To make our society a better place for children, I believe having a good leader to show them how to be the best they can be. A good leader’s characteristics include accountability for their attitude, effort and behavior. I don’t think a good leader is born a good leader; it is definitely a learned behavior. … Read moreMake Our Society a Better Place for Children
The journey to healing is a process, no matter if it is physical, spiritual, mental, or emotional. As humans, we often want that process to go by faster. Many of us do more harm to ourselves than good. When a trauma happens, we want to get back to living life, the way we use to, … Read moreA Key to Healing Faster
One of the most useful skills we can cultivate in this day and age is the ability to patiently listen and connect with someone who holds a different belief, or opinion than our own. There have been a series of major events this year that embody the clear division that exists between families, communities, and … Read more3 Aspects of Compassionate Disagreement
Part of living a healthy and vibrant lifestyle includes being able to nurture relationships with family, loved ones, and members of the community. These human connections are essential to our well-being and fill us with a sense of belonging that is unique unto itself. Nurturing relationships takes skillful communication. Nevertheless, effective communication can at times … Read moreSkillful Communication in Relationships
I began playing piano at senior centers in San Jose with other children when I was nine. When I started high school, I took a leap of faith and began performing solo piano concerts at the Reutlinger Community for Jewish Living. Each visit consists of two hour-long recitals in the assisted-living and skilled-nursing centers. With … Read moreClose the Technology Gap for Seniors
I’ve been scratched, bitten, spit on, screamed at, and peed on by several kids with special needs. They are still my favorite people on earth. Growing up, there were many times I felt embarrassed of my younger brother with autism, who drooled all over his shirts and sang too loudly in public places. As I … Read moreLoving My Beautiful Friends with Special Needs
What can I do? As soon as I put the book down, I knew I had to do something. Kisses from Katie, a book describing one college freshman journey of moving to Uganda and starting a nonprofit, captivated my attention from the time I picked it up to the time I finished it. My sheltered … Read morePassion to Serve
Raising a child to be a citizen is an immense challenge. A citizen is someone who has a desire to understand the world, and a commitment to improving it. The global problems of today can seem so large that individuals feel their actions would be meaningless. This apathy cannot be an option forever. Without a … Read moreRaising a Child to be a Citizen
When I first started playing violin, I began by learning the names and functions of each part of the delicate instrument. As a second-grader, the memorization was a daunting task; the only part of the instrument I could consistently recall was the bridge: a small, curved piece of wood whose function is to hold the … Read moreWorking to Bridge the Age Gap
Children hopscotch in front of a crime scene and play tag by a memorial; our children deserve to reach their goals and have their name plastered on billboards rather than obituaries. Follow me home to Santa Rita and you will find the neighborhood with the highest teen-pregnancy rates in the county, the block central to … Read moreThe Children of Santa Rita Need Role Models