" I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do." Those words by Edward Everett Hale, an author and a Chaplin of the United States Senate, have been an inspiration to me because I always thought that I was the only one who wanted to change the world. I always thought that since I was by myself, and so young, I was limited in my ability to improve my community, let alone the world. Now that I am a member of the Builders Club, I know that I am not alone in wanting to make a difference in the world. I have met over one hundred seventh and eighth graders who have a similar dream.
Builders Club has given me the opportunity to work on a number of different projects that have helped me grow as a young woman. Here are some examples:
One idea that was suggested by one of our advisors was to create Valentine Day Cards for the elderly in our community. Working on those cards gave me a chance to think about the needs of the people we were giving them to. I imagined how lonely they might be and what a treat it might be for them to receive mail from someone who cares. The glitter, the glue, and the paper, together, symbolized something much greater than a card. And in receiving these cards, and knowing that someone was thinking about them, probably made them realize that they were not forgotten.
Through my whole life, I have never had to think, or worry about having enough food to eat. But when I realized how many hungry people there were in my community, I became concerned. I realized though, how lucky I am in having food every day, and how much I take advantage of it, which I do, a lot! When this came to my club's attention, we, and our student council, got our school involved in a can food drive, sponsored by the River City Harvest Food Pantry.
It is held every year as a competition between my school district and a local school district that shall not be named.
It is great to say that through our student's efforts, in a five- day period, we collected over eight thousand cans, which caused our school to win the feud.
I have learned through this project that I take many things for granted in life. I have learned that one can of green beans, or corn, can make a person smile. And I am glad to say that we have made over eight thousand smiles in our community. This project made me realize how much change can happen by such a small thing.
This year, I was in charge of a project called Samaritan's Purse, Operation Christmas Child. For those of you who don't know what this project is, it is an international commitment to make a better Christmas for underprivileged children around the world. At the beginning of the project, I wasn't so sure it would turn out very well, but by the end I was surprised by the dedication of my peers, and relieved that they wanted to do this. At the end of the project, we collected about fifty shoe boxes filled with many toys, books, and candy. It was quite challenging for us to find out how many things we could stuff in a shoebox in order to someone's Christmas brighter. I realized though that the objects represented the person's love, hope, and dedication in changing a child's life, somewhere in the world. That project affected the members and me by making our hearts grow, our minds expand, and created in us a need to do more.
When I help a handful of people, there is a rippling effect, as each person changes in some way, and in turn changes the people around him or her. Changes here lead to changes there.
In Builders Club, there is a motto it is simply
two words, "We Build". In Builders Club, we are slowly
building a better world one change at a time. Some think we can't
move a mountain but I think we can, one shovel full at a time.
Through my work on these projects, I realized several things about
myself. I learned that I could influence my peers in a positive
way and motivate them to achieve a common goal. I had an idea,
but I realized I needed other in order to carry it out.
I'd like to leave you with the inspiring words of another fourteen
year old, Anne Frank. "How wonderful it is that nobody need
wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."
Thank you!