ABOVE: Natalie Flaherty reads the Highlights magazine article, “Standing with Anne: Natalie Flaherty honors Anne Frank’s legacy by spreading kindness” by Sara Matson, sitting beside a sapling from Anne Frank’s white horse chestnut tree on Thursday afternoon at the Fairmont High School.

FAIRMONT — Natalie Flaherty’s work to end hatred and spread kindness has earned her a Gallant Kids feature in the June 2026 and special 80th birthday edition of the award-winning national children’s magazine, Highlights.

“It’s exciting,” Flaherty, a seventh grader at Fairmont High School, said. “I’ve read [Highlights] since I was 5.”

Since 1946, Highlights has delivered monthly magazines to children ages 0 to 12, each edition a blend of educational games and stories tailored to different age groups. The Gallant Kids section shines a light on children making a positive change in their communities.

The article featuring Flaherty, “Standing with Anne: Natalie Flaherty honors Anne Frank’s legacy by spreading kindness” by Sara Matson, recounts Flaherty’s work, including her interest in Anne Frank’s story, the “I Stand with Anne, Put A Stop to Hate” message, bracelet distributions, the Kindness Club and more efforts by Flaherty to promote kindness.

“It means that people are listening, and to be in something like Highlights, really shows that they want to show how important it is,” said Flaherty’s mother, Becky Flohrs.

Flaherty and Flohrs recalled being contacted by a Highlights editor approximately one year ago, when Flaherty won a Youth Service America Everyday Young Hero Award and celebrated the Anne Frank tree sapling planting at Fairmont High School. Flaherty and Flohrs said that Highlights was interested in Flaherty’s original story, and how her inspiration of Anne Frank’s story and dream for a kind world blossomed into so much more.

Flaherty shared that the interview went very well. She said Matson was very kind, invested and encouraged her to keep going.

Now that the magazine is fresh off the press and reaching many mailboxes, Flaherty and Flohrs are grateful for the publicity and hope the youth readership will rally for more kindness.

“It makes me feel…accomplished and grateful knowing people actually want to stand and put a stop to hate. They’re listening,” Flaherty said. “I want people to know, no matter what age, they can stand up to hate and stop it. They just have to be brave enough to care.”

Flaherty and Flohrs are happy to see more people interested and supportive of Flaherty’s mission.

“What we’ve heard is that people are super excited, and think they are surprised because it’s such a well-known magazine. I mean, everybody had Highlights as a kid, right? We were all doing Where’s Waldo? So, I think some people are just like, ‘wow, it’s shocking we have a small town kid who’s kind of hit a big publication.'”

In addition, a partnership has formed between The Anne Frank Center USA and Highlights, offering the opportunity to wear the “I Stand with Anne, Put A Stop to Hate” message with exclusive shirts for sale on annefrank.com., raising funds for its educational programs and tree project.

“I think it’s cool to see the big organizations working together. That they’re being brought together by my kid. I thought that was just one of the coolest things,” Flohrs commented.

The two reflected on the accomplishments of the past three years, including having theAnne Frank white horse chestnut tree sapling planted in Fairmont, which they said has been very emotional.

“I think having that little piece of her so close by is very emotionally empowering in many ways,” Flohrs shared.

When asked what’s in store in the future, Flaherty said she’s committed to the cause, and committed she’ll stay.

“We don’t plan on stopping anytime soon,” Flaherty declared. “I’m fighting for inclusion within everybody and to make sure everybody feels safe and supported. No matter who they are, they just need to be brave enough to care.”

Flaherty said people can advocate for her mission by choosing kindness in everyday actions, including standing up for others and making them feel included.