Teens Working Locally Essay

Some people still believe the myth that all teens are self-centered, and do not care about others; however, a look at what the following teens have done to help other people will make you think otherwise. First of all, many teens volunteer locally to help out in their neighborhood. For example, Daniel Kent, a teen from Indiana, started off volunteering as an eighth grader at his local library where he would teach an adult computer class. Daniel discovered that one gentleman in his class had a friend in a wheelchair who was not able to attend the classes. This is when Daniel started his program called “Senior Connects.” In this program, Daniel and 150 volunteers from local high schools teach seniors important computer skills, such as email.

For example, Riff helped load trucks with supplies that were headed to areas that were damaged by the hurricanes. He felt that he could do more to contribute. So, when he traveled to New Orleans with 25 other teens, they worked hard to clean up an elementary school. Along with that, Riff and the group also gutted two houses, ripping out carpet, pulling out wood paneling, and knocking out drywall. The houses were too damaged to let someone live in them again, so they were torn down. This was difficult for Riff to do, seeing people upset by the destruction of their houses; however, he knew he was helping these people in the long run. The most compelling example that teenagers are not self-centered, is a teen that travels all the way across the world to help people in need. Maya Amoils, from Indian Hill, Ohio, travels all the way to the Zulu Village in South Africa. Amoils and her friends raised over $1 million dollars for the village. They also started a group called the Help Other People Endure (HOPE). This group has provided many things for the people of the Zulu Village. To demonstrate, they have provided clothes, shoes, water supply, a playground, daily meals for 400 children, and