YOUTH PAGE

There is so much that the youth of the world is doing today to improve life on our planet. This page is meant to honor this work and share some small portion of it with our visitors. 

We will also list here Organizations created and run by youth. We are just beginning this portion of our website so please check back. 
We welcome input especially from the folks this page is about...

"We should [...] create a society in which the potential of every individual can be better realized [...] Make sure everything you do brings us closer to achieving that end"
    - Jared, age 18, Pennsylvania

Peace and Healing Through Art

Children across America and around the world have responded to the September 11th attacks by creating powerful and poignant paintings and drawings.

The issue will feature artworks and messages from children in New York, Washington, DC and other cities as ell as "how to" articles on healing through the arts. ICAF is collaborating with NYU Child Study Center, Yale University Department of Psychology, Potomac Art Therapists Association, Survivor Arts Foundation, Artsonia and the DC Art Education Association (DCAEA) to produce this issue.

ChildArt is published by the International Child Art Foundation (ICAF), the nation's child art and creativity organization, which also serves as the umbrella for an expanding international network of concerned individuals and organizations. Mrs. Harriet Mayor Fulbright, Chairman of ICAF, is Editor-in-Chief.

Published since 1998, ChildArt is an advertisement-free magazine for children ages 8 to 80, but written for 8 to 12 year olds. ChildArt was recently praised by Today's Librarian as "a truly multicultural magazine to enrich every public library."

As a middle school teacher I co-wrote a musical about the life of Siddartha - a great peacemaker otherwise known as the Buddha. Fifty of my middle school students performed it for our entire school district and the result was not only that they were empowered by the story and music but that the performance itself was educational for the audience and very very peaceful!!

The method and instruments used in our music come from an internationally recognized philosophy of music-making called Orff-Schulwerk. Millions of school children each year receive training in this hands-on method of making music and learn to sing dance and play with the joy of music. Orff-Schulwerk began with the composer Carl Orff (known for his famous "Carmina Burana") who believed children should be involved in music from a very early age in order to nurture their innate musicality via dance and creative movement, drama and role play, instrumental play and singing. It is a fun, holistic and creative approach that children love (adults too!).

What we have done with our music is to couple the Orff philosophy of music with stories and ideas that support human values such as peace, compassion, understanding, etc. We have chosen true stories from history - such as Siddartha's story and Deganawidah's (founder of the Iroquois Confederacy) in order to teach that peace is always possible. Siddartha grappled with an ancient question: why is there suffering in the world? His quest provided the answer to this age-old dilemma and created the tenets of Buddhism practiced by millions today.

"The Illumination Tree" tells this story with music. "the legend of the Peacemaker " is the story of Deganawidah - a child born into a war-torn environment where the five tribes of the Great Lakes were practicing cannibalism and there was chaos and destruction all around. He found the way to peace and created North America's first true democracy long before the Europeans landed. Ben Franklin studied Iroquois culture and government and subsequently helped to shape our own fledgling democracy.

A third musical we have created honors the Native American's sacred view of Mother Earth and creation."Beauty Chant" is a beautiful and meditative recording of poetry and song. Our CD's, booklets and performance packs are designed for others to perform these stories. They leave a lot of room for the creativity and imagination of others to design their own performance using the people and resources they have at hand.The music is basically simple but can be shaped into more complex forms depending on the performer.

Our music on CD is also great for anyone to listen to - they are complete performances and as such can be enjoyed over and over by anyone young or old.

Youth Organizations

Youth for a Better World

Youth For A Better World does a white ribbon campaign every year to raise money for our local shelters for battered women and children as well as big brothers and big sisters kids. The white ribbon is a symbol of peace and non-violence, and so we have re-started the campaign again this year to help the victims of the attacks. My high school is collecting donations from every student (1640) and in return they receive a white ribbon to wear for as long as they wish to show their support of a peaceful planet.

Lindsay Logsdon (Age 17)
President
Youth for a Better World
http://www.youth-for-a-better-world.org

Care Bags

Care Bags Foundation, a legal, nonprofit charitable organization began in Jan. 2000 after learning that there are many children in need. Care Bags is dedicated to helping displaced, abused and disadvantaged children (ages baby-18 years) by providing them with things they would need and want during difficult times in their lives. It is Annie's hope that her care bags bring a smile to the faces of the kids who receive them and lets them know that they are loved and cared for.
Every month at the care bags headquarters, Annie and other volunteers she has recruited, fill "care bags" with donated essential, fun, safe and age appropriate items (such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, books, stuffed animals, toys, etc.) and give them to various agencies who distribute them to needy children all over the world. As word of this project has spread, gaining local, statewide and National recognition, it has grown considerably in size and scope and many businesses, youth/adult service groups, and individuals have joined Annie in this effort.
Care Bags is always looking for new volunteers willing to donate needed items, to sew bags, receiving blankets and bibs, or to help in any way. Groups and individuals can adopted a "Care Bags" project and implement it in their own communities. A complete Care Bags Starter Kit is available upon request for interested persons. You can also learn more by visiting our web site.

Annie Wignall (Age 13)
Founder and Director
Care Bags
www.carebags4kids.org

The International Peace Performers

A multi-cultural children's chorus, we sing original songs of peace and compassion, and are making a Cd. We have launched a project wherein we are recruiting choruses across the USA and around the world to sing a common song of peace all on the same day - December 7th, 2001. Please help spread the word and we'll reach our goal of 100 CHORUSES all singing on the same day...just imagine! For more information an to participate in this awesome event, please contact:

Frances Key
Director
International Peace Performers
frae77@yahoo.com

PEACEIncorporated

An international volunteer organization of youth PEACEIncorporated is actively working to increase the peace within the family, schools, communities and nations. Our mission is to consciously focus our thoughts, feelings, and actions in an attempt to maintain a peaceful connection with ourselves and others. Through this commitment to excellence, we serve as an example for others to learn and grow in a peaceful nature, which in turn leads ultimately to the expansion of peace. We invite you to join us!

peaceinc@cox-internet.com
http://www.peaceinc.org

Teenhelp.org

Our website is a network made up of a network of peer mentors that have the desire to reach out and "connect" with one another. The members of our staff have not been chosen for their spot-free record, but for the real life experience that they may come in useful in the resolution of fellow teens problems.
Many methods of help are available to our web guests, including the famous Get Help! form where replies are sent quickly via email, Support Groups and Live Chat. You are encouraged to speak out using the method that makes you feel most comfortable.

www.teenhelp.org

Safe Haven Online

"Each young person who e-mails Safe Haven for support, friendship and help is considered a friend. We hope that you'll soon be able to see us as friends, too, and to find comfort in letting go of the secrets you have. Everyone has their own set of problems and days that make us feel as though nothing we do is worthwhile anymore and that life simply isn't worth living. Everyone has issues that they should and want, deep down, to talk about. That is where Safe Haven Online comes in. We want this to be a place where you feel safe. We make it a point to be very non-judgemental - we want to help you find the joy that this life can bring and hopefully, by the time you leave this site, your heart's burdens will feel somewhat lighter and more at peace than they do at this moment."

http://safehavenonline.tripod.com/safehaven/index.html

One DAY Foundation

ONE DAY was founded in January 1994 by a group of committed high school students. These students set out to create a project that would have global impact, empower and give hope to young people. First designed as an educational tool to teach these students how to express their passion, the result was far more inspirational than expected. From this work, the ONE DAY Foundation was created.

Benjamin Quinto
Youth Development Director, ONE DAY Foundation
Director, United Nations Youth Assembly Project
PO Box 1052
Sedona, AZ 86339
Tel: 800-580-9350
Fax: 520-204-1216
E-mail: info@oneday.org
URL: http://www.oneday.org

YES! Youth for Environmental Sanity

YES! is a youth-run non-profit organization that gives young people support and skills to work cooperatively and effectively for positive change. More than half a million high school students have participated in YES! programs. YES! Action camps bring together diverse youth and give them an experience that can change their life - and help them to change the world. The World Youth Activist JAM will take place in the summer of 1999, bringing together 40 of the world's leading youth activists from 22 countries.

420 Bronco Road Soquel, CA 95073-9510
Tel: 831-465-1091 Fax: 831-462-9790
E-mail: camps@yesworld.org
URL: www.yesworld.org
Ocean Robbins, Founder & President

The Earth Angels

The Earth Angels are an inner city pre-teen environmental group of 150 "at risk" children helping our "at risk" world year around in any manner possible. 

Guardian Angel Settlement,
The Earth Angels,
P.O. Box 2055
St. Louis, MO 63158
Email: Tambo@aol.com
URL: http://members.aol.com/Halo4Earth/index.html

Youthlink.org

Youth In Action provides support and recognition for the voices, ideas and positive solutions of youth. As partner in the Global Youth Action Network, a growing collaboration among organizations worldwide, the youthlink.org web site is being expanded as an international clearinghouse for youth voices, resources and action

http://www.youthlink.org/us/index.php

TakingItGlobal

TakingITGlobal (TIG) is about encouraging young people to believe in themselves and their ability to make a difference in the world. This not-for-profit initiative creates environments, both virtual and physical, where people are exposed to new thinking, a diversity of voices, and new opportunities. Driven by youth, TakingITGlobal's goal is to foster a sense of leadership and social entrepreneurship through the innovative use of technology, creating meaningful experiences for young people around the world.

http://www.takingitglobal.org/home.html?width=800

Youthlink.org and the Youth In Action Website

National and International Activity: Young Theosophists activity at the national and international levels. 
 

Olcott Young Theosophists: Information about the discussion group that meets at the national center in Wheaton, Illinois.
  

Newsletters: Online full-text versions of the Young Theosophists' Newsletter.