Congratulations! You have been selected to join us in the “Kids Paying it Forward” active citizenship project.
The students in room 26 at Ekstrand Elementary School in San Dimas, CA decided to start this challenge after our class organized a school and community wide recycling program to help pay for an important surgery for a 3 year old girl named Hayley Brang. Through this project we have learned about the different levels of citizenship and that kids can make a difference. We want to encourage other kids to be good citizens, identify issues in their community, and work together to come up with a plan of action to solve the problems. Come aboard and help us spread the word!
A good citizen is like a good neighbor. He or she follows the law, and makes good choices. This type of citizen is the personally responsible citizen. A personally responsible citizen also helps out in their community. The next type of citizen is referred to as the participatory citizen. This kind of citizen is the one who identifies problems, organizes events in the community to solve the problems, and also participates in them. The last level of citizenship is the justice-oriented citizen. This citizen is the one who finds the problem and works to find a solution or law to fix it. Everyone in the world has the power to make a difference, whether you are giving someone a can of food, or raising money for a little girl in your community. Like it said in the 1st amendment, we have a voice, we have the right to stand up for what we want in our world!
“Pay it forward” is another way to say “pass it on”. We are hoping that kids and teachers all around the world will be inspired by our story and “pay it forward” in their communities by doing good deeds, while also learning about their roles and responsibilities as citizens of this world. We are asking kids and teachers to identify an issue in their community and follow a five-step plan to active citizenship. To learn more about our project, the five-step plan, and the different levels of citizenship log on to our website at www.kidspayingitforward.org. You can also share your class project with our class by posting the name of your school, the location, grade level, and a description of your project on our blog. Encourage those around you to do great things and stand up for those who need help.
Well, now that you have heard our story, you can start your own projects to help the world. It’s very easy once you’ve looked at someone else’s work, so come on up and “pay it forward”. We can’t wait to hear about your project!
Sincerely,
The Active Citizens in Room 26
