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Reporting Back from the Youth Action Fair

Potted plants for seniors (Photo by Julia Smith)
On September 27, more than 200 young people and 20 organizations came together at the School of the Future in New York City for the Youth Action Fair, which Idealist put on with Do Something and Children for Children as part of the Service Nation Day of Action. Young people ranging in age from 8 to 25, many accompanied by parents or teachers, were invited to check out stations in several rooms of the school, where they could find out about volunteer opportunities, get resources for young change makers, start hands-on craft projects, and learn about social and environmental issues.

Participants could learn about issues important to the presidential election or register to vote with 18 in '08; while many in the under-18 crowd sported t-shirts from Usher's New Look that read, "I Can't But You Can. Vote." Lil Mama, an 18-year-old New Yorker herself, encouraged youth who were not yet eligible to vote to start keeping track of their thoughts and opinions now, so that they'd be better prepared to use their "voice" (through the ballots) in a few years. To give them a cool place to write down their opinions, she autographed notebooks donated by Street Science, a stylish new school supplies company.

In other rooms, young people were finding out about interesting ways to turn their good intentions into action, from volunteering at an animal shelter, to spreading the use of energy-efficient light bulbs, to getting the word out about sexual abuse. Many signed the Service Nation Declaration of Service, used the computer lab to browse the new Generation Idealist resource center, and learned how to apply for a Do Something grant. Also popular were Children for Children's creative service projects: in one such project, young people decorated plastic pots with caring messages and planted seeds in them so they could be delivered to a local senior center.

It was an inspiring day! If you were there, tell us your story.

This report is by Joanna, who worked at the Idealist table at the Fair.