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As we’ve always tried to promote in the Tribune, helping others is something that we all should do. Not only does it make someone else feel better, but it also makes you feel better as well. That’s exactly what President John F. Kennedy also believed when he proposed the idea of the Peace Corps (pronounced core). His vision was to encourage Americans to volunteer in “helping others help themselves.” He dreamt that young people in the U.S. would devote themselves to enhancing peace and development around the world. In his eyes, this was the best way for people to help one another and for all to feel good about it.

President Kennedy’s dream became a reality when on March 1,1961, he signed an executive order which established the Peace Corps. And in September of 1961, the Peace Corps Act was signed by Congress which entailed three goals of the Peace Corps:

1. To help the people of interested countries meet their needs for trained workers;
2. To help promote a better understanding of Americans in where Volunteers serve;
3. To help promote a better understanding of people of other nations on the part of Americans.

With these goals in mind, volunteers began signing up to offer their time and expertise in effort to help others around the world. All volunteers must live and work in another country for two years. The countries that are chosen must meet a few requirements. First, a country must invite the Peace Corps to come. Basically, the leader of that country will write a letter to the President of the U.S. asking for Peace Corps volunteers to come. Second, the Peace Corps must decide which countries they’re going to be active in. They give priority to the countries that most need skilled volunteers. And thirdly, the Peace Corps makes sure that the countries that they send their volunteers to are safe.

After these requirements are met, volunteers are sent to countries where their help will be most valued. Based on individual skills they are placed in different areas called sectors. The sectors include education, business, health and nutrition, agriculture, community development, and the environment. Essentially, all of the volunteers from each sector teach and help people about these specific areas. For example, education volunteers teach English to schoolchildren or train others how to teach. And the community development volunteers work to improve the community like building bridges, schools and health clinics.

This is a wonderful way to get involved with people. As you grow, and as you learn about life, give the Peace Corps a thought. If you do decide to participate, it will be a life changing experience.