FREE ESSAY ON ROOTS & SHOOTS

ROOTS & SHOOTS

Roots & Shoots Logo 
Just as this young shoot pushed through the concrete to reach the light, Jane Goodall
believes that the strength of young people can make the world a better place. 
Roots & Shoots in Africa 
Roots & Shoots members from Richilieu Valley High School present a gift for the chimps at
the Fauna Foundation Sanctuary. 
Roots creep underground everywhere and make a firm foundation. Shoots seem very weak, but
to reach the light they can break through brick walls. Imagine that the brick walls are
all the problems we have inflicted on our planet. Hundreds and thousands of roots and
shoots, hundreds and thousands of young people around the world, can break through these
walls.
You CAN change the world. 
- Jane Goodall 
In the Fall of 1999 JGI Canada was host to the Annual Roots & Shoots North American Youth
Summit.
On the shores of the Indian Ocean in February 1991, Roots & Shoots was born. A group of
16 secondary school students from eight different schools gathered on the verandah of Dr.
Jane's house in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Jane had been talking to the students at various
schools, and it had become clear to her that many students were fascinated with animal
behavior and environmental concerns, but had no classes in school that covered those
subjects. To rectify the problem, each school chose a few representatives to join Jane to
decide how to bring these subjects into the students' lives through out-of-school
activities. 
That first morning there was much discussion on chimpanzees and the fact that they had
personalities, could reason and use tools, had close family bonds, and felt emotions. The
students decided that the qualities existed in many other animals as well - including
domestic animals. This led to a discussion of how much cruelty was involved in animal
husbandry and in hunting and poaching of wild animals. The students were also keen to
learn more about environmental issues, especially those around Dar es Salaam. 
Dr. Goodall had long wanted to share her knowledge and concerns with children - and here,
at last, was her opportunity. The 16 students went back to their respective schools with
the task of forming clubs with other interested young people. 
Roots & Shoots has been spreading around the world ever since - through the enthusiasm of
individual students and teachers who care about making the earth a better place to live.

The organization that began with one groups of students in East Africa has grown to over
1,000 registered groups in 50 countries. There are Roots & Shoots groups in over 38 US
states alone! Roots & Shoots enables young people from the pre-school to university level
to continue to coordinate projects locally that promote care and concern for the
environment, animals, and human communities. Through constructive activities, the
participants of Roots & Shoots groups all over the world become more aware of how their
actions affect their local community and the environment as a whole. 
See Roots & Shoots Activities and Membership information for more information on this
exciting program and how you can get involved. 
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