When we all reach out to each other, we become stronger individually and as a community. However, when can a love for reaching out to others start? When can a sense of community begin? I believe it can occur early in childhood because children are brilliant. They have vast imaginations and the ability to absorb concepts as basic as sharing.
Kids, for example, can learn to share a piece of their cookie at a young age, so the seeds of sharing can be planted very early in life. Later on, when kids are introduced to community service – which involves reaching out and sharing with others – more than likely they already have a familiar sense about it.
My favorite project, for instance, is origami, which is the art of paper folding. It is often associated with Japanese culture. Origami is a lot of fun and a straightforward skill to learn. I want to share this skill with other kids to help spark their creativity. I am putting together a week of activities to show kids at my school how to do this by talking about the history of origami and making videos about it. I want to make a positive impact with such a simple action.
Sharing our interests and helping others is a major part of community service. With a little help from parents and/or other people, a lot of good can come from working together. I might not be the best at origami but I want to share my love for it to educate others.
By Jordan Tejeda, Contributing Correspondent, Rising 10th grader at Notre Dame High School
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