A nine-year-old guitar player from Sioux Falls is making an impact on the other side of the world.

Cooper Zell won $30 dollars after finishing first in a music contest through the national Childbloom Guitar Program. Zell took that money and is donating it to kids in Ethiopia.

A happy, smiling child who loves music and is a joy to be around. That’s how Cooper’s family and guitar instructor describe him.

“Some of them can be challenging but some of them can be really fun like some of them are blues music,” Cooper said.

Cooper has been playing classical guitar for three years and recently won a contest for his take on “What Child Is this.”

“I was really happy about that. That was one of the first contests that I’ve got a really big honor of having a letter from Kevin Taylor,” Cooper said.

Taylor founded the Childbloom program. This is a photo of Cooper with the letter and a $30 check.

“I think I would have bought $30 worth of candy bars if that would have been me at that age,” Cooper’s local instructor Geoff Gunderson said.

Gunderson says his student had other ideas.

“He’s a special kid for sure,” Gunderson said.

“He said he’d feel like a jerk if he spent the money on himself,” Rob said.

Cooper’s dad Rob says not only did his son donate the money, he gave it to a group building a high school in the country where he was born.

“He has a heart for helping others. He does think of others before himself,” Rob said.

As you can see here, Cooper’s story is now on a plaque that will go on the wall of the new school.

“I feel really proud of that. It was really cool to see that picture of it,” Cooper said.

“Some day when I get older my mom and dad and I are going to go there sometime,” Cooper said.

In the meantime, he’s going to keep playing and making a difference in the lives of others.

“You can do really great things when you keep on trying,” Cooper said.

On top of guitar, Cooper also plays the piano and loves to sing.