Service-Learning VIP: Chelsea

At Thanksgiving dinner, my older cousin was visibly upset. A recent college graduate, she had volunteered for "Teach for America" a non-profit organization which, according to their website "provides teachers for low income communities." She complained that her fourth grade students were "impossible to motivate, disruptive and disrespectful." Through my work at the Henry Ittleson Center (a live-in facility for emotionally disturbed and abused children in the Bronx) I knew that despite her good intentions, college degree and enthusiasm, the students viewed her as an adult authority figure and could not (or would not) relate to her. I realized that as a student closer to their age I would have a better chance of getting through to them. After all, it was not so long ago that I was in elementary school. It was at this moment that "On Giants' Shoulders" was born.

After a month and a half, my cousin and I were still unable to gain her school's approval of my proposal to establish a mentoring program with students from my high school. I felt angry and disappointed, but I knew I had something great on my hands and was not about to give up that easily.

There were many other roadblocks along the way. I had to create a proposal and gain approval from my school , recruit mentors, find a new school to mentor and convince the principal, the vice principal and the classroom teacher with whom I would be working of the viability of the program and create survey forms.

The travel time between schools and the cost of transportation, threatened to derail the program. It occurred to me that using web cameras and the Internet would completely eliminate travel time and most of the expenses. My school had web cameras, but the elementary school did not. I originally planned a fundraiser to purchase some inexpensive web cameras, but I was able to convince my student council and my advisor to fund the purchase.

Students will find it very easy to implement my program in their schools. I created a website (www.OnGiantsShoulders.org) which is a complete step-by-step guide for students while eliminating the roadblocks that I encountered. My next goal is to encourage the creation of high school and college branches of "On Giants' Shoulders" throughout the country. I am excited that media coverage of my program on NBC-TV’s "The Today Show" and in local newspapers will help to achieve this goal.

I have learned how much time and effort goes into creating a program or nonprofit organization. Every obstacle which I encountered made me want to persevere even more.

- Chelsea D., Fieldston School, Bronx, New York