This book is dedicated to youth around the world who are trying to figure out their role on this planet. Sometimes life gets tough, and everyone struggles with an identity crisis at a point in their youth. Trying to find our place in society is a challenge, but the most important thing is to be caring and responsible citizens, whether or not we lead conventional lives. Sometimes, as youth, we feel small compared to the world around us, and it doesn’t take much for us to feel that way. But what the community doesn’t realize is that as youth, we see the world completely different… and we believe we have the power to change the world in our own unique ways to make the world a better place.
Everyone dreams of becoming famous, about being the type of person where everyone knows your name. As youth citizens, we know it feels hard to make a lasting impression on the whole world. We can make a huge difference just on a smaller scale, like in our neighborhoods and schools. And we can do that by acquiring skills and traits, like honesty, integrity, and many more. Being a leader is about having the will and persistence to work towards making a change. The 40 Story’s book is written by 60+ youth from their perspective, to help youth around the world explore their core leadership skills and strive to be healthy, caring, and responsible citizens. The 40 Story’s experience teaches us to be a reliable citizen no matter where we are, showing a genuine willingness to help others resolve their problems.
We believe today’s youth have the power to change the world. And if you look closely, it doesn’t always take huge events like 40 Story’s to acknowledge that power and see it in action. As youth in the community, we can influence society and the way it functions. So to all those who are reading this, who are trying to find their identity, who feel small compared to the world around them and don’t feel like they can make that world, we hope this book provides you with the courage and ideas to become a caring and responsible citizen.
You are important.
As youth we can do great things, every day we help make our community a better place. We may not have changed the entire world yet, but we can make an incredible impact on a number people. We are making this world a better place, one step at a time.