Janine Schwab, Ed
AFSC (2008)
Reviewed by Anthony J. Nocella, II
From the Noble Peace Prize winning American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) comes It’s My Life! an outstanding resource for any middle school, high school, community center, religion center, peace organization, and even youth detention facility. As a teacher at a youth detention facility I order ten of these amazing books to use every month. The hip techno slash graffiti design with numerous bright colors from pink to yellow catches even the biggest and toughest kid. My students love it and perhaps the highest endorsement is that it is one of the only books they request to take with them when leaving the facility.
The best thing about It’s My Life! is that it is not just a book, but a manual of amazing internet links to outstanding organizations: from traveling around the world to discover new countries and cultures to circus training schools. It does not come off as an in-your-face book from an anti-war activist group but rather, it is a powerful book that opens young people to a world of opportunities. It is for this reason that this book can be so useful in public schools.
This small, to the point, easy and fun ninety page manual with engaging photos and exciting graphics is broken into seven chapters. Chapter one, “Surviving the Next Few Years,” tells the reader that there are other options then just work or the military, but rather than advising the reading against those options, they educate the reader about other options available and that that those two will always be there “waiting in the wings.” Chapter two, “Thinking About Jobs and Careers,” discusses how to figure out what your skills are and what you would like to do. Chapter three, “Serving Your Country,” does not refer to military, but provides you with a diversity of nonprofit and government agencies who do wonderful work such as the Peace Corps and Americorps. Chapter four, “Seeing the World,” is about just that: travelling and adventuring to learn and experience new cultures. Chapter five, “Training for the Future,” suggests programs and organizations that can prepare you for a successful future in whatever you want to do. Chapter six, “Greening Your Career,” stresses the importance that for whatever you decide for your career you keep in mind to be sustainable and respectful to the Earth around you. Finally, if you do decide to go to college, chapter seven, “Paying for College,” provides the reader with a diversity of financial aid resources, scholarships, and grants to aid students.
Sadly to say, It’s My Life! will not be found at Barnes and Noble or, most likely, even your local infoshop. While you can find it online, including at amazon.com, the only place selling direct is AFSC http://www.tools.afsc.org/itsmylife/. I cannot recommend this book more highly for young people who are facing the new challenges of today’s world. It’s My Life! should be put in the hands of every youth in America, if we want to prepare them for it.
February 8, 2009
Education, Publication Reviews, Work, Youth