SAN ANTONIO — Most 14-year-olds spend their day riding a bike and playing video games, but not Eliana Wyche. She's the president of her own non-profit, the Save The Planet Association, and she just spearheaded a recycling event held at the Encino Park Community Center.
But her passion for saving lives started years ago.
Eliana Wyche, 14, is working on saving the planet by recycling
"When I was 7, I started a Save the Animal Association for fun because I was really passionate about endangered animals at the time," she said.
But over the next five years her dreams grew, and she took her passion to a whole new level.
"I started Save the Planet Association because I was like why just save animals when you could help the environment they live in?" Wyche said.
"We know that this is her passion and what do parents do? They fuel their kids' passion," said Eliana's parents, who are the acting board of directors for the organization. "She told us what she wanted, started organizing and giving us ideas about the events, and we would just guide her to execute this great event."
Wyche's goal is to collect and find ways to recycle things that aren't as common such as batteries, ink cartridges, light bulbs, and computer parts. Things people normally just throw away.
"They don't know where to go or they don't take the time or they don't have the time," she said.
"She cannot do that on a global scale at this time," her parents added. "But she is taking simple acts, small acts such as taking recyclable items that our community can't recycle in a home bin."