Send her to Brazil Already!

What were you doing your senior year in high school?  Me? Not much.  My one civic-minded effort?  Selling seed packets to neighbors (I know that dates me a bit).

Lauren Bronson in Nigeria last year

Lauren Bronson?  Oh, just spending her summer working two jobs, trying to get enough money together to go to an international business competition where she and her team will present their national award-winning project at the global competition.

Lauren is part of an international group called SAGE – high school kids interested in changing the world through new socially conscious businesses.  They come up ideas, turn them into businesses then run them while at school – all on their own time and dime.  Their endeavors have to be socially, environmentally and globally sound.

Then, if they’ve done well, they present at state, national, then international, competitions.  

As part of the project, which Lauren has been with for a couple of years, Lauren went off to Nigeria last year and came away energized as ever – finding herself as head of her team this year.  

I saw her team in San Mateo where they presented and won the California State Championship.  So now they are off to Brazil for the global competition.  Teams from Europe, Africa, and the world will all be there hoping to win, but win or lose will come away with something that can’t be taught.  They will have met kids from different cultures, speaking different languages, rich and poor, all working to change the world in a way we can all live with.

So, I don’t know what you were doing when you were in high school, but if Lauren is any glimpse into the future of teens around the world then we’re in good hands.

I spoke to Lauren this morning and they've done well raising money in this current economy, but they need $4000 more for the team of 5 to go – they’ve only got about ten days left, so if you can help – or know someone who can, I can’t think of a better way to spend a few dollars and help some very deserving kids. Paypal link is http://bit.ly/benicia  they'll be happy with any help.

Her school said that you may send a check payable to Benicia High SAGE c/o Sue Tronnes, Benicia Unified School District, 350 East K St., Benicia, CA  94510.

P.S. Lauren will be posting about her travels to Brazil and their team on her pnn blog, which she just started today: http://whereintheworldislb.pnn.com

P.P.S. in case you want to know about SAGE and learn a bit about it’s creator, fellow named Curt DeBerg, who has the energy of the Energizer Bunny, and enough enthusiasm for his kids to guarantee it’s success, check it out here