Getting "back" on their feet: some saw the images of Hurricane Katrina on TV; some saw the devastation firsthand or heard about it from those who had. All of them—high school students just like you—wanted to help

Careers and Colleges, Nov-Dec, 2005 by Amanda Martinez

It was simple, really: they didn't have to travel halfway around the globe to do it; they didn't have to spend a fortune or even have the strength to lift the debris. All that high school students coast to coast had to do to make a difference was to fill a backpack.

That's right: a backpack--one complete with pens, pencils, notebooks, and markers. Each package was part of "We've Got Your Back," a program sponsored by the nonprofit organization Do Something, Inc. Their initiative helped thousands of students in the South who had to evacuate their homes and attend new schools when Hurricane Katrina hit this past August.

"From California to Connecticut and back down to Florida, 'We've Got Your Back' is everywhere.... We even received a shipment from Saint Albert School in Canada," says Emily Luke, an associate with Do Something, Inc.

Do Something, Inc. worked with Nickelodeon to get the word out about "We've Got Your Back," and it didn't take long before the donations started pouring in. By the end of September, students had donated over 4,000 backpacks, which were shipped to Hogg Middle School in Houston, Texas for distribution. And when Hurricane Rita threatened the area for a second time just weeks later, Do Something, Inc. set up another backpack "hub" at Ponchatoula High School (PHS) in Louisiana.

"When kids go through something painful, it feels good to know that other kids support them," says Luke. "As students across the country stuff backpacks ... they feel that they are truly making a difference."

The students each had their own reasons for becoming involved. Some, like 17-year-old Daniel Stevens from PHS, donated simply because they felt it was their responsibility to "extend [their] blessings to those in need."

Other students, including 14-year-old Keegan Flynn, had family members who were affected by Hurricane Katrina: "[My relatives] were fortunate enough to have resources that will carry them through a period of time, but I wondered what would become of people who didn't. I wanted to help in any way I could," says Keegan, who is a freshman at Rye High School in Rye, New York.

Rebecca Deich, a 17-year-old PHS student, had been temporarily relocated because of Hurricane Katrina. She knew how it felt to have to leave her home, and when she returned to Ponchatoula and learned about the "We've Got Your Back" program, she knew she had to help.

"1 had left my things at home; I had nothing," Rebecca recalls. "I remember feeling alienated from the other students. When I came back to PHS ... I was eager to help."

And the more students like these wanted to help, the more creative they got. Keegan sent out e-mails and set up bins, enlisting the help of his fellow students, friends, and family--including his 10-year-old sister--to collect backpacks. Others held bake sales to raise money or charged school supplies as admission to parties. Whatever they did, the students agreed on one thing: the price of some pens and notebooks was a small one to pay for knowing they had helped others so much.

"A smile, a handshake, and a few school supplies really helped [displaced students] adjust to their new environment. The smile on their faces was worth way more than the amount of time it took to prepare their bags," says Stevens.

You can make a difference, too! Check out Do Something, Inc.'s various service efforts at www.dosomething.org.