Working for the future

A new buzzword in educational circles, as Nicolas Kristof tells us in the New York Times, is social entrepreneurship. This movement involves a number of young people who do hands-on work to help others in the world. Projects include innovations such as starting a non-profit group to help AIDS orphans in Africa to attend school and projecting free movies in small Mexican towns for people too poor to pay the price at a theater. The spirit that made the Peace Corps such a force for good in the world forty years ago has not died, but these new projects are self-directed by young people themselves. At this time when we are going through a contentious presidential campaign, it's good to know that some young citizens do more than vote for someone else to lead them--they step up and take on the tasks themselves. It's inspiring to read about them.