On his way out of yet another seemingly job interview Sam Witwicky vents his frustration with his situation under his breath. Talking to his interviewer (John Malkovich), but more to himself he says, "Look Mister, I've saved your life twice. I can't tell you when, and I can't tell you how but I've done shit that matters in this world and I'd just like to do something again that matters."
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Without sounding ridiculous (which kind of went out the window when I used a Michael Bay film to make a philosophical point) I think that in a lot of ways Sam summed up a big issue with kids my age. On a whole, we have this desire to do something that matters in this world. Definitions on what that means will vary depending on who you ask.
I have a friend who currently lives in Uganda working with Sseko Designs, an organization that helps Ugandan women by employing them to make handmade sandals and helping to restore famine and war-torn communities.
I have a co-worker who wants to work with an organization called WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms). They partner willful workers with organic farmers and help spread a more sustainable way of living on an international scale.
My girlfriend Reina has her own non-profit business, R. Couture, that makes handmade hair accessories and sends all of the proceeds directly to the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals in order to help gap the bridge between need and capability.
I could repeat stories like this again and again.
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For myself, I switched majors to become a teacher in order to help combat the slip in American academics and prepare our youth (more or less our future) to be more productive and capable themselves, and on the global scale. But with this comes an issue that plaques a great many of us. It seems that our older generations do not see the potential that we have.
Some of that, in all honesty, we as a generation come by honestly. We've had our "not so great" moments in history. Times in which we have truly let down our past generations and have given reason for doubt. But I refuse to believe, or allow other people to believe that those few examples completely define our generation when there is so much good being done by us, and so much more potential.
I could go on to say that my parents generation has seen themselves accomplish so much and wonder at how we could simple match or do better than they but... I'll just leave it at that.
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But it seems that I have.
It seems that the Y is testing a pilot program based on research by Gonzaga University funded by Priority Spokane in order to try and stem the ever-rising drop-out rate here in Spokane.
The goal is to help as many as 30 at-risk Freshmen get their grades up and lay the groundwork for them to stay in school and graduate on time. It's a combination curriculum from YMCAEarth and the research advice from Priority Spokane that integrates an hour of academic help and advising with an hour and a half of recreational time in which it is our goal to create a family unit. The whole process is to help enable to students to take things into their own hands with the accountability aid and support of their new-found family unit.
I can't wait for it to start this week and I really hope that in some way this helps me do something that truly matters. It isn't about helping every student that comes to us, although that would be the dream. My hope is that I can truly affect just one student for the better. That's all I can ask and all I hope for.
Wish me luck and take a look around you to see what kids my age are doing for the better. We just might surprise you...
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