National Peace Corps Day example essay topic
426 words
journalistic writing on peace corp March 3, 1998 brought about great weather, a rare sunny day in the gloomy city of Seattle. It was perfect for students to skip class and enjoy the sun, but the day was of more importance. This was National Peace Corps day, one that students didn t want to miss. Three hundred and sixty four days a year, students hear about the Peace Corps but only one day do they stop and wonder what it really is. That day is Peace Corps day, when Peace Corp veterans visit schools all over the nation to fulfill that curiosity and tell their old stories. The Peace Corps was started by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 with 3 important goal: 1) to help the people of interested countries meet their needs for trained men and women. 2) to promote a better understanding of the American people of the part of people served. 3) to bring the world back home. As a people to people organization, the Peace Corps has relied on the dedication and commitment of individual Americans for two years, in countries which have requested them. Since 1961 over 135,000 Americans have served as Peace Corps volunteers in more than 15 countries in Asia, Europe, Africa, Central and South America.
The Peace Corps seeks out people with skill and most importantly the dedication to use their skill to help others. It takes great commitment as volunteers are placed in the same poor environments as the native citizens. These places often have no electricity or running water, things people in the U.S. have often taken for granted. Melvin Smith, a Peace Corps veteran in Kenya from 1993, 1995 said, "It was an enormous culture shock. One moment I was watching the Sonics game in Chicago and the next, I m in a little hut in Kenya watching a woman milk a cow". However, the Peace Corps was not created to let Americans shock and challenge themselves but instead to export America's capabilities and brilliance.
It seeks peopl like Melvin Smith who gave up the luxuries and comfort of his home for a life in a developing country with a dedication to make a difference in their society. After the 45 minutes long presentation, students look once again at the beautiful sunshine outside. But, this time with a hope that one day they can bring that sunshine to someone else who haven t seen it. by.
