Journey of Change

"Service is the rent we pay for living."--Marian Wright Edelman

If you're a fan of Malaak Compton-Rock, founder of The Angel Rock Project, you may recognize that quote as she uses it frequently to sum up why she leads a philanthropic life.

Her current project is called 'Journey of Change'. Thirty at risk teenagers from Bushwick, Brooklyn are currently in Johannesburg, South Africa where they will interact with orphans, do service work and see cultural sites. The mission for the trip is that the students from Brooklyn will become ambassadors. Not only will they learn of life outside of the U.S., but they will be inspired and share their knowledge with other students. Each teenager signed a year contract to Blog about their experiences. Read their blogs now at CNN.

What struck me as I was reading through Compton-Rock's web site was how she mentioned e-village or village often. This links back to the saying 'It takes a village'. I think of a village as a community and a community is something we're all apart of and can relate to on some level.

Everything we do as a community spreads outward and affects others. That's why I believe youth programs are so important, especially for youth in potentially threatening environments. Programs like Compton-Rock's inspire kids to think beyond their community in order to grow but to do good locally in order to help others expand their horizons as well.

The Volunteer Center and others in the community of Ames have been researching the needs of teens, particuarily those from low-income families, for after school programs and programs during the summer.

If you have an opinion, we'd like to hear it. Is there a need for more programs for older teens in potentially threatening environments in Story County?