Catch the Spirit

The holiday season may only come around once a year, but some teens are in a giving spirit all year round.

Catch the Spirit is an amazing collection of twenty real-life stories compiled by Susan K. Perry. Each story is about a real teen who did something to help others in their community (or beyond).

Every school and library in this country should have a copy of this book. It easily demonstrates how fulfilling and satisfying volunteering can be for people of all ages.

The ideas brought to fruition by these determined teens cover a lot of ground. Brian Harris worked hard to get people of other races to get to know each other, while Max Penning brought basketball hoops to inner-city kids. Others helped feed the homeless or bring happiness to terminally ill kids.

The media often portrays this generation's teenagers as worthless gangsters. Generalizations like that are never worth much and the stories in this book go far to prove just how much a teen can do.

I've spoken with teens who feel 'labeled' by how they think society at large sees them and the lessons they could learn from this book are innumerable. No matter your age, no matter your social status, no matter anything...you can make a difference.

And, no matter who you are, this book will make you think, "I should do more!" and there's no better goal than that.

• High
  School Students Catch the Spirit (Southeastern Community Blood Center)


• Catch
  the Spirit: A Student's Guide to Community Service (The Prudential
  & the U.S. Department of Education)


• BunnyApe.com
  - (Susan K. Perry's website)