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What’s the difference between Changapalooza and all the other parties, carnivals, shows and special events going on this time of year?

If you heard or read about it, you may have an idea. If you were there Saturday afternoon, May 17, you may have more of an idea as you watched everybody running around at Glen Miller park’s Roosevelt Hill. You may have listened to the entertainment or tried some of the ethnic foods. Or if you were a young person, you probably took part in some of the games. Or you may have noticed the large crowd, made up of so many people you rarely see. If you were young, you had fun without thinking of it. If you were older, you may have wondered why you were having fun doing very little except watching other people have fun.

You may even have puzzled as to who all these kids in blue shirts were. Let me tell you who they were: They were running the show. Not only that — it was their show. That’s the difference.

The Changapalooza Helpers, from left: Kate Hogg, Mary Hirt, Annette Jetmore, Rae Woolpy, and Karen Ball.

All the kids had a chance to try to put one of the Ninth Graders in the Dunk Tank.

And if you don’t hit the mark the first time, you have someone go over and press the target — and down she goes!

It all began last year in Kate Hogg’s English class of the Ninth Grade Academy at Richmond High School. They all read the book, “Freedom Riders Diary,” which has caused controversy in some communities. With them, it caused them to want to do a service project based on the values of diversity. They wanted to show that kids do care — and to prove it they did 90% of the work to make Changapalooza happen. It was a great success, drawing some 2,000 people to the park. Thirty kids put on the whole show with Kate Hogg as “facilitator.” This year, the show drew nearly 3,000 people, with 80 kids and seven teachers helping.

So what did it accomplish? Let me count the ways:

* It showed that kids can have good ideas on their own.

* It told the community that kids care.

* It provided “empowerment” for the young people, or less formally, provedDer Caribean Poker - Spieler sollte dann zurück auf “Spielmenü” gehen und das entsprechende Spiel wählen, das er in der Wirklichkeit craps möchte, aus. to them that they can do some good things by themselves.

* It showed that diversity can be a valuable asset for any group, city, or nation.

* It showed that good can be found in all people, regardless of race, creeds or color.

* It showed that all ages can have fun together, even teachers and their students.

* It showed that older people can sometimes learn from younger people.

All this came together in a happy event with a name only kids would invent. And that’s why things like Changapalooza are the Hope of the World.

Vic Jose :: May.27.2008 :: Uncategorized ::

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