Someone once said that to give true service one must truly care freely of oneself. It has also been said that true service expects nothing back in return. I believe true service starts with a desire to help another person, group, or being.
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to serve in a different capacity than what I was accustomed to at my host site. I volunteered at a youth summit for the Mikva Challenge which is a non-profit organization that helps educate and mobilize youth to become active citizens who participate in local and state government. This event invites teen leaders throughout CPS to partake in a leadership conference in order to spur positive thinking about political action among high school students.
I acted as a support for the teams that were facilitating the conference. While I was not on stage, my role included being a creator, helping set up materials, and providing an extra set of hands to one of the facilitators over the teachers group. The event was filled with clear communication between students and their adult ally, the production of new ideas of what teamwork meant, and the production of improved ways for teens and adult advisors to communicate. This event gave a new meaning to the term'electric youth".
By the end of the day the teenagers were energized, excited, and ready to go back into their own communities to serve. Even though I played a small role in the event, I was glad to give of my time to contribute to this group's success.
