Organization urges valley teenagers to help fight global poverty, disease

After seeing inspirational photos of children in Uganda, Zambia and other parts of Africa, students at a recent presentation flocked to an island table to sign up for the ONECampaign as a way to help change the world.

Many Americans have been exposed to the ONECampaign, the umbrella organization designed to fight extreme poverty and AIDS; but most people don't know there is a new branch of the campaign called ONEGeneration, designed to inspire middle and high school students to help promote global change.

"ONEGeneration is a program to engage young future voters and educate them as to what's going on in third world countries," said Matt Higginson, deputy state director of ONEVote08 in Nevada. "It unites high school students in Nevada (and America) with the Ugandan child that has no money to attend school."

Teen involvement in ONEGeneration can range from as little as telling others about the program, to writing letters to legislators, to volunteering time in Algeria doing anything from handing out food to building wells.

ONEGeneration recently kicked off its Nevada campaign with a three-day presentation at Canyon Springs High School Leadership and Law Prep Academy to groups of seniors.

"We hope (the presentations) will affect them for their entire lives; we hope the message stays," Higginson said.

Higginson and other's talked about what the ONECampaign is, what ONEGeneration is, gave the audience facts about what is going on in third world countries and ways to help.

Several students said they were inspired by the presentation.

"It was really interesting," said Trevor Royer, 17, a Canyon Springs senior. "It was startling to see all the facts that there are people in the world starving while Americans are sitting back on their fluffy pillows."

Jill Berman, 17, another Canyon Springs senior, had a similar reaction.

"It was deep," she said. "The pictures and stories made you think about how good we (Americans) have it."

Many students, after viewing the slide show, decided to take immediate action.

Higginson and some Canyon Springs seniors plan to make a YouTube video directed toward the presidential candidates and ask them to make the ONECampaign a regular agenda in their campaigns.

Berman said she was moved to action and hopes other students will become involved as well.

"I have a voice when other's don't and I can use it to help them."