"Key Club" Inspiring Young People to Become the Future Leaders

Timothy Salit graduated from Seekonk High School in 2015. He and his brothers earned national recognition for their efforts to make students and parents aware of the dangers of distracted driving habits (texting, phoning, etc.) He was an outstanding member of the track team and a gifted student. But he still made time to perform many hours of community service as the President of the Key Club. Now he is a student at Fairfield University in Connecticut where he learned about an organization called Learning Enterprises. He applied to be a tutor in a summer program and was accepted. This past summer he went to Hungary and Slovakia. He sent the Seekonk Kiwanis club, who helped sponsor him, a letter telling of his experiences.

He met eleven other students in Budapest for his orientation and touring the villages and main sites such as a basilica, a castle and the thermal baths. For three weeks, his main task as Director and Teacher was preparing lessons plans for week-long summer English camps. He taught vocabulary, reading, writing and speaking. He was the only American volunteer during that time but he stayed with host families and a "tourist" house with 50 children. He had his older students write letters to him family and friends. He hopes that this will continue so that "we will be able to continue to grow and learn while bridging the gap between the two nations and make positive and productive change." As his stay in Rezi was ending, the many sunflower fields came into full bloom and Tim compared them with the way "the community opened their minds and arms" to him.

Next Tim went to Slovika and lived by himself in an apartment for three weeks. "The community showed me that the concepts of love, family and friendships are universally understood" said Tim as he was invited to garden and grill parties and was supplied with home made food. With the people he shared similar experiences and "a shared happiness to learn about one another". He explored many cities and landmarks throughout Eastern Europe with the highlight being a day trip to Vienna including palaces and their impressive gardens, cathedrals,street art and the Vienna Voice Choir. The summer concluded in Bratislava where Tim reunited with the other volunteers.

Tim says, "I now value my education and will never take for granted my individualized experience that encourages me to express myself and develop my own opinions. I want to advocate for education rights as the first step towards greater equality in the world."

Kiwanis is an international organization whose goal is to help the children of the world, one community at a time. If you wish more information about Kiwanis, please contact Beverly Hart, 508-336-9352, russellhart@comcast.net.