Last week I sent my kids back to Maryland to attend a TeenPact event. If you aren’t familiar with TeenPact and you homeschool it is worth researching for your family.
During the week the students learn about government and elect Delegates, Senators and a Governor from their peers. This year my daughter ran for governor, but lost to her good friend Evan. He appointed her Lt. Governor and she said she was thankful because she didn’t have to give the Governor’s speech. She came home from TeenPact and told me Evan’s speech was the best she’d heard at TeenPact, I’ve included an excerpt below.
….And that’s all incredibly important, because ignorance gets us nowhere. We need to be competent, resourceful, confident, even vivacious! We need to realize that change happens when one person stands up and says “I’ve had enough!” We need to realize that a battle cry starts with one voice; that a forest fire starts with a flame, and a flame begins with a single spark. As young people, you and I are told we can’t; we are too young; come back in ten years. But you can make a difference. You can be that spark. You can be that voice that starts the charge. That’s something Teenpact does. It gives a vision and a hope. We are the next generation. We can impact our nation; we can impact our capitals; we can impact our neighborhoods.
Whether you homeschool or not your kids can make a difference in your home, your community, your country and the world. Don’t let your kids settle for waiting until they get “old enough” to make a difference. They can make a difference today. Find out what your child is passionate about and use that passion to make a difference.
Although this speech was written for a group of high schoolers I believe we can learn something from it too. As moms many times we feel we labor in vain. We are tired from late night feedings, overwhelmed with diapers and laundry, and busy with soccer practice, music lessons and play dates. The young man who wrote this speech has a mother who has spent the past 18 years raising a son who is a leader, game changer, and visionary. While we might not see the fruit of our labor when our kids are young (and we are removing melted crayon from our dryers) we must stay focused on the future.
We are changing the diapers of future missionaries, soldiers, and Senators. We are pushing future teachers and fire fighters on the park swings. We are putting band aids on the “boo boo’s” of future doctors and nurses. As mom’s we make a difference in our children’s lives, the lives of their friends and those they influence. We may never give a Governor’s speech, shock someone’s heart back into rhythm, or travel to an African village to talk about Jesus, but that doesn’t mean we can’t change the world.
It starts with a single spark. What are you waiting for?
If you have a Facebook account I think you can read the speech in its entirety.
