On a leafy sidewalk in East Mount Airy, the youngest political enthusiasts gathered Sunday morning. These committed grade-school children, though too young to vote, organized their second "Kookies for Kamala" bake sale at the corner of Durham and Crittenden Streets. In just three hours, they raised an impressive $2,031 to support Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign against former President Donald Trump.

For $1 a cookie and $2 a bag, all proceeds were collected as donations, which parents assured would be directed towards Harris’ campaign. The bake sale followed a successful first event two weeks ago that raised $680.

“The energy, the hope that’s in the air right now, it’s just contagious,” said Raissa Schickel, who conceived the idea along with her 8-year-old daughter, Kaia, and her partner, Lauren Silver. Schickel explained their motivation: “We really wanted the kids to feel that.”

Kaia, a rising third-grader, was all smiles as she and her neighborhood friends eagerly sold cookies, which they had baked fresh that morning. “What gets me excited is that [Harris] will support equality,” Kaia shared during a brief break. “She’ll help women have more rights.”

The children, buzzing with enthusiasm, scurried between fold-up tables laden with chocolate chip and sugar cookies. Others sat on the grass, creating colorful signs adorned with the Democratic nominee’s name, playfully using a “K” instead of a “C” for their “Kookies” sale.

Parker, a sixth grader and aspiring artist, proudly displayed a hand-drawn Kamala Harris sign at Sunday’s event. Reflecting on the cause, Parker expressed hope, saying, “I believe in [Harris]. I believe she’s gonna do the right thing.”

Lauren Silver, Kaia’s mom, noted the growing interest in the bake sale after the first event, with word spreading quickly through group texts and social media. “Of course the adults are helping with it all,” Silver said, “but we definitely want to center kids, and create a space where they can be active and contribute their own passions and energy to something good.”

The community spirit was palpable, with residents like Lucretia Browning, a long-time neighborhood member, deeply moved by the children’s involvement. “They just want a better world,” Browning said, tears in her eyes as she waited to purchase cookies.

While the start of the school year may pause further sales, the impact of these young activists is already evident.