| “Start
Something” & Tiger Woods Fulfill Kids’ Dreams
By
Tom Kertes
 “Start
Something”, an educational program born out of the cooperation
between the Tiger Woods Foundation and Target Corporation, encourages
kids between the ages of 8 and 17 to identify a specific personal
desire or goal and begin taking actual and specific steps toward
achieving their dreams.
It all started when Earl Woods, Tiger’s father, wrote a book that
propounded the theory that all kids carry something special within
themselves. “As parents and educators, it is our role and our
duty to help kids figure out their goals and then show them how
they can achieve them,” Earl Woods said.
Woods partnered with Target Corporation, a socially-minded company
that spends 5 per cent of its taxable income – around $ 2 million
a week – on the community, particularly on children and their
education. Thus, in the year 2001, “Start Something” was born.
When Tiger first described to kids the spirit driving the project
he said, “I challenge you. I dare you. I challenge you to be a
winner in whatever you choose to do, whatever you care about.
I challenge you to make a difference in the world, to reach higher
and farther than you ever imagined. I challenge you to “Start
Something.”
“Start
Something” offers 10, two-hour sessions that students can attend
individually or in a group. The first five sessions help kids
think about their dreams and goals in order to come up with an
Action Project, which is based on those ideas. Sessions six and
seven are devoted to completing the Action Project. During sessions
eight through 10 kids have an opportunity to reflect upon their
efforts.
Upon completion of the program, the students can apply for scholarships
ranging from $100 to $5000, which are used to fund their special
interest or hobby. Over the course of the year, over $300,000
are awarded in scholarships.
“Start
Something” aims to build character, to help kids learn to care
about others and to teach them right from wrong. Though many of
the children’s goals and dreams involve buying an instrument or
attending music or soccer camp, some has dealt with providing
medical support to a village in Africa or traveling to Australia
to speak at a conference on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.
“We’ve
had a great success so far,” said Ann Aronson, director of Community
Relations at Target. “Over 77,000 children are participating in
the program this year, led by teachers, coaches and a host of
other volunteers.”
Dr. Richard Gallagher, the noted child psychologist who is the
director of the Parenting Institute at the New York University
Child Study Center, is a great supporter of the program. “Start
Something” is special because it engages kids in the active pursuit
of concrete goals,” he said. “Other programs may talk about goals
in a positive way. But most never challenge kids to actually do
something about them.”#
Education
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