CHSPIF

WHAT IS THE COMMACK HIGH SCHOOL: PAY IT FORWARD CLUB? The CHS Pay It Forward Club was established in September 2004 and follows theThe Pay It Forward philosophy was established 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 , our students and teachers are encouraged to formulate their own ideas of how they can pay it forward. The club impacts our communities 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 club 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. .