Surrounded by dozens of parents and teachers, the students at Franklin Elementary School attempted to change the purpose of the day’s assembly. Getting wild at the notion of Legoland, a potential reward for Franklin's summer reading program, the children chanted, “Magic! Magic!” But just as quickly as the children demanded it, the stage curtains opened, the headliner appeared, and the show began.
Caine Monroy is a star. At just 8 years old, and with the prospect of a lonesome summer, Caine built a full-sized, playable cardboard arcade on the floor of his father's business. Using only what he could find in his father’s auto parts shop, he constructed miniature soccer and basketball games and more, and used his own toys as prizes. Then, at 9 years old, a short YouTube film featuring Caine’s Arcade went viral, tallying nearly 5 million views. His story has sparked a worldwide movement to invest in the imaginations of children, which Caine also does through a nonprofit he inspired, Imagination Foundation .
In the year between its creation and fame, however, things did not run so smoothly. Caine’s Arcade was located in an industrial area of East Los Angeles; it had low foot traffic, and Caine was unable to get even a single customer. After hearing this, the students at Franklin Elementary School were keen to ask, “Why didn’t you give up?”