A Ripple of Change

I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.
Mother Teresa

Lead India: The Tree
The message in the video link above really resonated with me. To me, it links perfectly with what Mother Teresa was saying about casting a ripple of change in the world.

There are times when we view what is going on in the world with a sense of hopelessness. When we think about our ability as a single person to enact change it can feel overwhelming.

Two weeks ago I was inspired by a group of three senior students at our school who felt moved to make a difference. Liesel, Sophia and Lizzy have been paying close attention to the Hong Kong student led peaceful protests over the right to vote for candidates of their own choice. These young women are well-versed in the situation in China, they understand that young people their age are the leaders of the movement, and most importantly they set their minds to determine a course of support for their peers in Hong Kong.

Yesterday Lizzy, Liesel and Sophia hosted a schoolwide assembly to educate their peers on the issue at hand. Students were given a yellow umbrella button to wear and one single yellow sticky note. After learning about the issue, students were invited to record a message of hope for their peers in Hong Kong and place the sticky note on a large marked umbrella on our gymnasium floor. These messages are being sent to Hong Kong today.

Further, students are encouraged to spread the message of support through social media using #umbrellamovement. They hope to cause a ripple of change!

These three women understand that while their peers in China are far removed from them geographically we are all connected by the same desire for democracy. They have also reminded me that we can make a difference! United, we can move a tree! There is hope.

And…this is the type of learning that sticks. This is school!