Guest Author - Jan Zeiger

Roots and Shoots began in 1991 when a group of teenagers decided to stop just talking about issues and actually took action to make a difference in their community. With the help of well-known conservationist, Jane Goodall, the group planned and implemented their first service project in their home country of Tanzania. This small group led to the formation of Roots and Shoots which is now made up of thousands members in more than 100 countries.

Roots and Shoots groups are focused on helping people, animals, and the environment, so projects and activities are reflective of this. Jane Goodall's global organization, Roots and Shoots, reaches out to people of all backgrounds and children of all ages and provides a proven model for success that can be tailored to meet the needs of any group. Group leaders may download the manual which provides guidelines and suggestions, but most of the decisions and planning will be up to the individual group. Since every community is different, no two Roots and Shoots groups will be the same. Ideas for activities and service projects are born as a result of what’s happening in the community as well as the world as a whole. In addition, the children's interests greatly influence group activities.

The new Roots and Shoots group I’m co-leading is geared towards younger children, so we’ll be participating in projects and activities that are appropriate for little ones. For example, we’ll make our own solar ovens from pizza boxes to help the children understand the power of solar energy and how to harness it. Our service projects might include picking up trash along a local river or collecting canned goods for needy families. We’ll also learn to appreciate nature and wildlife by visiting local areas of interest like Blue Springs, a natural manatee refuge, and by participating in “hands on” activities such as planting and tending an organic vegetable garden. As the children grow, so will the depth and scope of our projects along with the children‘s role in the planning process.

According to the official Roots and Shoots website, the program “…not only motivates young people to learn about pertinent issues facing our local and global communities, but helps them actually design, lead and implement their own projects as a means of solving them.”

Would you like to get involved? There may be a group already established in your area. If not, you can start your own group or get eco-friendly project ideas to do with your own children.