HIGH-ACHIEVING
10 Washington FAMILY DECEMBER 2021
These youth
dedicate their
time and
energy to
causes they
care about.

BY ELEANOR LINAFELT
LONDON NAVARRO



MILES WORCESTER
W e tend to underestimate what kids
are capable of, but three impressive
young people prove us wrong. Addy
Barrett, the founder of Gorilla Heroes; Miles
Worcester, a lifelong volunteer with Wreaths
Across America; and London Navarro, a three-
time Brazilian jiu jitsu world champion, show
how it’s possible to be successful in whatever
you commit yourself to—and simultaneously
inspire others—even before you get to
high school.

PHOTOS PROVIDED
HELPING ENDANGERED
GORILLAS ADDY
BARRETT When Addy Barrett was in first grade, she
learned from a book that less than 1,000
gorillas exist in the world. Addy took it upon
herself to do something about it. Ever since,
the 13-year-old from Germantown, Maryland,
has been raising awareness for endangered
gorillas, hosting fundraisers and engaging
kids in environmental issues through her
organization Gorilla Heroes.

“Kids are the future, and they’re going to
need to fix a lot of the damage that has already
been done to the planet,” Addy says. “The
earlier that they can start educating themselves
and know what’s going on the world, the better
it will be in the future.”
Some of the initiatives Addy has spearheaded
with Gorilla Heroes include a fun and
educational fundraising annual event called
WashingtonFAMILY.com 11