After watching GIDEON YAGO's shows on the presidential election, AIDS and sexual health, drugs, natural disasters, hate crimes, and his recent visit to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina (captured on film), you can't help but want to join the fight -- any fight, for that matter. Gideon is spreading awareness for pressing issues worldwide with his travels and reports. "Why can't I do something like that to make a difference?" you ask yourself. You assume you don't have the means to bring about impressive changes in your community or on a larger scale. You're not Gideon, staffed with a camera crew -- that's for sure.

Drop the excuses,  

college student

 , and start to make a difference. You may not have a degree in social work yet or be an expert at philanthropy, but you can still make a difference. No matter how big or small the cause, regardless of funding, manpower, and technological tools, you can spark change as a college student that can help dozens, if not thousands, of lives. For starters...

Animal Control
Your Cause: Tens of thousands of stray animals -- abandoned, starving, and sick -- roam various towns and cities. Whether they've been left behind or born into a life of hardship, it's important to control the animal population in your community.

Your Calling: Start by contacting your local humane society or animal shelter. Get the latest statistics on the numbers of homeless dogs and cats in your community to assess the problem on a local level. After gathering all the necessary info, create a flyer describing the problem to your community, distribute it around your neighborhood, and post it on storefronts and bulletin boards. Write a proposal for a Free Spaying or Neutering Day in your town and present it to an animal shelter to prevent further abandonment of unwanted animals.

Book Help: "The Kid's Guide to Service Projects" (Free Spirit, 1995)

Promote Safety
Your Cause: It's your right to be in a safe environment, free from vandalism, violence, and theft. From awareness to prevention of everything from crime to alcohol abuse, recent newscasts and articles in your local paper have made you realize extra safety precautions are in order.

Your Calling: On the local level, encourage your family and friends to develop safer habits. Be watchful and careful of changes in your surroundings and suspicious activities. For instance, try being more aware of who is coming in and out of your school building. Look at people's faces and get familiar with neighbors and their friends. For more ideas on how to promote safety on campus, check out www.nsc.org.

Book Help: "What Do You Stand For? For Teens" (Free Spirit, 2005)

Political Power
Your Cause: If you're familiar with your state constitution and have thought of ways to improve it, you can present your ideas to the political powers-that-be. Once you've identified a problem, researched the issue, and devised a solution, it's up to you to turn that idea into an amendment.

Your Calling: To lobby for change, you'll need to start early -- begin advocating for your cause well before the legislation begins. Legislation sometimes gets set aside because time runs out before it can be considered. Find a sponsor such as a legislator who will support your cause and help you through the process. Build coalitions of support by finding others -- schools, agencies, nonprofit organizations, youth groups -- who are also concerned about the issue. Ask another college student to help you gain more support. Prepare posters to bring to committee meetings, and hand out flyers to lawmakers and staff members.

Book Help: "The Kid's Guide to Social Action" (Free Spirit, 1998)

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