LI boy, 6, aims to help save penguins

Aghelos Kouvaras of Port Washington is only 6, but he's stepping in like a big brother to protect penguins from the bullies of climate change, overfishing and pollution, which have put the waddling seabirds in peril.

After reading about the plight of penguins as he recovered from chemotherapy treatments, the Salem South Elementary School first-grader inspired a fundraising drive for the endangered, flightless birds by participating in the third annual Run for the Wild at the Bronx Zoo this coming Saturday.

Monday, he visited penguins at the zoo and got a chance to feed them and build excitement for the 5-kilometer run this weekend.

Aggie had spent nearly a year receiving treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and it was during that time that his mother, Elizabeth Kouvaras, asked him if he had a wish.

His answer was that he wanted to save the penguins.

"My son has a passion for lots of things and one of them is definitely animals, wildlife," said Elizabeth Kouvaras. "This is his cause. This is something he wanted and something the whole community has helped to bring about. His teachers have been amazing."

First-grade teachers at Salem South helped launch the drive, too.

Team Aghelos has already raised nearly $4,000, which will help the Wildlife Conservation Society monitor oil pollution and commercial fishing. It will also help the group create safeguards to shield nesting areas.

Supporters may contribute to Team Aghelos at wcs.org.