Roots and Shoots 2011 by Robbie Frey

Compassion, Knowledge, Action! This is the slogan of a world- renowned community volunteer organization. It is one of the most powerful volunteer groups ever created, expanding with international connections and over 10,000 groups with over 100,000 kids. Ages vary all the way from pre-school to college level and every year in between. 

Roots and Shoots is a service-learning organization founded by Jane Goodall to be involved with projects in human/animal rights. It was started in Tanzania, Africa. I asked ACE teacher and former Roots and Shoots co-leader Kyle Trocolla what he thought about Roots and Shoots and why it’s so special. His reply was, “Roots and Shoots is so special to a lot of community service projects as well as animal rights projects. It is 100% student-run; teachers are there for supervision. The students plan, organize, and execute what they want.”  All in all Roots and Shoots is a positive organization for the community and the environment.

I also was able to interview the Head of International Affairs for the organization, Dr. Rick Asselta. He is in control of all the other countries/continents in the world that are involved with Roots and Shoots. He said, “Roots and Shoots gives children a sense of self-worth. Everyone becomes a better student or person because of this group. It takes a child that feels unimportant to society and give the child pride. It makes him/her feel depended on to do their part of the project. Because of that feeling of being needed, the cild becomes  a happier, better person. It’s such a powerful group because you don’t have to wait to do anything; you start right away with research into a problem you can actually solve or help with.” I think Dr. Asselta is correct with his statements. Roots and Shoots changes children and adults in a completely positive way. As an individual they become better human beings while they do something positive for the world, community or animals. They focus also on global warming and going green as well as solving hunger, crime and animal conservation. 

Roots and Shoots motto is- Compassion, Knowledge, Action! To be in Roots and Shoots you have to have compassion and sympathy for others in a bad situation. You need to be able to research to gain knowledge to know how to make a bad situation better. Action is taken after all the knowledge and planning is done. 

Overall, Roots and Shoots is one of the best-created groups around the world. Everything it does promotes positive turnouts for the world. I feel like its goal is to take every negative around the world and somehow make it more positive. Whether it be planting flowers to make it look better or do something to promote world peace, in the end Roots and Shoots makes the world a better place.