RIPON - Ripon High senior, Emily Lewis, has made her first big step at improving the world for children – one stuffed animal at a time through a birthday wish.Lewis was intent on taking part in her fourth leadership conference next May, but she needed a minimum of 100 hours of community service to be eligible to take part in the event.A member of the leadership team at her high school, she had established a network with the friends she had made at the seminars she had already attended. It was that network that would help her achieve the 1,000 stuffed animal goal she had set for herself.Lewis set up a Facebook page entitled, “Emily’s 18 th Birthday Wish,” which asked that friends send her at least one stuffed animal sometime during her birthday month of September. By the end of August she had already received more than 25 cuddly dogs, cats, bears and even a Ripon High football player complete with a red jersey and helmet.The RHS senior said fellow students at her school and teachers alike have been joining in her drive that she hopes will make a difference for children who have found themselves in a crisis mode.The leadership students from other high school represent campuses from Elk Grove to Los Gatos.