Area Students Head to 'We Day' to Recognize Community Service

Students in nearby Lake Tapps, Orting and Puyallup are among the 15,000 young people expected at We Day in Seattle on Wednesday for a star-studded program.

The youth-empowerment event is a program by the Canadian-based nonprofit group Free The Children, founded by Craig Kielburger when he was just a kid himself. It is designed to show kids positive approaches to life and ways to set themselves free by helping others.

The event Wednesday, which runs from 9:15 a.m. to 2 p.m., will be streamed live at http://www.weday.com/ starting at 9:15 a.m.

The 15,000 kids who will attend the event--from some 380 schools in more than 100 districts statewide--have already been selected, based on their own service work for both local and global causes. They include students from Franklin Pierce and Orting.

Over at Franklin Pierce High School in Tacoma, students put together an intramural athletics program for their peers and plan a season-ending tournament. The school’s Key Club is also taking leadership by acting as mentors for the students at a nearby elementary school.

And at Enumclaw Middle School, students raised more than $2,000 to support a global clean water campaign while also helping with the local Special Olympics.

Students, how do you perform service to your community? Adults, how can we inspire youth to give back to their communities? Tell us in the comments.