You can help him become "Kid of the Year"

Hey Derek- Win or lose You are still number one to us!!! Mom

Derek what I heard on the TV Tuesday Night you should be "The Kid of the Year". Because you let nothing stop you from getting to that finish line. I'm sorry I didn't catch how to vote for you. I'll go WIVB.com & see if they can tell me how. Because if they do; I'll vote for you a few times & I'll get my friends to vote for you too. GOOD LUCK & GOD BLESS DEREK !!!!!!!!!!

You're #1 now!!

win

idon`t know how to vote for you but i would

In order to vote for me go to SIKIDS.com . Click on the advertisement on the left side (SKOTY headline and then click on VOTE now). Click on Derek's name and then scroll down and hit sumbit.
Vote 24 hours a day as much as you would like.
Thank you

Hello to all. As some of you may or may not be aware, our son Derek (who is almost 8 years old) has been dealing with an undiagnosed muscle disorder for the last year or so. The disorder is similar to Muscular Dystrophy, but every test that Derek has taken has come back negative (That’s not a bad thing though). Through all of this, Derek has had many doctor visits, blood tests, medical tests, countless hours of PT, and many hours spent at Children's Hospital in Buffalo.
Recently, we entered Derek in the Sports Illustrated Kid of the Year contest. On Friday, we were notified he was one of 10 finalists out of 5500 nationwide applicants. This is a great honor and we are real proud of him. The contest involved writing about how Derek succeeds in school, community service and athletics. Derek has always done well in school and has continued to do well in sports. Derek played Amherst Hockey (House and Select), Clarence Baseball (House, 8U Travel, and also made the Minor League all-star team), is the leading scorer on his Clarence House Soccer team and participates in the Greater Buffalo Gymnastics organization.
Derek also has done well in helping others in the community. In April, he won the Bank of Akron essay contest entitled “What I Would do with a Million Dollars”. Derek’s essay detailed a number of projects he would do including; putting on a magic show for kids at Woman & Children’s hospital, provide books for Buffalo schools that desperately need them and help out the elephants at the Buffalo Zoo, especially Buki, a 50-year old Asian elephant that Derek has a special kinship with.
Derek used his prize winnings from the contest,(interest on a Million Dollars for one day – Approximately $64), along with the help of the Bank of Akron and David Adams Card World, to make his essay come to life. Derek was able to put on a magic show at the Hospital and pass out Web Kinz that he purchased with his prize money and Beanie Babies donated from David Adams Card World. Derek also helped with a book drive at Harris Hill Elementary that benefited a Buffalo School by organizing, loading and delivering books to the Buffalo School. To help the elephants at the zoo, Derek purchased food items such as bread, cereal and watermelons as a welcome home gift for the elephants that had just returned home from the Columbus Zoo in Ohio.
The SI Kid of the year contest is an internet voting contest. The voting opens Monday, September 15, 2008, and you can vote as many times as you would like. Starting Monday, when you log on to SIkids.com , Derek's picture and story will be on the website. The voting goes from Monday to Monday and the top 6 vote getters move on to the following week. The next week it goes to 4 and the next it goes to the top 2. The winner will get their picture on the cover of SI Kids Magazine, and be flown to NYC for a photo shoot. An SI crew will be coming to Buffalo to interview Derek’s teachers, Principal, coaches and sports organization. The more he advances, the more national attention Clarence, Amherst and the Western New York community will get.
We will email out updates as we go through the voting process and certainly thank everyone for their time and votes. Attached to this email is a flier that we will be passing out at various community events and businesses.
PLEASE feel free to email this to any of your friends, family and/or co-workers. As his highly paid campaign manager says (His 5 year old brother Sean), every vote counts!!!!
Jonathan and Tricia

http://www.sikids.com/sportskid/index.html

click on Derek Andrews and scroll to the bottom to hit submit...please vote!!

We're trying to get as many people as possible to get online and vote. You are already a winner, but this would be a great tribute to a great little guy.
Go Derek!

Annie wrote:

Derek what I heard on the TV Tuesday Night you should be "The Kid of the Year". Because you let nothing stop you from getting to that finish line. I'm sorry I didn't catch how to vote for you. I'll go WIVB.com & see if they can tell me how. Because if they do; I'll vote for you a few times & I'll get my friends to vote for you too. GOOD LUCK & GOD BLESS DEREK !!!!!!!!!!

There is a link right under the article that will take you to the page to vote. I voted for him and I hope others will support Derek also.

Lets keep this kid #1 Vote and Vote now

just placed my vote

GO DEREK!

I voted!!! Godd Luck Derek!!!

Derek, You did an awesome job on you interview with Channel 4. Cute too! I can see that your parents are very proud of you, as they should be. You are a very talented & intelligent young man and I wish you all the best of luck. Win or lose you are still #1 in my book. I see your little brother is a big fan too.I have voted and I'm telling everyone I know to VOTE FOR DEREK ANDREWS AS SPORTS ILLUSTRATED KID OF THE YEAR !!!

Derek, I think you are doing a wonderful job!!! Keep up the good work!! In my book you are # 1 either way.Yes i did vote for you!!Good Luck!!

Derek, you should be very proud of yourself no matter what the outcome is.Never give up,your #1 in our house.We just voted for you and we all wish you the best of luck. Will be watching.Your parents and little brother must be very proud of you.

I forwarded the email to family and friends all over asking them to vote for you. Make sure people realize they can vote more than once. We are all rooting for you!!

Derrick..you are an inspiration to every young person out there, who may feel that they are too young to accomplish anything. You have proven that you are a leader with heart and soul. I pray that you will succeed in winning Sports Illustrated Kid of the Year, but if by some chance you don't...DO NOT get discouraged..some of the finest people in the world overcame great disappointments to go on and accomplish their dreams. Think big Derrick, because that is the size of your heart! I am rooting for you, along with the rest of Western N.Y.

Thanks to everyone who is voting for me and writing nice things about me.
Thanks again and keep voting
Derek Andrews

I'll vote for you, as many times as I want !! I'll make SURE you stay in first place !!! Don't you worry !!!! signed, your friend