Getting Involved

I've already said that I learn a lot from children.  Such was the case last weekend when our family participated in a charity fundraiser, organized by my nephew, Stephen.

Earlier this year, Stephen attended a meeting where representatives from Free the Children presented the audience with the idea of using your personal gifts, combined with issues you care about to improve the world.  This concept inspired Stephen, who (with a lot of help from his mom) organized Water Walk Utah.  The goal was to raise money to build a well for a village in Kenya so that children who carry water long distances to help take care of their families would, instead, be able to attend school.   Walkers who signed up hoisted whatever water they could carry the distance of a 5k.  Stephen's goal was $5,000.00, the cost of drilling one well.  By the end of the day Stephen had raised over $8,000.00 to contribute to Free the Children, and raised awareness around the issue of educational opportunities for children in another part of the world.

Here in our own country, where education is considered a right protected by law, the issues are different.  Partly because of Stephen, and partly because I've been posting about similar issues lately, I'm more aware of discussions going on around me about education.

At the beginning of the week I was with some other women who were talking about the new documentary Waiting For Superman, which had been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show.  I'm not sure where I've been lately, but I hadn't heard of the documentary before that conversation.  (No offense to Oprah.  I just don't watch a lot of TV.)  I was both intrigued and validated by this conversation; intrigued because of the level of concern surrounding the issue, and validated that I wasn't the only one concerned about the quality of education in our country.

As the week progressed, l began hearing snippets of discussion about President Obama's comments on The Today Show (NBC), also addressing the quality of education in our country.  Through the week various discussions around the issue of educational quality have taken place on NBC's Education Nation.  Regardless of your politics, the need to discuss and be involved in the issue of education isn't new, and clearly continues to capture universal interest.

Below are some additional resources that provide more information about issues facing education, and give ideas for individual action and involvement.  No effort is too small.

• PTA (Parent Teacher Association) is a great connection between schools and parents, and offers a lot of information as well as opportunities for involvement, fundraising, and community outreach.  If your school is not affiliated with PTA, get involved in your school's individual parent-teacher organization.
• NEA (National Education Association) and NEA-parents both offer unlimited resources, ideas connections, and opportunities for involvement for both parents and professionals.
• PIRC (Parent Information Resource Center) offers state by state directories, contacts, and resources available to parents as well as free online learning opportunities and opportunities for discussion.

Could it really be as simple as the idea that inspired Stephen to action?  Start where we are.  Do what we can.  Get involved.  Ask questions.  Think innovatively.  Be informed.  Follow the formula that inspired Stephen:  Your gifts + Your issues = A Better World.