Chicago’s Midtown Educational Foundation was honored to be one of 50 model programs chosen from across the country to participate in the President’s Summit for America’s Future. The foundation operates after-school programs for inner-city kids–programs that are built on the generous and enthusiastic work of more than 500 volunteers.
Many are calling the summit a giant pep rally, an expensive party costing millions of dollars that could instead have been spent on needy people.
There was, however, another side, one that was far less “photo-oppable” but much more interesting than the parade of events and high-profile speakers. Most summit participants were ordinary people. They spent long days in work sessions, hammering out plans for local activities that will echo the call to service made in Philadelphia. The goal: Sustain the energy, expand the fruits.
Plenty of mini-summits will soon be taking place throughout Illinois and across the U.S. But the legacy of the summit will not lie in these follow-up events. The summit, you see, was only a call to service, a request for help. It was an extremely loud call because of the voices present in Philadelphia, but in the end it was only a plea for people to get involved, particularly on behalf of young people. The mini-summits will make the same request.
The legacy of the summit depends on individual people who hear the plea. It’s a matter of generosity. I hope people do respond for the sake of vulnerable children who need caring adults to get involved in their lives.
