Of the People, By the People, For the People

THE LOGIC FOR STARTING YOUNG

As adults, long-lasting solutions elude us, and we ultimately disappoint our children. Ironically, those who can help are the smallest among us. The youngest have the purest vision, which we, in part, promote. Children adjust the adult lens toward purity of vision for the world.

The problem solving we attempt as adults, without the inclusion of our children, is flawed. If we are to change direction toward infectious solution-making, humility will be needed for us to see through their lens, believe in the simplicity of their logic, and endorse the significance of their presence. If we work with our youth, listening to them for guidance, contributing the organizational skills we possess as adults, we can create a legacy of which we can be proud.

Children are capable of more than we allow. They are eager for inclusion in real-life activities, and they constitute a large segment of our population. Because we know that habits are formed early in life, we begin reading to children when they are very young. The area of service and community involvement can be approached in the same way to unlock hidden potential for our children to grow not only in understanding of problems and solutions, but also to develop interest in lifelong engagement in community service.

Thirteen years of K-12 education is long—especially from the perspective of youth. Test scores and grades are a superficial status check on the growth and well-being of our youth. The framework of their education, defined by previous generations—without the inclusion of their perspective or voice—remains firmly fixed as they grow into awareness of the constantly changing world in which they live; a world in which they have, as yet, no inclusion.

During the last phase of their school experience, a significant number of young Americans make the decision to rebel and drop out of high school. The concern for this phenomenon has caused educators across the country to devise programs to keep these young adults engaged in their final years of schooling, but we are beginning too late in the process to address this issue. Something more fundamental is missing.

A K-12 national service learning model brings contrast and balance to the existing educational framework. If we begin at the beginning, in kindergarten, adding a critical missing ingredient during this highly formative period of growth, the end result is altered; as in the presence of a catalyst, outcomes shift.

Perhaps high school dropout issues would fade away under the positive influence of real-life engagements, further supported by community programs that mentor our youth. Perhaps students would look forward to the passage of leadership roles in their schools and in their communities. Perhaps they would feel better about the time they spend in school and the opportunity to contribute, to make a difference. Perhaps their K-12 service journals would become a record of living history—of their personal contributions and value in the world; one of the more meaningful records of their schooling that they will keep and even pass on to the next generation. Perhaps they would take pride in accomplishments that surpass the efforts of their elders. Perhaps world tensions would begin to melt as youth follow the lead of project originators to support their peers in developing areas of the world. Perhaps habits of disregard for the environment would shift to truly sustainable processes.

When a service learning project originator spoke to a district-wide gathering of third graders in 2006, he referred to them as the class of 2016. Bringing this vantage point to the awareness of our youth strengthens purpose and identity. It also reminds us, as adults, of who they are, and who they will be.

Americans have been innovative pioneers from the beginning. Instead of continuing to apply the same standard measures of accomplishment that are not capturing the inspired interest of our youth, if we were to open the scope of education to involve them in real-life work with us, we might discover powerful gifts they have to bring to our world that exceed our ability to anticipate the outcomes.

A COMMON HERITAGE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

Our nation is founded upon freedom and equality, a nation created by its citizens. Incorporating an experiential civic education curriculum for our youth that fosters the concept “of the people, by the people, and for the people” exemplifies our foundational concepts.

Of the average person, of the specialized expert, of the child—and perhaps a convergence of these as the suggestion of an expert is carried out by the average citizen. As we come together in work, we will create solutions; solutions that are of clear value in the community, nationally, and in outreach to others in need worldwide. We can come together with the support of our common humanity, focused through the lens of our children, with the aid of technology. A national point of dissemination would facilitate communication and renew inspiration for a government that works for, and with, the people; encouraging its people to suggest, create, and refine solutions, without control measures that would inhibit best outcomes.

As we come together as Americans, we will learn from, and be inspired by, one another. Those who take the lead will show us the path and reach out with support to bring us on board. As our children see other children, as teachers see other teachers, as parents see other parents, as principals and superintendents see other administrators accomplishing project objectives, a convergence and flow of collective energy will carry us forward.

We have never come together to see what would happen if we positively embraced one another in sustained community service. With technology in place, communication and coordination is poised to initiate this potential. To envision that this sustained developmental work—drawing on the best ideas in a variety of realms, with our children at the helm—could bring widespread peace and productivity, is not a quantum leap. It would appear to be an easily attained outcome based on resources at hand.

As we broaden our perspective, we can see the integration of national and global elements that impact our families and local communities. A national model would strengthen our national identity—not only as we perceive ourselves, but also as others around the world perceive us by our actions and commitment. Once up and running, the model easily coordinates with other developed nations, working with them to adopt sister cities in developing areas of the world, and coordinating work on environmental issues—sharing the positive results of these efforts worldwide. We would build extensive relations at home and abroad from a sustained base of outreach.

To begin at the local level is to begin with something we can see and understand. At the local level, organizations bring us into awareness of problems in our communities. A common, national checklist of projects draws our attention to needs we may have overlooked in our local community, providing additional solutions. To reach out to others nationally, as we meet our local needs and have excess, makes sense and strengthens our national unity. Similar organizations in other communities are often problem-solving similar difficulties. Sharing processes and outcomes promotes efficiency and allows us to see where there are excesses and deficiencies, so we can help one another on a national level to create needed solutions.

To help others in a developing area of the world is to bring us together in solving issues of environmental concern and peaceable co-existence. As every community works with a sister city, shared problem-solving increases significantly.