Service-Learning VIP: Laura

My best service-learning moment was when I was working in Qatar, which is a country in the Middle East. I was over there with a small team of leaders from my school and we were presenters at Reach Out to Asia's first National Service-Learning Conference. Qatar is known as the number one country for car-related deaths. Many people over there do not wear seatbelts and drive with too many people in their cars. At the conference, I presented the idea of safe driving to other youth. I explained the statistics of their country and helped broaden their knowledge of service-learning. The next day I took them outside and taught them how to conduct their own seatbelt check. This activity fired them up about service and giving back to their communities. In the reflection the youth decided to create a service group. The group is called "Click It" and is the first service group in Qatar for youth. Today I still act as a mentor for their group. At the closing ceremony, I finally realized how meaningful this conference really was. It was amazing to see all of the people come together. People were there from Palestine, Israel, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and all of the other Middle East countries that are fighting. There was a folk dance during the dinner, and the dancers invited everyone to join in. I thought it was remarkable to see all of the youth from those countries unite and come together as one. Music united them; just as service-learning can too.

- Laura S., Harry D. Jacobs High School, Algonquin, Illinois (Learn and Serve America's Youth Speakers Bureau Participant)