Response recorded
You don't have to be a Reebok Human Rights Award winner to make a positive difference in the world.
The student upstanders spotlighted below started by thinking about issues that concerned them. They wanted to do something about what they saw, and ultimately, they took action. It wasn't always easy for them--taking action is not a guarantee for success. But regardless of the outcome, each one of them has made a difference. And for that, we thank them!
Do you have a story you'd like to share?
The student upstanders spotlighted below started by thinking about issues that concerned them. They wanted to do something about what they saw, and ultimately, they took action. It wasn't always easy for them--taking action is not a guarantee for success. But regardless of the outcome, each one of them has made a difference. And for that, we thank them!
Do you have a story you'd like to share?
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Singing for Human Rights According to peace educator Arn Chorn Pond, music is "a really basic human right" that gets to "the core of what it means to be human." Arn’s belief is embraced by the Ipswich, Massachusetts-based... |
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Fighting Apathy and Raising Awareness: The Cypress Falls STAND Chapter Students at "Cy-Falls" High School were motivated to start their STAND chapter after recognizing the similarities between the Holocaust and the ongoing genocide in Darfur. Not wanting to allow the... |
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Rebuilding in New Orleans: Katie Sims and Sacred Heart Prep On December 19th 2006, a group of 18 high school students and 7 teachers and parents from the Sacred Heart School (SHS) School in Atherton, California left on a five-day trip to New Orleans to work... |
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Recognizing an Opportunity: Minh Nguyen and Project Booknet When Minh Nguyen, a student at the Boston Latin School, saw the many books the school was throwing out during its renovation, he was sure there were many other places that could use those books. Minh... |
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Taking Action in Africa: The United Africa Society (UAS) In the summer of 2006, five students from Cape Town, South Africa (Maxin Rubin, Roxy Kawitzky, Daniel Kaliski, Gia Benatar, Jamie Srubis), formed the United Africa Society (UAS). Their mission is to... |
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Volunteering one-on-one: Annie Lobel, Dan Simon and National Student Partnerships In high school, Annie Lobel and Dan Simon each participated in projects to help make a difference in the lives of others. When they became students at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts, they... |
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Working Towards a Cure for Diabetes: Timothy M. Timothy M. is a 10 year-old 5th grader from Connecticut. When he was 18 months old, he was diagnosed with an incurable disease: Type 1 diabetes. He has struggled with this disease his entire life,... |
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Standing Up for Best Practices in the Classroom: Ariela Rothstein During her sophomore year in high school, Ariela Rothstein sat in art class talking with her friends about their teachers. Some were wonderful, others were less-desirable. As the conversation went on... |
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Advocating for Youth: The Ohio Youth Agenda "Teens get in the mindset of, ‘Why try? Why try to get more laws passed, why does it matter?'…Either we organize, or we won’t be heard." Ohio student Jonathan Lykes and a growing number of his peers... |
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Organizing for Haiti: Gerald M. Gerald M. was a sophomore at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School in Sudbury, Massachusetts when he decided that something more had to be done to address the poverty in Haiti. The solution he found... |
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Honoring Her Father by Helping Others: Mackenzie Lowry By Lina Tetelbaum"I didn't choose a cause...my cause chose me," explains Mackenzie Lowry, describing the circumstances that led her to fight for tobacco use cessation in schools, communities, and... |
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Racing to Make a Difference: Shruti Shah By Sara Skvirsky When she was in ninth grade, Shruti Shah of Memphis, Tennessee, switched from private school to public school. She started reading about the school system and was shocked with what... |
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Fighting for your Beliefs: Emma B. By Rebecca Kottler-Wein“Who needs brains when you have these?" declared the front of on Abercrombie and Fitch t-shirt. Another read"Gentlemen Prefer Tig ‘Ole Bitties" across the chest. In October of... |
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Filming Big Ideas: Aaron Kohn By Jennifer Bombasaro-Brady"There is no idea too big, it just depends on how willing you are to fight for it." This quotation on high school student Aaron Kohn's personal website, sums up Aaron’s... |
Preventing Genocide, Promoting Peace: A Podcast Conversation with Arn Chorn Pond
On April 11, 2008, three Facing History and Ourselves students had a conversation with Cambodian Genocide survivor and peace advocate Arn Chorn Pond. Arn spoke passionately to the students about his personal history, the choices he has made to "Be the Change," and his thoughts about how each of us can play a role in preventing genocide.
Listen to the podcast
Share Your Story
Are you, or do you know an eleven-to-eighteen year old who's making a positive difference in the lives of others? Want to write a "Student Spotlight"?
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