What One Kid Can Do...

Well,  today has been one of those days at my house!   We started out the day with one child having an allergic reaction to a bug bite, and ended it with a flat tire on the way to a school concert. If I had list of favorite days, today probably wouldn't make the cut! 

In the middle of the whirlwind, though, I spent some time at my kids' school reviewing the  service projects of some pretty amazing sixth grade students.  Each student spends 30 or more hours on a project of their own design, serving in a way that they consider to be important.  I agreed to take on this endeavor five years ago.  When I first approached various charities, looking for things that an 11-12 year old kid could do to make a difference, I met a lot of skepticism.  I heard a lot of talk about minimum volunteer ages, liability, and other obstacles that seemed nearly impossible to overcome.  As I look back over that road, it is hard for me to believe what these kids have accomplished since those first discouraging days.  This year the group of 53 sixth graders and 5 honors ninth grade students has completed over 2800 hours of self-directed service.  I thought I'd leave you with a list of some of the little miracles I have witnessed over the last five years.

What one kid can do:

One kid can fill a truck with clothes and supplies to send to families on a Hopi Reservation.
One kid can make enough dog treats to pay for the training of a police dog. (The dog is famous now.  You can find him here: http://www.wvc-ut.gov/index.aspx?NID=1137 )
One kid can make six dolls and 23 doll hospital gowns for doctors and nurses to use in communicating with kids about procedures at the children's hospital.
One kid can sell enough handmade earrings to raise over $800 for the local Women's Shelter.
One kid can earn enough money to support the education of a child in Guatemala for a year.
One kid can gather over 200 books for kids in homeless shelters to take with them as they move into more permanent housing.
One kid can develop a club to help younger girls develop self esteem and positive social skills.
One kid can knit and sell enough hats to provide an entire Christmas for a family of five whose parents were both stricken with cancer.
One kid can clean the grafitti from neighborhood parks and fences.
One kid can perform much needed yard work while reminiscing with a local veteran.
One kid can gather over 140 pairs of shoes to be sent to Haiti.
One kid can volunteer for the Dyslexia Center of Utah because she has struggled with dyslexia herself and knows how important it is.
One kid can  gather used sports equipment to be sent to kids in South America.
One kid can sew pillowcases for  25 children with cancer.
One kid can  begin a robotics program to teach engineering skills to kids whose parents have been incarcerated.

 It was not many days ago that I last heard someone comment on how the next generation has a sense of entitlement and no work ethic.  For some kids, that may be true.  Mixed in among the masses, though, are some incredible kids who are changing the world one little problem at a time.  It is a privilege for me to have the opportunity of standing at the sidelines and cheering them on. I'm still waiting for one of them to offer to change my tire for me, but in the meantime I am grateful to know that where it really counts,  one kid can change the world.

-Debs