'Pay It Forward' is a book written by Catherine Ryan Hyde, but it's also an idea. It's an action plan within a work of fiction. But does it have to be fiction? We're hoping not. In fact, since the book was released in January of 2000, a real-life social movement has emerged, not just in the U.S. but worldwide. What began as a work of fiction has already become much more.
Reuben St. Clair, the teacher and protagonist in the book 'Pay It Forward,' starts a movement with this voluntary, extra-credit assignment: THINK OF AN IDEA FOR WORLD CHANGE, AND PUT IT INTO ACTION. Trevor, the 12-year-old hero of 'Pay It Forward,' thinks of quite an idea. He describes it to his mother and teacher this way: 'You see, I do something real good for three people. And then when they ask how they can pay it back, I say they have to Pay It Forward. To three more people. Each. So nine people get helped. Then those people have to do twenty-seven.' He turned on the calculator, punched in a few numbers. 'Then it sort of spreads out, see. To eighty-one. Then two hundred forty-three. Then seven hundred twenty-nine. Then two thousand, one hundred eighty-seven. See how big it gets?'
WHAT IS THE PAY IT FORWARD FOUNDATION?
The Pay It Forward Foundation was established in September 2000 by author Catherine Ryan Hyde and others to educate and inspire students to realize that they can change the world, and provide them with opportunities to do so. By bringing the author's vision and related materials into classrooms internationally, students and their teachers are encouraged to formulate their own ideas of how they can pay it forward.
The foundation impacts our world in a time when many people, though aware of the need for social change, are unsure of where and how to begin. The challenges facing today's youth are daunting. While discussion and planning are positive steps toward belief in social change, only the manifestation of plans into action proves to the imagination that change is possible, and that will and motivation can affect social growth. The Pay It Forward Foundation understands that good ideas inspire more good ideas; it serves both as a forum and a source of funding for the development and fruition of inspiration.
Students have the opportunity to identify what they consider to be the challenges of their communities. They tackle such problems as homelessness, pollution, youth violence, literacy issues, the loneliness experienced by long-term hospital and nursing home patients, and the alienation of today's at-risk youth from the community. The Pay It Forward Foundation provides seed money for such worthwhile projects.
To date, the Foundation has provided grants and/or materials to hundreds of schools in the U.S., Australia, Canada and numerous other countries. All Pay It Forward Foundation grants encourage and empower our youth to believe in themselves and their individual and collective abilities to shape the future.
The Pay It Forward Foundation P.O. Box 552 Cambria, CA 93428
Start a revolution--it begins with you!
The premise of the novel Pay It Forward is one that any person can implement in his or her own life, at any time. It begins with doing a favor for another person-- without any expectation of being paid back. Indeed one would request that the recipient of that favor do the same for someone else: ideally for three other people. The unconditional favors can be large or small. As Trevor observes: it doesn't have to be a big thing. It can just seem that way, depending on whom you do it for.
Success Stories
'Parables Community Theater has the Pay It Forward fever and we will continue to pass it on!' - Adrienne Richardson, Parables Community Theater, High Point, NC
With a grant from the Pay It Forward Foundation, some 25 members of the Parables Community Theater ages 7-16, along with four adult volunteers, presented 'Dorothy's Easter Parade' at Evergreens Nursing Home in April 2006.
The youth filled Easter baskets with Easter bunnies in a plastic egg and personal items needed by the senior citizens. Easter cards were also included, with a request to continue the Pay It Forward idea.
The nursing home residents enjoyed skits, songs and dancing performed by the troupe, and the Parade concluded with the seniors joining in the singing of 'Down the Trail We're Coming.'
Parables Community Theater is a faith-based nonprofit troupe founded in response to negative community influences in 2003 by community volunteers with theater, music, early childhood development, accounting and business backgrounds. Its mission is to strengthen and enhance the lives of underserved youth and build a bridge to the world beyond their communities through theater arts.
Alvin, Texas
'I can't keep up with how many years I have had my classroom participate in Pay It Forward projects each year, but I know that I enjoy it as much as the kids. Not one child has ever complained that they have to do this project for a social studies grade, nor have any parents, who usually take part in some way...I truly believe the concept of paying it forward teaches my students a really valuable life-lesson.' - Missy Nichols, Third Grade Teacher, Alvin Primary, Alvin Texas
Recent Pay It Forward projects completed by Alvin Primary third-graders: collecting change for 'Pennies for Patients,' a charity organization for children with leukemia (they raised more than $1,500) and planting flowers for 'Keep Alvin Beautiful' (view photos at www.keepalvinbeautiful.com).
Students are expected to do something for someone else and expect nothing in return; they have participated in a Walkathon to earn money for the Alvin Meals on Wheels program, created get well cards and baked cupcakes and muffins for people in the hospital, danced and served refreshments at the Senior Citizen Hall Christmas Dance, and one boy 'adopted' his neighbor at Christmas by putting up her Christmas tree and buying a gift and canned goods for her.
Des Plaines, Illinois
'A large population of the students are Japanese, so their grandparents still live in Japan. These students do not see their grandparents very often, so it was nice for them to have a chance to interact with that age group! The materials for their project were purchased with a grant from the Pay It Forward Foundation.' - Thomas Jefferson Charter School, Des Plaines, Illinois
With the help of a grant from the Pay It Forward Foundation, older and younger students learned about cooperation, teamwork, responsibility, respect for the elderly, social skills, planting, and number recognition. Seventh and eighth grade students were paired up with kindergarteners to make tissue paper-decorated plant cups, then fill the cups with Begonia flowers. All the students then visited a nearby retirement home to present the plants to residents, sign songs, recite poetry and play games.
[Please pick up the photos that accompanied this story]
San Jose, California
'In October we raised $610 for the Gorilla Foundation. They have promised us that they will keep it going and Koko will pay it forward too!' - Mrs. Robbins and the August Boeger Jr. High Leadership Class, San Jose, California.
The August Boeger Jr. High Leadership Class sponsors a Pay It Forward project every month. Monthly projects have included filling four barrels of canned food for Second Harvest Food Bank to help feed the homeless, and helping four local families in need by selling candy canes to generate funds, and by collecting home and personal items as well as gift certificates from local stores, all so the families could have a wonderful Christmas.
Exter, Devon, England
'We are now looking at setting up a few bigger projects to take out into our surrounding community.' - Bryce Wilby, Year Eight Head, Priory School, Exter, Devon, England
Discovering the Pay It Forward concept on the Internet, Priory School teacher Bryce Wilby was so impressed he decided to incorporate a Pay It Forward project into the school's curriculum. He and his pupils have set up peer mentoring groups, school garden and grounds clean-up crews and a homework help club.