When I received the invitation to take part in ‘Shelby Shake’ with seventh grade students at Shelbyville Middle School on Friday, October 28, I had no idea what to expect. I knew that all involved community professionals would have 60 seconds with each student where the kids would respond to a specific prompt. My script was to ask students, “Tell me about an influential local non-profit organization, and explain the rationale for your selection.”
I had run into Alex Krach who is the Director at the Grover Center before the event and he tried to prep me for it. He had taken part in the event more than once and he told me, “the students will be nervous.” I told him my prompt and explained that I wouldn’t have known what a Nonprofit organization was when I was in Seventh Grade. Anticipating that these students wouldn’t either, I brought a small flier that had a very brief definition of the word ‘Nonprofit’ and a list of a few Nonprofits on it.
When I got to the event at the School Library, the room was full. There were 65+ adults wearing lanyards around their necks with their name and organization on it, multiple chairs set up facing each other with station numbers on the floor, and cameras from local media present. In essence, these students were about to go through a speed-dating type of interview process where they were expected to introduce themselves, keep eye contact, speak clearly, and think quickly on their feet.
The line of students eventually started to arrive and I noticed smiles along with a few tears on cheeks. Others admitted to their nerves during the initial ice breaker that was intentionally set up in a small group setting with a ratio of approximately 5 leaders to 5 kids. It was eventually time for us to find our station and have a seat. A gong sounded to begin my 60 seconds with my first student.
You can imagine my surprise when she cheerfully introduced herself and then confidently nodded her head, ‘Yes,’ to my question and then proceeded to give me a specific example of a Nonprofit with a reason as to why she thought that it was a good organization. I thought that maybe she was an honor or exemplary student, but with each Gong sound I found another student prepared. Sure, there were a few who didn’t know exactly how a Nonprofit operated, but even those kids listened well and engaged with me when I gave them a brief explanation. Some giggled when I mentioned that they could ‘cheat’ and look at a few of the names of Nonprofits on the flier that I had made.
Ultimately, I heard multiple personal stories of their experiences with Nonprofits. For example, the Boys and Girls Club had provided before or after school care for them when their parents or guardians needed to be at work. Girls Inc. not only had educational activities but it was a fun place to be as well. Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) was an organization that they had helped support through their local church. The American Cancer Society had helped someone that they knew so they had seen first-hand that it was a good organization. The Salvation Army gives meals to the hungry. The stories continued.
I left extremely impressed by how nicely the event was organized by Kristiaan Rawlings, 7th/8th Grade Language Arts teacher at SMS, and by how he was introducing students to different professions and helping them prepare for an interview process at a young age. Still feeling new to my role at the Blue River Community Foundation as a “Community Engagement Officer,” I also left inspired by the purpose and good work that Nonprofits do. As a Nonprofit, I hope that you will be reminded that your work is not only influencing your direct causes but is also seen and making a difference in young lives. Thank you for your work!
~Submitted by Laura Land