Leadership and engagement

When the New Frontiers School Board chose to partner with Free the Children in 2011, the global movement initiated by Marc and Craig Kielburger had yet to reach its peak. Now, several years later, Free the Children, the Me to We initiative and We Day celebrations of youth leadership, engagement and empowerment have grown exponentially.

With the goal of inspiring these qualities in their students, those at the NFSB must be extremely pleased with the results. The latest example being 10-year-old Grady MacFarlane’s generous donation to the Ladies Auxiliary of the Huntingdon County Hospital.

Certainly only positives can come from exposing elementary aged students to the transformative power brought about by doing something good locally and for the global community as well. Encouraging our youth to take on an awareness that extends beyond the reaches of the Valley is critical, especially in light of the interconnectedness of the world at this time. Empowering them to think beyond themselves is also imperative. The NFSB also emphasizes key characteristics in their students with the six pillars of character development. Students are taught the value in trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship. Instilling these qualities in young minds will hopefully help to cushion the realities of our society, which so often rewards the opposite.

The summer offers an opportunity for parents to also become engaged with their children in some sort of initiative designed to make a difference. Small fundraisers for causes close to our children’s heart can take very little time to organize but can make a world of difference in empowering our kids to believe they can have an impact.