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Why volunteer at the World Savvy Challenge?
Charmagne Campbell-Patton
February 2nd 2012
Why volunteer at the World Savvy Challenge?
I don’t know about you, but I find it hard not to get easily fed up by the rhetoric we hear all around us in politics and in the news, particularly now that we are in an election year. Luckily, my favorite day of the year is coming up….Challenge Day. Every year, hundreds of middle and high school students come together at Macalester College and San Francisco State University to present research and solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing our world. This day goes far beyond the usual rhetoric and allows student to dive deeply into issues of global concern. It also provides them with a chance to dialogue with peers about these issues and their solutions. Volunteering at the Challenge is a great way to show support for the students, who are all too often left out of the conversation about solving the challenges that they will face when they grow up.
But don’t just take my word for it. Hear from some of our past volunteers about their experiences:
"As a judge, I am fortunate to learn solutions to problems that worry me from them. I feel like my frustration for complex world issues has diminished a bit in hearing passionate words from the mouths of youth." – 2011 Challenge Judge
"Participating in the Challenge gave me great hope that the children today will be better equipped to deal with global issues in the future." – 2011 Challenge Judge
"I really enjoyed my time as a judge. Not only did the students learn a lot through their research and presentation, but I learned a lot!" – 2011 Challenge Judge
"I loved being a judge. It is so fun and inspiring to spend the day with these creative and passionate young students, listening to their ideas and learning from their presentations. They are so insightful, thoughtful and creative (and enthusiastic!)" – 2010 Challenge Judge
"Serving as a judge was an uplifting experience, and it seems that encouraging a focus on local, national and international solutions to complex problems is helping to create a thoughtful, engaged next generation of leaders!" – 2010 Challenge Judge
I hope you will consider volunteering your time as a judge at one of this year’s regional challenge competitions. There are two opportunities to judge at a live event – in St. Paul on March 3rd and San Francisco on March 17th – but if you are not located in one of those areas or are unavailable on those dates, we are also looking for online judges this year! For more information, click here.
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