Individuals Who Took The Initiative

"Adrian Thomas, a drug store owner in Meyersdale, Pennsylvania, decided to put an end to the selling of tobacco products in his store. Adrian's employees and family members loaded $2000 worth of tobacco from his store and took them to the parking lot to be burned. After the burning Adrian commented, 'You cannot put dollars and cents above good health.' "

Shonny Waters, Froid High School, Froid, Montana

"Annette Allyn Day, a typesetter in Atlanta, Georgia collects donations of household goods. Operating out of her home, she distributes them to formerly homeless people who are just getting resettled into housing."

Jackie Gensler, Big Spring High School, Newville, Pennsylvania

"George Sam, an ex-cop, created SAFE: Schools Are For Education, to clear guns from Chicago schools."

Jenifer Roosevelt, Carbondale High School, Carbondale, Illinois

"My soccer coach is a doctor and a good man. He has two daughters and one son. They have also adopted three sexually abused children. They have taken three children that are emotionally and physically damaged and turned their lives around by showing and giving them love and support. One of their adopted children is so emotionally damaged that she must stay in a special home. They still support her and take care of her and show her love, which gives her a greater will to strive on and live."

Skip Miller, Armwood High School, Seffner, Florida

"Ruth Brinker, a grandmother in Los Angeles, volunteers for Project Open Hand. She spends many hours a day feeding and cheering up victims dying of the AIDS virus. She thinks these people are dying of lack of love and care, not AIDS."

Katie Wettstein, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

"Here are some people who are taking the responsibility for themselves and others. After having survived a life-saving bone marrow transplant, Daniel Lindsay was determined to see what he could do to aid others struggling with leukemia and similar blood diseases. With the help of several of his classmates, Lindsay organized Project Life. It's goal is to get members of the campus community to sign up as potential bone marrow donors. The undertaking has been a dramatic success, with more than 1,100 students and teachers now registered. Through the bone marrow donations, the group has so far saved two lives."

Rocco Troiano, Valhalla High School, Valhalla, New York

"An idea of Arthur Ashe's has been implemented in Virginia, called Virginia Heroes. This group has successful people in the community give kids direction to their lives by helping them decide what they want to be when they grow up."

Jenni Tarner, Big Spring High School, Newville, Pennsylvania

"In Cleveland, a volunteer group provides weekly tutoring. It is called project Learn. ...Another group working for literacy is called Literacy Action, Inc. This program in Atlanta reaches out to help those adults and children who have not learned to read, or those who have not learned very well. It was founded by Mrs. Mary Hammond in Virginia, when one of her children could not read. The goal was fairly simple; they would provide a tutorial service in reading to those who could not afford it. They get people started...and then point out tools for people to go beyond the program and further their literacy."

Louis VanAlsfine, DeForest High School, DeForest, Wisconsin

"Of all acts of responsibility, my favorite is where a man took matters into his own hands and saved the life of a seven year old boy, who was being attacked by a malicious gang of youths."

Amber Irish, Freeman High, Rockford, Washington

"Felipe Aguel, who is an 18 year old senior, started a club at his high school called "Save a Senior". Aguel was just a tutor at his high school until he started this club. He advertised with a television announcement service that was broadcast each morning. The "Save a Senior" club was made so that seniors that had bad grades could get them up and earn enough credits so that they could graduate. For the first time in his high school history 100 percent of his senior class graduated."

Erica Haines, Phoenix High School, Phoenix, Oregon

"One girl heard the suggestion in an Honor Society meeting to take [the] elderly and disabled to the grocery store. Even though the Honor Society decided they didn't want to do that, she went out on her own and got the names of people who needed help. [This girl] now takes older people to run errands quite regularly."

Angela Jennings, Walters High School, Walters, Oklahoma

"I read in the Reader's Digest of a man in Naples, Florida, who read about several eleventh grade black students who failed a high school mastery test required for graduation. Concerned, he decided to volunteer at an after school tutoring program. He later started his own program at his home on Saturdays and helped all involved to get into college, which in turn helped keep them off the streets."

Kevin Neubauer, Wallace High School, Wallace, Idaho

"Andy Lipkis began a volunteer organization called Tree People, which in the past fifteen years has planted over 170 million trees, not just in the United States, but all over the world."

Katie Wettstein, Eureka High, Eureka, Illinois

"Herman Wrice declared war on the crack and cocaine problem in his neighborhood and school. He was a coach in the neighborhood and one of his champion players was hooked on cocaine. He went directly to the dealers and threatened them. It was a small victory but someone had done something for the children. He set up different functions for the kids to do instead of drugs."

Jennifer McLaughlin, Valhalla High School, Valhalla, New York

"The town of Burlington, Colorado, has desperately needed a town doctor for many years. They had spent nearly $50,000 dollars to persuade a doctor to settle in their town. The town once had a chance to apply for a federal program that would assign a doctor to their town. This sounded good but as soon as his obligation was fulfilled he would probably leave the town. Then a man by the name of Harold McArthur came to the rescue. McArthur offered to pay for the college education of a local student, if he came back to the town to work as a doctor. McArthur took it upon himself to solve one of the town's major problems."

Neal Bobzin, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"David Kenney and his friend were playing with David's father's gun. The gun went off killing David. Since her son's death, Susan Kenney has been working to educate schools around the Naugatuck area. She also teaches community adults about firearm safety. She has started GRIEF---Gun Responsibility In Every Family."

Joe Parker, DeForest High School, DeForest, Wisconsin

"My dad told me about a local town leader in Seattle who gives personal counseling, on his own time, to troubled students who are caught up in gang violence."

Jason Tenhonen, Wallace High School, Wallace, Idaho 

"A hair designer gave free haircuts at a local grade school."

Amber Irish, Freeman High School, Rockford, Washington  

"Individual volunteers are also very special people in the homeless community. ...Carrie Laninberger, a fellow student is one of those special people. Carrie volunteers her time in the various shelters around the Madison area. She has also done community work in both New York and Washington, DC, through her church. Carrie has also attended several conventions and workshops to do her best in ending the problem of homelessness."

Kelly Gradel, DeForest High School, DeForest, Wisconsin

"A woman donated money to buy more fire detectors for the Little Shelter (for animals) since the others were ruined in a fire."

Linda Cheung, Central Islip High School, Central Islip, New York

"And then there's my cousin Bob. He lives in New York City, often hailed as the rudest, unfriendliest city in America. I can't think of two more inappropriate words to describe Bob---he is the most giving person I know. Bob works a full-time job to support himself, and brings homeless children into his apartment for warm blankets, hot food, and a little slice of love."

Leah Fuller Bates, Blue Ridge High School, Blue Ridge, Texas

"Helen Kilpatrick is one of those people who make a difference by themselves. She got sick of the vacant lot by her house, in Newark, New Jersey, being used as a store for drug dealers. She went to the police to ask for help, but they could do nothing, so she took matters into her own hands. She and some neighbors got together and turned the lot into a garden. and set up a neighborhood watch group. Today there are five gardens that Helen has set up all through Newark. Last year her gardens produced $50,000 worth of vegetables. Helen sends a ton of vegetables each year to churches and missions."

Chris Beeler, Freeman High School, Rockford, Washington

"In Chicago, George Sams, an ex-cop, has cut down on youth violence, during and around school, tremendously. In June, 1990, Sams was appointed the director of safety and security for the 410,000 students in Chicago's public schools. With the help of his former police comrades, Sams has organized and introduced SAFE: Schools Are For Education. Ever since SAFE was introduced, there has not been one single shooting, in the district, during school hours. His success has influenced other major cities to [copy] his program."

Patrick A. Sampson, Concordia High School, Concordia, Kansas

"On his own free time, he [a successful lawyer in Southeastern Wisconsin] brought his tools to a condemned building and renovated it to provide shelter for homeless in his town."

Kenneth I. Dunlap, Antietam High, Reading, Pennsylvania 

"Lately we have been having a lot of snow around our area. This has made it pretty difficult for people to get around. I have a neighbor who seems to always be there shoveling our drive after it snows. He doesn't just shovel ours, but he shovels many others around my area. This is really helpful to me because both of my parents work so I'm usually the only one home. It helps especially when I go to school and come home to a clean driveway. My driveway's pretty long and I know that I would have ended up walking in it (deep snow) quite a few times if it wasn't for him."

Tonya Koutson, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"My father is an example of someone who watches out for himself, and other people, too. He went to Florida after Hurricane Andrew. In Florida there were many crews helping to clean up. My dad went to the Everglades to manage a crew. He stayed for three weeks, and would've helped longer if possible. Helpers there battled many things, very large mosquitoes, dangerous animals, no electricity, extensive heat, things many were not accustomed to. My dad also had a language barrier to overcome; his crew spoke Spanish. In these situations one can find many responsible individuals eager to give "their all" to help."

Lindsay Mannelin, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

"James Ownby is a perfect example of a giver. In 1969, he founded the organization "Good Bears of the World". This program gives out teddy bears to lonely and traumatized children and adults. The only thing James gets out of this is the warm feeling inside that lets him know someone else is happier because of him."

Ryan J. Csaftis, Phoenix High School, Phoenix, Oregon

"My father, Otto Aliffi, is a good example of a citizen taking action in his community. He is the father of four children...[and is] involved in the school system. ...He founded the Hawks AAU program and is still in charge. The program is for young boys in the Brandon area. The program gets boys who need positive reinforcement get involved in a positive program. The program is for boys ages 14-19. Some boys need financial assistance with the program but this does not leave them out."
Serenity Aliffi, Armwood High School, Seffner, Florida

"Alvin Brooks, a former policeman and city administrator in Kansas City, Missouri...started a neighborhood organization called the Ad Hoc Group Against Crime."
Jennifer McLaughlin, Valhalla High School, Valhalla, New York

"Then there are the Charlie O'Connors of the world. This man dedicated his life to the schoolchildren of Dumont, N.J. Besides coaching most of the sports offered in the school system, he also was the crossing guard. He gave every child a dollar on their birthday, and it was considered good luck to give him high five as you passed him in the street."
Darrell Stoller, Eureka High , Eureka, Illinois

"A Medford man fixes and rebuilds bicycles for needy children. Over the years he has rebuilt over three hundred bicycles for bike-less children around the Rogue Valley."

Josh Alner, Phoenix High School, Phoenix, Oregon

"A boy in our community died of cancer. Before he died, when he was too sick to go to school, his teacher did something exceptional. She tutored him every night and spent time with him, she gave her free time to care for a dying student."

Lindsay Mannelin, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

"Frances Sandoval, the mother of a fifteen year old son who was stabbed to death when he tried to break up a gang fight, is the founder of Mothers Against Gangs (MAG). Today the group has over 700 active members, and a flock of outside admirers."

Marshall Best, Lincoln County High School, Eureka, Montana

"Louis Greenwood, the co-founder of the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists (AAIM), prowls the suburbs of Chicago with a dashboard video camera, cellular phone, a CB, and police radio, looking for signs of drunk drivers. In this programs, anyone who gives tips to the police that result in a drunken driving arrest can be immediately rewarded with $100. AAIM has given out over $30,000."

Nicole McConnell, Prairie High School, New Rayman, Colorado

"In Berkeley, Molly Wetzel formed the Francisco Street Community Group, because her fifteen year old son was robbed by a drug dealer. The group filed suits against the landlord of a crack house and won, getting $2,000 apiece."

Jamie Dorman, Concordia High School, Concordia, Kansas

'There is a woman in Dayton, Ohio, that watches what our government buys and what we pay for it. Her specialty is stirring up competition among government agencies. Jo Brewer has saved the taxpayers over 10 million dollars in five years. She has saved money everywhere from the space shuttle to the President's communications system on Air Force One."

Neal Bobzin, Centerville High School, Centerville, South Dakota

"One example of a woman helping out in her neighborhood was in Spokane, a few weeks before the Christmas of 1993. Her three next door neighbors all had Down's Syndrome and were blind to some degree. Their house was a disaster. Broken windows let extremely cold temperatures into the house. Every room had the scent of the several cats and dogs the family had. Overall, the living conditions were horrible. The kind neighbor brought people from the community to the house to install a heater, fix windows, and clean up. The end finish was a clean, healthy, safe environment for this family to live in."
Leslie McFarlane, Freeman High School, Rockford, Washington

"Consider Opal Hodgen of Eagle Point, Oregon. Opal visits a Jackson County foster care home for the elderly, telling stories, reading poetry, calling the bingo numbers, and just talking to the residents. Opal has also given her time [to] the Jackson County Library System, [an] outreach program, visiting adult foster care homes. and speaking with residents about the good old days. Opal is another of the good people [who have] taken responsibility for helping others in the Rogue Valley."

Zac Moody, Phoenix High School, Phoenix, Oregon

"In 1978, a retired meteorologist decided to volunteer at an after-school tutoring program in Collier County, Florida. He felt that more could be accomplished in a smaller group and extended an invitation to a handful of kids. He soon had a regular group of four elementary age girls meeting Saturday afternoons for tutoring. They are now successful college graduates and give credit to him for the inspiration that changed their lives. This man proves that one person who cares can make a difference. He taught the necessity and rewards of hard work and discipline."

Sara Peterson, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

"Pat Newbury, owner of five McDonald Franchises in the Seattle area, made an agreement with some employees. He agreed to pay them regular wages while they did their homework at work for one hour. He also have them points for good grades. These points could then be exchanged for money for college tuition and books."

John Sander, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

"A couple in Sams Valley, Oregon, has taken on the responsibility of raising children with disabilities, who were abandoned by their own parents. The Tapperos', who have one biological child, have adopted six children."

Mary Conway, Phoenix High School, Phoenix, Oregon

"Patti Malkin walks dogs and feeds cats for their owners, who are bedridden with AIDS.  Paul Phillips organized a pie auction to help pay for the surgery of a child with congenital problems. Gwyn Helie answers calls on the hotline at a Transition House, which is a shelter for battered women and their children. Sylvia Wright volunteers at a soup kitchen.  Mary Tyler started a shelter for homeless people."

Kim Mandragona, Valhalla High School, Valhalla, New York

"Ruth McGirt, a part-time nurse, heard gunshots in the street in front of her Philadelphia home. After checking her kids, she rushed out to the street to find two policemen lying next to their squad car. She immediately began performing CPR on one of the police officers who had no pulse and wasn't breathing. Two other police officers arrived and the three of them worked on the injured men all the way to the hospital. One of the officers died in the hospital but the other survived. The two police officers who arrived late on the scene attribute this fact to McGirt. Instead of lying flat in her home to avoid being shot, Ruth McGirt rushed to the street to help and saved one man's life. She said she wouldn't do anything differently if faced with a similar situation in the future."

Michael Gammon, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

"Christmas Cheer is a non-profit organization that helps needy families in the Rogue Valley around Christmas time. It started in 1987 when a parent decided to make a difference and help raise money for a couple of needy children. Today the organization has grown to be able to help sixty-five needy children and families. The founder, Brenda Slawson, has given generously of her time and should be applauded for her efforts. Because of Brenda's determination to help a few needy kids, many families and their children will be able to have a better Christmas."

Jason M. Hayes, Phoenix High School, Phoenix, Oregon

"There are many examples of individual citizens acting responsibly. For example, look at the story of Earle Fisher and Al Mengo. Four or five times a week, they volunteer their time to the Harlem Hospital. They feed, diaper, rock, talk, and sing to the babies in the pediatric ward. Many of these infants are [without] parents, addicted to crack and HIV positive. Earle and Al are just two of the three hundred individuals who donate their time to Harlem Hospital."

Mara Bergeron, Deer River High School, Deer River, Minnesota

"Peter P. Smith, who operates the country's largest network of private aid to the homeless, is an example of another successful organization. He recently opened shelters for homeless people with AIDS. Statistics show that nearly 100,000 people will occupy these homes by the year 1995."

Jodi Hitt, Post Falls High School, Post Falls, Idaho

"A high school student from Oklahoma, named Carter Bell, in addition to the pressures of his senior year, started a program for the prevention of child abuse. The program, A Child's Garden, was opened with the planting of a tree. He received $1,000 dollars form the Hitachi Foundation for outstanding public service. He gave the money he received for his good deed to charity."

Jera Chandler, Plainview High School, Ardmore, Oklahoma

"In 1981 a self-made millionaire named Eugene Lang strode to the podium of the Harlem elementary school that he graduated from a half-century before, to deliver a commencement address to the assembled sixth graders and their families. As he tells it,

he impulsively threw away the bootstrap bromides he had prepared, and instead offered to pay the college tuition of every student in that class who went on to finish high school. This offer inspired 50 of the 51 student to graduate from high school. This also inspired other benefactors to step forward as well."

Adam Parker, De Forest High School, DeForest, Wisconsin

"Rantine McKeason, along with some of her neighbors, have organized marches, sent out flyers, gone to the city council, arranged neighborhood drug patrols, boarded up old crack houses, and changed an abandoned lot into a playground."

Jenny Crowe, Eureka High School, Eureka, Illinois

"Gertrude Lewis volunteers her free time to go and take care of abandoned babies with AIDS. Recently, she has taken one of the ill babies of her choice as her own. She knows the child will not live much longer, but while he is still on this earth she wants to give him the good life he deserves."

Danielle Johnson, Valhalla High School, Valhalla, New York

"There are many responsible high school students who are lending a helpful hand to our society. Angela Badger, a health occupation student at Battle Ground High School, assists in her high school and elementary school health rooms. She also teaches first aid and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation to local community groups. Betsy Radigan operates Project Safe Summer, a project aimed at [steering] youth away from vandalism and other negative activity during the summer. Her efforts helped create community sponsored events that served 345 at risk youths in grades first through eighth in Portland. Both of these girls are helping their peers, the ones who tend to look to someone their own age, who they can relate to, and help them understand and change for the better."

Rosa Garcia, Phoenix High School, Phoenix, Oregon

"Flo Wheatley makes sleeping bags and distributes them with her husband to homeless people in nearby cities. Flo's organization, My Brother's Keeper Quilt Group, visits churches to promote the bag business."

Martha Harrison, Garnet Valley High School, Glen Mills, Pennsylvania

"In 1987, Mark Miller, a middle income businessman, read a missing child leaflet; his curiosity led him to call The American Association for Lost Children. [He] found that they were a non-profit organization committed to finding lost children for no fee. He began studying for his private investigator's license so he could help the association. Since then he has helped locate thirty-three missing children. When he was asked why he gave up his comfortable career to find missing children, Miller stated that he just wanted to help people."

Sandra K. Aschenbrenner, Colby High School, Colby, Kansas

"Many local volunteers went out Saturday, February 5, hoping to register ten thousand new volunteers in Travis County this year. One of these ten volunteers was a woman by the name of Vera Givens, who is black, and was hoping to increase minority votes in primaries. She went from door to door in East Austin to sign up voters. And while some people were willing to register, others were not cooperative. Givens has participated in such drives for more than ten years. She does so out of a sense of community and citizenship. She is one of many that help solve the low voting rates and help to increase the interest in political issues. By doing so, these people help to make the public more aware of current issues. Ð And not only are these volunteers to be recognized, but also educators who teach and strongly urge those of age to register. A very good example of one such person would be Ms. Dobbs, an economics teacher at Crockett High School in Austin, Texas. In a matter of one school day she encouraged twenty people to fill out their voter registration cards. And not only did she do this for the students themselves, but also for society as a whole. Each and every one of these people makes a significant difference to how and by whom our country is run. Registering and voting is merely one of many responsibilities that people tend to neglect. Although it could quite possibly be the most important decision concerning our lives."

Carmen Gloria, David Crockett High School, Austin, Texas

"A single lady named Marie is 65 years old. She now travels from house to house in her large city home and talks to teenage girls who are pregnant. She not only counsels them, but also teaches them how to care for a child. She checks on each of her girls periodically, offering them the love and support that is lacking in many of their lives."
Angelina J. Morrow, Plainview High School, Ardmore, Oklahoma

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