Will’s Story

Will is the kid that can! His message is simple yet powerful:

Think it. Live it.™

Great things are possible if you believe! 

Will was “born” when Margot Rutledge was looking for a way to communicate a message of hope to kids. In 2004, Margot founded KidsWin to build self-efficacy and resilience in children and teens and to promote strong, positive, nurturing relationships between adults and children. She wanted to create a slogan that captured the essence of KidsWin and the S.T.A.R. Teens program; something such as Nike’s “Just do it.”

Again and again, she tried to think of what that would be: “If you can think it, you can have it,” “We become what we think about”. All were too long and certainly would not make a good slogan. One day, when she was driving home with her son Luke (14 at the time), she asked him for his opinion.

He paused for no longer than three seconds and said, “Think it, Live it!” Margot was astonished, not only because her son was able to come up with a slogan that absolutely captures the message, but that he understood what KidsWin is all about. He got it! He had a look on his face that said. “This is so obvious,” and he said, “Mom, if you have a big goal and you can see it in your mind; if you believe you can do it and set goals and work hard, you can have what you see in your mind.” Wow!

We wanted to create a character to spread the word and we wanted this to be for kids, created by kids; so we asked a friend of Luke’s, (Will H.) an exceptionally talented artist, for some ideas. On October 5, 2008, Will was born. His mission is to spread the word to kids that great things are possible for them if they believe.