Letters- Opportunity for service

Dear Editor,

As a 2007 graduate of Hudson Senior High School who is currently serving with AmeriCorps, service to our community is how I’ve lived my life. I’m proud to say that a service organization that I partook in during my time at the University of Minnesota is now offering Hudson area youth an opportunity to participate in a summer service project! The organization Students Today Leaders Forever (STLF) has led almost 400 Pay it Forward Tours across the United States and I’m happy to write that I’ve been a participant and leader on three tours.

The tour is not only a chance to see other parts of the country while completing service projects, but give youth an opportunity to see challenges and struggles that others face. Here’s the basic info: the Hudson High School Pay it Forward Tour takes place July 31-August 4. The Hudson tour will be a 5-day trip that will depart on July 31 and travel by coach bus to four cities: Waterloo, IA; Galesburg, IL; Springfield, IL; and St. Louis, MO. While in these cities, the youth will participate in a service trip, have lunch with the community that was served, and participate in activities that have been arranged by STLF. More information about the organization and the Hudson tour can be found on the STLF’s website at http://www.stlf.net.

If you are a parent of a high school student, I advise you to send your student on this amazing opportunity. Your student will not only have the opportunity to bond with other students from our community, but also begin to chart his/her future path with a service-oriented mind. The tour is led by current college students who strive to serve as a positive mentor to youth.

If you are a high school student, think of this as an opportunity to get away before the fall school year starts. You get a chance to see new cities, tour St. Louis, visit college campuses, and meet current college students that will be your leaders all while serving others. This is a chance for you to learn more about what college and major might be right for you, and to just have fun with your friends!

Katie Brokaw, Hudson

Tags: opinion, letters, education