5 Ks,” she says. “And we have them in several dermatologists’ offices.”
The bracelets are available in some retail stores in Miami and some shops in North Carolina. They are also available online at onechangebracelets.org.
“We make them all ourselves,” she says. “We get the beads and supplies online. The beads change colors when they get hit by UV rays. It acts as a physical reminder to put on sunscreen.”
They try to make 200 bracelets each over the summer. They work on bracelets throughout the school year when they have time, but they are usually busy with school and other activities. All of the bracelets are mounted on cards which have information about One Change Bracelets and melanoma.
Her community service outside of One Change Bracelets includes working as co-chair for volunteer coordination for the St. Thomas 5 K Fun Run which benefits financial aid there and programming at Breakthrough Miami.
Keller plays two sports at Palmer Trinity – varsity softball and varsity volleyball. The volleyball season went to district playoffs in October. Players had to wear masks and practice social distancing as much as possible.
She hopes they will be able to play softball this year. Last year’s season was abruptly cancelled after just a few games. Keller plays shortstop. She did so well in tenth grade that she was named to the All-Conference First Team.
Keller is in the Alumni Association Club which organizes alumni activities. She’s also in the National Honor Society and the Simply Smiles Club, which is for students who volunteered at the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation over the summer. She went in 2019.
“It was super eye opening. I didn’t realize the conditions people lived in on the reservation,” she says. “They often don’t have access to running water, and there is an unusually high rate of suicide and substance abuse. The closest hospital is more than a three-hour drive away.”
For a week, they put on a summer camp for the children on the reservation.
“The kids were so nice. They were so happy all the time, and smiling,” she says. “From 9-3 we would play with the kids, do activities with them, play dodgeball, play on the swing set.
Trying to take their minds off their lives at home. In the evenings, the volunteers were responsible for meals, cleaning, and reflecting on the events of the day and planning for the next day.”
Keller is considering a business or psychology major. Her applications include the University of Michigan, Elon University, University of Virginia, Furman University, Duke University, University of Richmond, University of Florida, University of Miami, Florida State University, UNC Chapel Hill, and Sewanee.
Linda Rodriguez Bernfeld
