W hen a Wal-Mart cashier was little and facing a bleak Christmas, she was thrilled to receive presents from a "secret" Santa, and the memory still makes her happy. She told Ben Davis High School students that story as they purchased presents for low-income children in their community, helping them see firsthand how their generosity and goodwill lives on, even after the holidays. For the past nine

About 27,000 girls are in the Hoosier Capital Council of Girl Scouts of America, which includes Indianapolis. But only 10 percent of them are over age 11. At that age, "they're entering middle school, and they have more opportunities," said Laura Foshee, the council's chief operating officer, adding that some girls' attitude toward scouts becomes "already done that." But Girl Scouts offers a lot t

There is the belief in this country that every individual has the fundamental right to the "American dream." With work, we believe, it can be achieved. But sometimes the opportunity to fulfill this dream is cut short. In such cases, there is an organization dedicated to helping individuals pursue their dreams. As executive director of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Indiana, Robin MacKinnon finds th

Imagine going to high school with 3,210 other kids. Do you think you'd be able to find your way around in seven minutes with that many people in the hallways? Could you make friends? North Central High School freshmen share many such concerns. Panther Quest, an optional summer program, is designed to help students become familiar with the school and each other before the school year begins. To fin

Toiling in sweatshops, orange groves, factories and other arduous workplaces are approximately 250 million child laborers worldwide, according to the International Labour Organization. However, thanks to the efforts of one teen-ager, at least 100,000 young people are working to help them. They are the youth members of Free the Children, an international organization with a dual purpose: to end chi

"Roots creep underground everywhere and make a firm foundation. Shoots seem very weak, but to reach the light, they can break open brick walls. Imagine that the brick walls are all the problems we have inflicted on our planet. Hundreds of thousands of roots & shoots, hundreds of thousands of young people around the world, can break through these walls. We can change the world." -- Jane Goodall In

"I just want to try and do something good for the world. That's why I take part in projects, 'cause it makes me feel like I have a purpose in life," said Philip Mpagi, 18, of Kampala, Uganda. For four years, Philip has been a part of iEARN, the International Education and Resource Network. The program connects students and teachers around the world. Philip found out about iEARN through his older b

When Charity Abner was 8 years old, her mom worked three jobs to support the family. Knowing time with her daughter was limited, she turned to Big Sisters, a program that pairs girls with adult mentors. Doris entered Charity's life. Doris and Charity spent time talking, swimming and going to the zoo. "I didn't understand the whole concept. All I knew was I had this girl, my buddy, who always took

In the late 1980s, Peter Copen saw a world in need of improvement. "Environmentally, the world was a mess. In terms of hunger and conflict and racism, all the issues that were facing humanity were getting worse and worse," said Ed Gragert, director of iEARN, the International Education and Resource Network. Copen believed modern technology could help students communicate with their peers around th

Many children see nothing of their dads except in the morning and at night, juggling a schedule of work and school. Weekends can be just as busy. But it's different for some Indianapolis children and their dads, who are members of Foolish Fathers. Imagine a day of doing nothing but having fun. That is the idea behind Foolish Fathers, founded in 1972 by seven dads who almost called the organization

Last year about 50,000 Boy Scouts in the United States earned the highest rank of Eagle. That may seem like a lot, but it represents only about 4 percent of the boys in Scouting. The requirements for achieving Eagle Scout rank can be daunting. They include earning 21 merit badges and performing a sizable service project for the community, among other tasks. Still, most younger Scouts are intent on

A merica's Promise was founded in 1997, after the Presidents' Summit for America's Future, "to ensure that every young person -- no matter their class, race or culture -- has access to the tools that create opportunities for success," according to its Web site, www.americaspromise.org. The nonprofit organization seeks to collaborate with communities to fulfill "Five Promises" to youth, which inclu