Helping Japan

In the last week, news coverage everywhere has been covering the Japanese earthquake and the devastation left by the following tsunami. As I witnessed the devastation occurring on the other side of the planet, I thought of the International Baccalaureate concept of “think globally, act locally”. With this notion in mind, I began to think of different ways to raise money to alleviate the pain many Japanese people feel at this moment. Already at DCDS, a group of students have planned a bake sale (I don’t think the administration would allow a second baking event). However, after considering this option, my mind wandered back to charity tennis tournament which I have at different points in the year been planning. The conflict in Japan has inspired me once again to redouble my efforts on the tournament in hopes of raising a substantial amount of money to send to Japan.

At the current moment, I am trying to overcome the obstacle that has held me back in the past: finding sponsors to facilitate an affordable t-shirt give away and supply food at the event. My mom has already volunteered her OBGYN firm as a potential sponsor, but I seek to get other organizations in the company involved. I know that that my hometown, West Bloomfield, has a substantial Japanese population that would appreciate the gesture and would be interested in participating in the event.

Of all the IB learning outcomes, the one which best applies to my reinspiriation is #7: the consideration of the ethical implications of my actions. Though clichéd, the motto “treat others as you want to be treated” has inspired this latest effort to run the charity tennis tournament. Though the multi-cultural understanding fostered in the IB curriculum, I feel a connection to those people suffering in other countries despite the cultural disconnect between us. The pain of the Japanese people is my pain, and I seek to do my part in the recovery by raising money though local activities.