(WSVN) - By day she’s a middle school student. By night she’s a young entrepreneur who took a bad experience and turned it into something good. 7’s Rebecca Vargas explains why one South Florida girl is now “All Dolled Up.”
At Miami Country Day School, seventh-grader Zoe Terry makes As and Bs and loves theater. She’s also a starter on the school basketball team.
Sarah Wright, teacher, Miami Country Day School: “Zoe is a very self-motivated kid. She is super determined, she works very hard at everything that she does.”
Karen Davis, teacher, Miami Country Day School: “What Zoe has is an innate passion that I think she was both born with and she’s been supported in her home with.”
Crowd: “Hi, Zoe.”
But when Zoe was in kindergarten, things weren’t as great.
Zoe Terry, CEO, Zoe’s Dolls: At that time, I was bullied because of the color of my skin and because my hair was so puffy.”
Zoe figured she could do little about the bullies … but she could help raise the self-esteem of those who were bullied like her.
And so Zoe’s Dolls was born.
Zoe Terry: “I wanted to find a way I can let girls know that they are beautiful and special just the way they are, and I thought dolls in their image would be a good way to show them that.”
At least 20,000 girls in four countries have gotten dolls thanks to Zoe. They have gone to Haiti, and this summer, dolls were given away in Cuba.
Cuban children: “Thank you, Zoe’s Dolls.”
A lot of the dolls are donated, put into boxes placed around Zoe’s school.
More recently, celebrities like Serena Williams have gotten involved, helping Zoe raise money on Instagram.
Zoe appreciates the generous donations which allow her to help more girls.
Zoe Terry: “One girl I gave a doll to, she named her Ms. Cocoa. She had darker skin, and the doll had darker skin like her, so it really, really looked like her, and she was so excited. I remember she gave me the biggest hug, and she was just so happy that she finally got a doll in her image.”
Zoe believes it’s truly better to give than to receive, and giving is what she did when she surprised every single girl at a Miami Gardens private school with her very own doll.
Zoe Terry: “Hi!”
Autumn Heidelerug, student: “It says I’m beautiful and I’m loved.”
Gabriella McIntosh, student: “I feel like it’s me in a box.”
Zoe Terry: “Say ‘I am beautiful.'”
Students: “I am beautiful!”
The holidays are what Zoe calls “doll season,” but she collects and gives dolls away year round.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Zoe’s Dolls:
https://zoesdolls.com/
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