Speaker Shares Thoughts on Civic Engagement

Upper School students and faculty enjoyed a visit by political and social activist Paul Rogat Loeb, who shared his thoughts on civic involvement. "What I want to do today is talk about your role, here, at this very interesting time on this planet," he said in his opening remarks. \"You look around at the issues that we`re going to have to deal with and it`s not easy." People have a tendency to just shut down in the face of serious issues, Loeb continued, citing "there`s nothing I can do to make a difference." But Loeb gave numerous examples of how ordinary people got involved with extraordinary results. "You don`t know where your action is going to lead," he said. But making a leap of faith, taking one step at a time, and persevering all have resulted in monumental change in the past, he pointed out. To listen to Mr. Loeb`s inspirational message click here. According to his Web site, Paul Loeb has spent more than 30 years researching and writing about citizen responsibility and empowerment--asking what makes some people choose lives of social commitment, while others abstain. He is the author of the books "Soul of a Citizen: Living with Conviction in a Cynical Time" and "The Impossible Will Take a Little While.\"