Crossroads Middle School, Pennsylvania

Helping: Pass It On   By- Genny

I always look forward to the first day of school.  All you do is sit and listen to teachers talk about their rules; no thinking involved. Most of the time, it was, as the French would say, quelle barbe. However, I remember Ms. L was telling us about social studies in an exciting way. She said how it was up to us, the future generation, to change the world, being the next generation. I hope I did you proud, Ms. L, because I did my best to change the world.

One our major grades in reading class was to Pay It Forward

My 3 “PIF” actions were to help my mom clean out the bottomless pit she calls her closet J, do my sisters’ chores for a week, and to help out Mrs. L, the special needs teacher at my school. This was a very frustrating process, mainly because, since it was an assignment, there were due dates. I had had other ideas I wanted to do, like help a neighbor out with her homework, and visit someone on a weekly basis at the old folks home, but they were too time consuming to complete by my deadlines. Even helping my mom out was a last minute thing! I believe that for the people I’ve “paid it forward” to, the process will be less stressful because of that reason.  

My First “PIF”

I thought the people who were more likely to “PIF” were:
1.people that go to my church because they’re all about peace.
2.teachers because they may feel that if they don’t “pay it forward” they’re not doing their job.
3.children who are very kind and always willing to help because they usually are up for world change and want everyone to get along: I’m one of those people.

My sister, Laurina, I thought would definitely “PIF” because she falls under category 3. She is very kind, selfless, and has seen the movie. She thought the “PIF” concept was decent, but wasn’t over-the-edge enthusiastic. I wasn’t sure about my other sister, Violet, because she is younger and sometimes forgetful. I have learned not to assume too much because Violet has “paid it forward” and Laurina hasn’t, though she has some ideas.

While doing both of my sisters’ chores, I became very appreciative of what my chores are. I usually put the laundry away, but for one week, I did that, scraped the dishes, swept the stairs, and set the table. I was grossed out by my family’s scraps, and was always afraid of breaking things while setting the table. I was overwhelmed much of the time because every time I finished one thing, I had something else to do!
“PIF” #2

One day, I wrote a letter to Mrs. L asking her if she needed any help. I was excited because I was going to meet new people. When I got down to her room, she told me that several of her students were nonverbal, so I would be making cards that had words on them with the appropriate gesture. It was monotonous, but I didn’t let myself become bored. I kept reminding myself that my work was deeply appreciated, that Mrs. L really needed to get those cards done so that the children’s parents had a readily available source to communicate with them, and then it became fun! I enjoyed myself, and I know the next time I see her, I will learn something new, even if it’s as simple as if your work is appreciated, you should try to enjoy it.
Last Minute Change

2 days before this story was due and I still hadn’t gotten to help my neighbor—it was one of those things where it just couldn’t happen. Oh, how I wished that I didn’t have any deadlines. I was so incredibly frustrated—why did I have to help someone if there wasn’t enough time to help them? Finally, I said to myself, “Gen, why are you sitting here complaining to yourself. Help someone else!” So I decided help my mom. I asked my mom, “What do you need help with? I want to ‘pay it forward to you.’” My mother replied by saying, “Let me think about it.” A little while later, she said that her closet was a mess, and organizing it was a task that felt too huge to accomplish by herself. So that night, Mom and I went through all her clothes, sorted them, and I even helped her do the laundry.  After the task was finished, she simply shouted, “Woohoo, I feel all clean! Thank you sooooooo much for helping me Gen!”

Mom is a college teacher, so she has many opportunities to “PIF” to many people. She can “PIF” to her colleagues or students. I think her college might turn into a “PIF” community because if she “pays it forward” to her students, and her students pay it forward to their college friends, the concept might spread throughout campus, and get to the point where many college students who are the scientists and politicians of tomorrow want a positive change in the world.
 Help the World

If anyone wants to get involved in the “PIF” movement, I have some advice for them. I would say not to choose their “PIF” subjects based on whether you think they will “PIF” because they might need the most help, and they might surprise you like Violet surprised me! I would also want to tell you to have fun with it—it’s serious, but why not enjoy yourself while helping out? Lastly, I want to tell you that only you can decide what the future will be. I hope everyone takes Miss L seriously, and helps the world for the better.