Taking a lunch break with globally minded high school students

Yesterday I had the opportunity to speak with students studying global issues from Carrboro High School in Carrboro, North Carolina. The students, led by teacher and ONE member Matt Cone, have been researching politics and events around the world and will begin studying the Congo this spring. To learn more about the subject many sacrificed their lunch hour to have a discussion via Skype about ONE and creating change through advocacy.

Mr. Cone has mobilized his students to connect with members from their community as well as national leaders, including former First Lady Laura Bush, Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, Dr. Paul Farmer, former Secretary of State Colin Powell and former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. Last January and again this year, Howard Buffet flew a group of CHS students to Illinois to meet with him for a discussion of global poverty that stemmed from a reading group that these students participated in.

The students have also taken action by raising more than $125,000 for NGOs, staged community dialogues, written and performed plays for their peers, sent letters and petitions to politicians, and gone out into the larger world with a commitment to staying engaged on global issues.

I enjoyed the chance to speak with Mr. Cone’s students and answer their questions about ONE and the important work occurring in Africa. It was a pleasure to communicate with such an engaged group of students, and I look forward to seeing the impact that they have on the world.