What YOU can do

Here are a few ways you can become a positive role model:

• Volunteer at a local Elementary or Middle School
• Work at a Summer day of overnight camp
• Join a local Boys and Girls Club
• Set a good example for the children in your life

How I make a difference

My first experience being a role model began with doing volunteer work at a local day camp as a counselor. I spent all summer with kids, and it was the most fun I had ever had. Besides having a natural love for children, I liked the idea of impacting their lives.  From that summer on, I constantly had something going on in my life that had to do with working with kids. I volunteered in a local elementary school helping with class work and activities; I babysat almost every weekend, and continued to work at summer camps. Spending time with kids gives them someone to relate to. I was someone outside of their house and classroom that was there to listen and help them if needed. It gave me a chance to provide meaningful experiences for them and impact a part of their life. Especially for girls, adolescence can be a hard time. Filled with drama, stress, and school; giving these girls someone to look up to can help them with self exploration, and learning the facts of life.

Research shows…

Children who have positive role models have greater self-esteem and perform better in school than those who don’t. Adolescence is the most vulnerable and impressionable time for children. Role models can inspire a child to dream big and can motivate them to achieve their goals.  They are learning and observing everything around them: how to behave, how to deal with problems, how to interact with others, etc.  With so much negative media and the growing popularity of sexuality and revealing clothing, girls today especially, are in dire need of positive role models in their lives to guide them in the right direction.

The beginning of it all

Welcome to MakeADifference4Kids!

I guess I’ll start this blog by telling you all a little about myself and where my passion for being a role model came from.

My name is Julie Smelansky and I’m a college freshman at The University of Kansas from Minneapolis, Minnesota. I am majoring in Strategic Communications in Journalism with a minor in Business and Jewish Studies.

Throughout various experiences in my life I have come to realize how important it is to be a role model for the youth of our society. This blog tells of my experiences and how to be a role model and why it is important.

I had wanted a sister since the moment I could talk and when I was seven years old my dream came true. Someone to play with, someone to fight with, and someone to teach things to…I was born to be an older sister. I knew from the day she came home from the Hospital, that Eliana, my new baby sister was going to change my life forever. I was her one and only sister. I’m the one she comes to for advice; How to deal with friends, boys, and school. I’m the one who consoles her after a fight with the parents, and i’m the one who she looks up to the most. Although my sister and I constantly fight, as do all siblings, I promised myself that I would never fail to be a positive role model in her life. Being a big sister has changed me. Through the good and bad times, the experiences that my sister and I have gone through have shaped me into the person I am today, and that I am truly thankful for. I saw how everything I did affected my sister. She was watching my every move. Every argument I had wth my parents, every clothing choice I made when shopping, and all the people I chose to spend my time with; Elie was watching and learning. I did my best to make sure that my sister was seeing the best of me, even if that meant giving up something I enjoyed. It brings a smile to my face knowing that I have impacted my sister’s life and have helped her become the strong individual she is today. If I can make such a strong impact on one person, I know I could do the same for more, and so can all of you!

Think of all of the people who you looked up to and admired as a child. How did they impact your life? Where would you be without them? There are thousands of children out there who are without role models.

Make a difference in a child’s life and become a positive role model for a child you know.

Anyone can be a role model, young or old. Remember that today’s children are the leaders of tomorrow!