The Young Leader

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Could You Volunteer in Paradise this Spring Break?

What comes to your mind when you imagine spring break?

Each spring, high schoolers across the country are given the opportunity to take a much-deserved weeklong hiatus from the stresses of school. Some will spend their week playing video games with friends; others in a lounge chair on a beach somewhere. For students who are interested in an alternative spring break option, however, there are amazing opportunities to travel abroad and give back to communities in need.

Think about it- using your spring break from school to volunteer in a tropical paradise? It’s the best of both worlds! The opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others is a life-changing one. And, you don’t have to make the journey with a church group or through your school. Any high school student with the desire to make a difference can be on their way to the Dominican Republic this April with Global Leadership Adventures!

GLA’s Spring Break Service Adventure gives students the chance to help improve the lives of residents in an impoverished rural community, while also packing a ton of fun into the week! You’ll explore pristine white sand beaches, snorkel through crystal blue waters, and ride a catamaran through the waves of the Caribbean! You’ll also learn about the vibrant Dominican culture and gain a deep understanding of how sustainability can help a community grow in harmony with its surrounding environment.

Learn more about volunteering abroad over your spring break here.

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Fuel For Change

The purpose of this newsletter is NOT to inspire guilt. It’s actually to share some exciting recent statistics about what your son or daughter’s generation is doing to help their neighbors near and far.

Perhaps you’ve heard this great Yiddish saying: If you and all your neighbors lay all of your problems on your respective front lawns, you’d look them all over, and end up taking back your own.

Well, with our lives becoming increasingly more interconnected via search engines, Skype and social media, suddenly our neighbors are not just the ones three houses down; they’re in Egypt, Mexico and India. Some of the problems out on the front lawns of these neighbors might include:

  • Lack of basic plumbing or clean water

  • Limited access to education and resources

  • Environmental threats

According to the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics study, Volunteering in the United States, 2011, U.S. teens ages 16 to 19 are more likely than any other age group under the age of 35 to have volunteered in the past year. These teens are statistically less likely to become pregnant or use drugs, and are more likely to have a strong work ethic and to vote.

Click here to watch a brief video of teens volunteering in India and having the time of their lives.

If your teen isn’t already in this distinguished category, this summer could be the perfect time to get their feet wet with a life-changing volunteer program abroad.

If you’d like to find out more, simply reply to this email or call: 1.858.771.06455. We would love to hear from you!

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School vs. Learning

Jack London sailed to Japan; Walt Disney spent a year driving ambulances in France; Abraham Lincoln and Steve Jobs built their careers one step at a time.  What do all of these highly successful people share in common?  They all benefited from non-traditional educational experiences.  (And we all benefited as a result!)

For some young people, significant learning happens outside of the classroom because, well, it has to (finances, timing, etc.). For others, it’s a choice.  Regardless, that sense of adventure and in-the-field “doing” breeds exceptional leadership and gives college-bound students a competitive edge. It isn’t always clear how to get the kind of experience you and your child seeking, but rest assured no one has to pick up scurvy on a schooner like Jack London!  Allow us to share 3 excellent ways within your reach:

1. Tune in to international news.

The Internet puts news from all over the world at your fingertips instantly.   Bookmarking international news sources keeps you and your son or daughter informed of what’s happening politically and culturally in other countries. It’s important to be informed of our role in the world and an asset to be able to demonstrate that level of global awareness to others. (Colleges, employers, future spouse.)

2. Live a new language.

That’s right…live a new language. Cramming the night before a Spanish vocab test may earn a high school student an “A,” but how much of the language and culture they’ve truly absorbed will become apparent soon enough.  Explore restaurants and businesses in your community where your teen’s language of choice is spoken. Encourage them to participate in a language immersion trip.  Experiencing a language through the lenses of culture, history and human interaction will lead to real mastery.

3. Get going, globally.

Your community is a great place to find volunteer opportunities, and your son or daughter’s school is a natural place to start.  But for them to achieve a truly unforgettable service experience, think bigger.  Participating in a service program abroad will introduce your child to new people, help them build a set of invaluable new skills, and allow them to make a difference in the lives of others far away. Their school and community will benefit upon their return.

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When Have You Been Brave?

Do you remember the last time you were brave? Was it as recently as yesterday? Has it been a long time? Did you think you couldn’t do it? Do you still have the pictures?

The Young Leaders below – just like you – pushed themselves to the limit and lived to tell the tale. I invite you to take a peek inside their adventures from as far away as West Africa, as recently as last summer:

Jayvee Salunga, Dominican Republic, Summer 2012

“Helmet. Check. Life vest. Check. Twenty minute mini hike. Then our first jump. Jump.Time seems to stop while you float in the air. Until………spshhhhhhh, your whole body becomes submerged under water. The teal colored water is refreshingly cold. Second jump. The high jump we had. 30 feet they said? It was high. That’s all you need to know. And I loved the thrill. Sliding was fun too! In between jumps and slides you swim or walk to the next. Along the way you see the threes, the sun, the rock formations. The nature. It was beautiful.”

Tamar Willis, Ghana, Summer 2012

“We saw [a slave fort] in Keta, just 20 minutes from Anloga, built by the Danes in the 18th century…Seeing the cramped living quarters — hundreds, sometimes thousands of slaves were kept in a room smaller than Shalhevet’s Bet Midrash – left us unnerved. The Ghanaians never seemed to resent us for what our ancestors had done. They still welcomed us warmly. But in spite of the bright sunlight and lively conversation, the forts made us uncomfortable.”

Veronica Gallilao, Costa Rica, Summer 2012

“Rain whipped my cheeks and the mingled smells of cows and wet soil filled my lungs as I bounced around the bed of a rickety old truck. The rotting wooden railing seemed less than capable of holding four teenagers in and hundreds of folding chairs threatened to topple onto us. My eyes stung and I had no idea where I was being taken, but bursts of delighted laughter spilled out of me as I looked all around me. To my left were crumbling shacks painted in vibrant faded pastels; to my right were miles of coffee plants and cow pastures in front of a backdrop of green-covered mountains. The drive over the pitted dirt road seemed ceaseless in the most phenomenal way. In those moments, I could not believe that I had never experienced such beauty, joy, excitement, and at the same time…peace.”

Bravery is one of the key attributes of a Young Leader. Whether it’s:

  •  Forcing yourself to speak Spanish with a native speaker, even if it comes out half wrong
  • Conquering your fear of heights to see the most amazing sunset of your life from the summit of a mountain
  • Volunteering for the first time in your life…7,000 miles from home

You have the stuff Young Leaders are made of. Hey, remember that time when you were brave?  That was a really good time.

 

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3 Ways to Become a Global Leader

While students of the past needed to be proficient in Reading and Math, today’s youth lives in a much more complex world. Each day, the economy and culture grow more global – and thus, their education becomes more global.

In fact, in 2012, more than 7 Billion people had access to the Internet (*According to Internet World Stats), and thus, global interaction. As international current events become more accessible and more relevant to Americans, the development of global leadership is becoming a prerequisite for success in adulthood.

So what does that mean for today’s students? What you learn in a classroom is no longer cutting it in the competitive worlds of college and adulthood. Students need to grow their global leadership skills to gain worldly experience, to expand their perspectives and to learn how a variety of nations have great impacts on each other.

Not sure how to expand your horizons? Check out these 3 tips for becoming a better global leader.

1. Watch international news. With the internet, news is no longer limited to the CBS, NBS and ABC nightly broadcasts. Exposing yourself to international news helps you understand what’s happening politically and culturally in other countries. It also helps you understand what’s important to your country as well as others.

2. Learn a new language. Instead of memorizing Spanish words to pass your weekly quiz, make a genuine effort to learn a new language. Don’t limit yourself to languages taught in your school. Choose a language that’s connected to a culture you are passionate about. Participate in a language immersion trip. As you learn the language, you will pick up on cultural distinctions as well.

3. Go on an international service trip. Many high school volunteers don’t look outside the community service opportunities offered at their schools. But participating in international service learning opens students’ minds to both new cultures and the struggles of the world. Volunteering abroad helps develop leadership skills and cultural perspective – plus, it helps those less fortunate!

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