It's an old saw: "Children are our future." Like most cliches, it's also true. I don't envy them the job. Being "the future" is a pretty weighty responsibility.
Recently, when I had a chance to trade ideas with schoolteachers, I asked them what their students are doing to prepare for the job.First, we talked about how social service issues affect children. Things like understanding and caring about children with disabilities or who are from low-income families. The teachers agreed that compassion is a great quality to instill in youth.
And that flipped the whole conversation. You see, children in the classroom can have an amazing effect on social service issues.
I decided to do a little research to see exactly what Utah's schoolchildren are doing to prepare for the future. What I found was heartwarming and impressive. A large number of our youths, from elementary school to high school, are initiating programs that are seriously improving life in our community.
There are hundreds of examples of recent efforts. Here's a sampling - and, believe me, it's a small sampling:
- Students at Rose Park Elementary School have raised money to help build a school library and install a heating system in a "sister" school in Mexico.
- Students at South Jordan Middle School jumped rope to raise money for the American Heart Association.
- The children at West Clinton Elementary School recycled aluminum cans to benefit victims of the San Francisco earthquake.
- When tiny Megan Corless needed a liver transplant, students at Albion Middle School were among those who jumped in to raise money. The students raised almost $4,000 through a read-a-thon. (Megan died before the transplant could be performed.)
- Primary Children's Hospital received more than $500 from M. Lynn Bennion Elementary.
- Seven students at Jackson Elementary School were invited to the White House for their volunteer efforts. The students fought in the Legislature to get a toxic waste site cleaned up and raised money for the cleanup fund. And they've done other things like plant trees in their Rose Park neighborhood.
- Several schools, including Judge Memorial High School, Nibley Park Elementary and Woodstock Elementary, have held fund-raisers to earn money to purchase equipment like computers and help with operating costs.
- Alta High School's basketball team went for a longest-game record to raise money for the Utah Chapter for the Prevention of Child Abuse.
We've all seen stories about kids helping out: collecting pennies for charity, gathering blankets, selling candy, whole classes adopting needy kids as a Christmas project.
Some of the projects involve real, personal interaction with people who are needy. I've heard of local chess club members visiting nursing homes and challenging the residents, who are often lonely and bored.
Hospitals have long relied on a volunteer "Candy-stripe" force for tasks like delivering mail and reading to patients or just visiting.
I'll always remember four kids who lived near me when I first moved to Salt Lake City. I was on crutches; they showed up every time it snowed and shoveled my walk. They never asked for money. And I soon realized that I wasn't the only one getting their attention and help. They shoveled the walks for several of the elderly people on my block.
My personal favorite is the story of Tannin Fuja. At the age of 13, the young singer-musician decided that the piano he had to play when he performed at the Provo City Center wasn't very good. So he started setting up benefits to raise money. When he was through, he'd earned his Eagle Scout badge and enough money to buy a $4,500 black lacquer baby grand piano to give to the Provo center.
Church groups have a lot of projects, too. And I'm happy to report that neither the schools nor the churches limit themselves to helping out during the holidays.
I love what young people can accomplish. When I hear someone say it's a shame all that energy is wasted on the very young, I chuckle. Because if you can capture their interest and spark their enthusiasm, there's not much that energy can't accomplish.
Maybe it's because they're naive. The younger they are, the less they know about limitations. So when they start a project, they don't stop when they decide that's all that can be expected of them.
People talk about "from the mouths of babes."
I'm more interested in the gifts that come from the hearts of babes.