Features: A Message from Claes Nobel Meet your new Student Council Partner News College-Bound Advice Q & A on the SAT from the College Board Choosing a College Spotlight on Service Fulfilling F.U.N. at Day Camp for the Disabled Visiting the Philippines: A Life-changing Experience Non-Sibi: "Not for Oneself": Tsunami Relief Truths about Tutoring A Super Summer: Controlled Chaos at the Library Summer Experiences Summer Alternatives: Building the Mind AND the Body Summer Dreams: Friends and Fun at the World's Fair in Japan My Summer in Medical Research ICE in Summer: Georgia Tech Institute for Computer Education Learning about Leadership: National Student Leadership Conference Summertime... and the Living is Busy: from Houston, to Harvard, to Oxford Non Sibi: "Not for Oneself" By Prateek Kumar Phillips Academy (Andover, Massachusetts), Class of 2007 Latham, New York Prateek Kumar receiving the Silver Congressional Award for community service from New York Congressman New Michael McNulty. On June 26, we passed the six-month anniversary of one of the most devastating natural disasters ever seen. The tsunamis that struck Southeast Asia on December 26, 2004, left hundreds of thousands of people dead, and millions homeless. As the world moved quickly to respond, I lay flat on my stomach, reeling from lower back surgery. As soon as I heard about the disaster, I was moved by the world's response, and I felt compelled to take some sort of action to assist the victims of the tsunamis, as I am an Eagle Scout and recipient of the Silver Congressional Award. I immediately began emailing the senior members of my school administration at Phillips Academy, asking for help to establish a coordinated fundraising effort that would be ready for when students would return to campus in early January. With ideas flowing on what to do, I received permission from the administration to send an email to all of the students and faculty at the Academy, asking for donations to help reach our goal of $10,000 to be submitted to a number of charitable organizations. When we returned to campus, a committee of administrators, faculty, and students was set up to decide on how best to raise money, and afterwards, how we should donate it. The committee decided to host a series of fundraising dances to help contribute to the effort, and we solicited donations from both students and faculty. We also felt that it was important to educate the community about the logistics involving the response of non-governmental organizations and other charities to dealing with the tsunamis. I helped to put together and moderate a panel that helped explain to the community how the tsunami formed, the economic and humanitarian impact of the tsunami, and the philosophical responses that the different religious groups in the area would have to the chaos of the tsunami. We also invited Harold Decker, Former CEO of the American Red Cross, to speak to the entire Academy about how the Red Cross was working to help in the region. Our educational efforts were well received, and by the end of our fundraising drive, we had collected over $11,000, breaking our initial goal. Looking back on our efforts, I realize that through initiative and determination, we were able to go a long way in helping the victims of the tsunami while teaching our school community about the importance of our school motto, Non Sibi, meaning "not for oneself." However, the fight is not yet over, and although the region has not been in the news lately, there is still much to be done. I encourage everyone who reads this to go out and start service projects to benefit the victims of the tsunamis, or even to benefit anyone who is in need. All you need is a good idea, strong determination, and a lot of heart. << Back to Journal Home page