New Service Corps for Pass It Along Youth - By Lauren Dick, Sparta High School

Creative minds and enthusiastic spirits gathered at the Sparta United Methodist Church on Sunday, September 13th, for the first act of service dedicated to the Pass It Along Service Corps. This newly formed group is a collection of high school students representing six local high schools.

After a brief introduction to what the day would bring from members of the Pass It Along staff, Diane Taylor, Kelly Bonventre, Mara Veidis and Donna Butzke, the Service Corps members began to experience the joys of being part of a close-knit team. Acquaintances turned into friendships through a morning filled with games and sharing circles that involved stories of past serving experiences and the benefits of community service.

Following a shared lunch, the Service Corps broke into small discussion groups to converse about what each individual desires to see happen in their year of service. After the small groups, all of the members united to speak about their goals and purposes for the year.

The group decided what they wanted to stand for and represent within the community. They agreed to represent not only society, but the environment too. The 2009-2010 Service Corps will dedicate its time to bettering the world by offering a hand to those in need through various charity drives, reach out to underprivileged children by providing them with memorable experiences and friendship, and work together towards an all-around positive change. The community leaders also spoke about their plans for conserving energy and giving aid to homeless animals.

After defining their mission, the group was sent off on their first act of service; the task of cleaning the Sparta United Methodist Church, original home of Pass It Along. Members were split into teams that carried out responsibilities such as power washing, cleaning windows, and washing floors. Together, after a tiring two hours, the church was sparkling clean.

The exhausted team gathered once more inside to reflect on their day. They decided that hard work is never quite as difficult when you're having fun with friends and doing something for the betterment of the community. Also, there is no such thing as a "small" act of service. All it takes is a few creative minds and dedicated spirits to make a difference for the better. As the Pass It Along Service Corps entered a group hug to end their first day of service, everyone knew that this was only the beginning of a successful and enjoyable year filled with infinite opportunities to "be the change."

Teens Leading the Way - By Leslie Sullivan, Sparta High School

As I sat in on the youth conference meeting and listened to the plans Pass It Along had for the week, the month, and the year I realized, wow, this meeting…this organized structured meeting is strictly run by the youth. Us teens were working in a professional matter to get our work done and to help our community. No longer were we the ones being taught, but we were now the ones teaching; teaching others to believe in themselves, teaching inner city children a new and different way of life. But mostly teaching ourselves that community service, volunteer work, and becoming mature is not the end of the world. It is a whole new and exciting world filled with many options and emotional rewards. You lose nothing, by helping and becoming a member of Pass It Along and gain so much. This program is run smoothly by the youth, and I would like to congratulate them for doing such a phenomenal job and serving our community to their fullest extent.