Sixth-Grade Students Receive Special Message From International Education Rights Icon

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A Vernon Hills boy has received a very special message from an international education rights icon, after reaching out to her.

Malala Yousafzai is a Pakistani woman known around the world for her efforts to promote educational opportunities for all, especially girls and young women.

Students at Hawthorn Middle School in Vernon Hills are reading Malala's book, "I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World."

And sixth-grader Jibran, who's family is from the same region of Pakistan as Malala, was so inspired by her that some of his classmates and he sent her a message. She responded with a custom video.

"Thank you so much for your beautiful words and for supporting me and my cause of education," Yousafzai said in the video.

"As you would know there are millions of children in the world who do not have access to education."

Jibran's father, Waqar Bokhary, said he's proud of his son and honored by the video response.

"She obviously is a worldwide figure now and doing so much for kids and to encourage the kids. In the end, it's all about the kids," Bokhary said.