Why are we here?

About a month ago, I was invited to speak to a group of  4-H teen leaders in another county. My simple instruction was to "motivate them."

As I began to think about my message, I remembered a phrase I learned as part of a high school service organization, "If It Is To Be: It Is Up To Me!"

I had stumbled on a topic I felt confident and qualified to teach: community service. I had been involved in community service projects as a student, young professional, and student group advisor and I knew I could help them translate their interests, strengths, and passions into service for their communities.

We spent time that evening discussing the impact they and their fellow teens were having on their communities and around the country.

I needed to create a blog for a graduate course in Computer Applications in Education and thought it would be an excellent opportunity to gather information about teens making a difference around the world. It is my hope that the stories collected here will inspire other teenagers, their parents, and professionals that work with them to create positive change in their communities.