Teens Fundraise Thousands For Graduation Trip Abroad; Donated To Their Community Instead

What Is Altruism? Altruism is the act of caring for others unselfishly, without feeling obligated to do so out of duty, loyalty, or religious reasons. In other words, it depends on acting out of concern for others. 

For teens on the island of Islesboro in the US state of Maine, it meant putting the needs of their small community beyond themselves. Islesboro High School senior students have traditionally held fundraising events to enable them to fund a once-in-a-lifetime class trip at the end of their last year of school. Previous trips included Europe and Central America. The Class of 2021 had already collected close to $8,000 in donations in a bid to travel Greece, Japan, or South Korea until their dreams were crushed by the COVID19 pandemic. 

Given the opportunity to wait until the pandemic blew over, the teens did not hesitate to instead reinvest their hard-earned donations to their struggling community. The group of teens reached a consensus and unilaterally decided to help those struggling most around them, one of them told reporters, “We could really see how the whole world and the island, too, was struggling... So it felt really good to do that with our money—to give it back to the people who gave it to us.”

The money was donated to the Island Community Fund to help residents whose livelihoods were destroyed by the COVID19 pandemic. In addition, part of the money was spent funding Coronavirus vaccination clinics. The Community Fund president Fred Thomas, told reporters, “There [is] a strong sense of pride in these students. That’s because their decision demonstrated an awareness of the hardship in their community and a willingness to do something about it.” 

While the pandemic has been a dark chapter in all of our lives, despite this heroes big or small have stood out during this crisis. No matter how difficult or dark our world may seem, whether it be war, famine, pestilence, or other unforeseeable events humanity thrives through innovation, altruism, and hope.

What are some altruistic acts you participated in or saw others participate in during this pandemic? Let us know in the comments below.