Thursday, December 3, 2009

Benjamin Rush completion essay

First I want to thank everyone that helped me in any way with Benjamin Rush. I couldn't have done it without you and I'm very thankful for all the opportunities the program opened up for me. Thanks for all that you did. A completion essay was on of the requirements for the program so I thought I'd let you read it so you could see what I learned from the program. So here it is. =)




Being involved in GenJ is great because it reminds me that even kids can do great things. 1 Timothy 4:12 says, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity.” By being involved in the Benjamin Rush program, I was really able to live out that verse. I am young, but I don’t have to sit by and apathetically watch America fall apart. I can’t vote, but I can encourage others to vote and teach them how to vote responsibly. I am young, but I can make a difference. I learned that simple truth through the Benjamin Rush Awards Program.

Ben Rush has different levels of involvement, but I believe all of them are important. Though the civics courses don’t require any more than a desire to learn, they are crucial. You cannot work to get America back to what it was meant to be until you know and understand what her founders intended for her to be. Studying America’s Founding Fathers showed me just how far America has fallen, but it also gave me hope of what this nation can become. The civics courses taught me that political activism is pointless if you have no goal for what your work will achieve.

If political activism were a ladder, writing letters would be the next rung. I’d never let anyone besides friends and family see anything I had written. So the idea of sending a letter to the editor, where there is a chance it will get published and “everyone” will see it, terrified me. But it was nothing compared to the fear I had of sending my ‘insignificant’ thoughts to someone important like my representatives. I learned that things are generally much worse in your imagination than they are in reality.

One part of being civically involved that I had never thought much about in the past is encouraging others toward similar involvement. As I talked to friends, trying to convince them to join GenJ, I was forced to stop and think about why I was doing what I was doing. This strengthened my success because what I did became motivated by convictions. Luke 16:10 says, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much”. God gave me the courage to speak to my friends about GenJ and the importance of being civically involved. Then He did something big. On tax day, when TEA parties formed all over the country, I got the opportunity to speak at one with about 250 people in attendance. Public speaking was something I’d NEVER done before. But as always, God showed Himself to be faithful and gave me the strength to get through it, and 250 people heard about GenJ.

This 1st time of public speaking lead to other opportunities to grow and each time God gave me the courage to do what I’d never done before. As is usual with God, it started small and expanded. Being elected the first president of the newest club in Indiana terrified me yet exhilarated me. Being the first time I’ve lead anything, it’s been a huge learning experience. I’ve learned a lot about leadership, diplomacy, and motivating apathetic people. All of this has only prepared me for greater things. It was through my club that I had the privilege of moderating a Health Care Forum and working toward community education. Each of these experiences laid the groundwork for my decision to run for office at GenJ’s summer camp where I learned more than I thought possible in one week about the workings of our government.

Those I meet in my everyday life are not the only ones who don’t know about GenJ. In meeting with representatives, I had the opportunity to represent GenJ as I shared my views on current political issues. If there is one thing that makes more impact than others, this would be it. Politicians don’t expect kids to pay attention to or care about politics. Those that do care aren’t expected to do anything about it. Those that do get involved aren’t expected to be able to express themselves coherently. I discovered that when a teenager takes the time to talk to their representatives, and does so in an educated manner, those representatives really listen.

I can’t vote, but I can make a difference! That’s something I’ve told myself over and over as I’ve tried to assess the value of my actions. I feel like I’ve had the biggest impact while volunteering through the Student Actions Teams. By the time election week comes, campaign staff are exhausted. When a group of energetic kids comes in and makes phone calls and does literature drops, it takes a lot of pressure off them. The work we do on the SAT is easy and therefore seems like it’s not a big deal, but it is a big deal to those we are helping. When you see a campaign manager filled with energizing gratitude for the work you’ve done, you know you’ve made a difference and you are greeted with the satisfaction that only comes from a job well done. Being involved in the SATs is one of the best things I’ve ever done.

From civics courses to volunteer work, Ben Rush has been a great experience. I’ve learned so much about what God can do through me when I allow myself to come out of my comfort zone. Being civically involved is so important, but it’s useless if you are simply going through the motions. You must have convictions driving you; you must know why you do what you do; and if it’s not ALL for the Glory of God, you are better off sitting at home apathetically.