Today’s lesson is about Rodney Smith Jr., a man who has dedicated his life to helping others through his nonprofit, “Raising Men and Women Lawn Care Service.” Despite facing challenges as an immigrant from Jamaica, being raised by a single mother, and his own teachers telling him that he would amount to nothing because of his learning disability, Smith has turned his life into an inspiring example of selflessness and kindness. Through his initiative, Smith provides free lawn care to the elderly, single parents, and veterans and is inspiring young men and women across America to rise to the challenge and mow lawns for free in their own communities.

Each year, The Academy Awards presents its famous golden statue, the “Oscar,” to honor the best films, actors, directors, screenwriters and other aspects of filmmaking. This year’s awards are historic because for the first time Asian Americans received the Oscar for best actress and  best supporting actor. After 40 years of a mostly failed acting career, Ke Huy Quon won best supporting actor in “Everything, Everywhere, All at Once”. Quan’s comeback not only made Hollywood history, but also serves as an inspiration to all of us in being patient, rising above unfortunate circumstances, and never giving up on our dreams. 

As we celebrate Black History Month, it’s good to look to the past for inspiration as well as to those living today who serve to inspire us through their accomplishments and most importantly through their work with helping others. The Walter Payton Man of the Year award is a great opportunity to do this as it is awarded each year to an NFL player who like Walter Payton, the famed running back of the Chicago Bears, excels athletically and in service to others. This year’s recipient is Dakota Prescott. Prescott is the Dallas Cowboys famous quarterback who has overcome significant personal obstacles, and is using what he learned and experienced from his family’s tragedy to help others similarly in need.

Nelly Cheboi (Che-Voy) grew up in extreme poverty in Kenya, a country in Africa. Despite the challenges she had growing up, Nelly was able to attend college in America where she embraced her education and developed a passion for computers. Cheboi decided that instead of using the skills she learned only for herself, she would also use them to help the people from her hometown in Kenya. 

November is Adoption Awareness Month and today we’re going to learn about Mohamed Bzeek, a man who has dedicated his life to being a foster parent for children who are terminally ill and have been taken from their parents due to abuse or have been abandoned by their parents. After Bzeek and his wife began adopting children, they had their own biological son who died from a severe illness at the age of four. Bzeek’s wife then also died and despite all of this he has kept going, becoming a foster parent to over 80 orphans—all with terminal illnesses

Today we are going to learn about two brothers, 22 year old Jaylan and 12 year old Julian, who’ve faced exceptional challenges in their lives, including the death of both of their parents and a natural disaster that nearly destroyed their home. Let’s see how their perseverance, commitment to each other, and the support of others in their community have enabled them to overcome their challenges.

Most of us have likely heard about the war in Ukraine and terrible devastation that is occurring.  Sometimes when a very large man-made or natural disaster occurs it is difficult to think about the perspective of individual people living through the disaster.  In today’s lesson, we will practice empathy in learning more about the experiences of individual Ukrainian families and then also how two American teenagers through creativity, wisdom and technology have come up with a way to help people fleeing the war.