Do you ever notice the lights in children's eyes? Children are naturally bright-eyed: curious, trusting, and high-spirited. But they don't remain that way for long unless they get encouragement and support from caring adults.

One teacher I met during my travels around America put it very well when she told me: "Children all come in about the same way, General. They come in with their eyes blazing at age six, ready to learn, ready to take on the world. And then, in just a few years, if we don't give them what they're expecting, if they don't see responsible and caring adults in their lives, if they don't sense they're moving in the right direction - the lights go out, their eyes dim, and they stop seeing. And when they stop seeing they can no longer see the dangers that lurk behind the lure of drugs, gangs, drinking, teenage sex, and all the other temptations that can wreck their lives."

When the lights go out in the eyes of youth, we all lose. The young people, of course, lose most. But society pays a heavy toll as well. Every young American today is potentially a responsible, contributing adult member of society - or else a potential predator, misfit, or dependent.

Today's youth will be tomorrow's workers, taxpayers, parents, and pillars of our communities - or they will crowd our jails, hospitals, and asylums.

That is why we cannot afford to let the lights go out in our children's eyes. To keep those lights burning brightly, I am leading a national crusade called America's Promise -The Alliance for Youth. America's Promise works to provide young people with the five fundamental resources they need to grow up strong and successful. These five resources are: (1) an ongoing relationship with a caring adult - a parent, mentor, tutor or coach; (2) safe places and structured activities during non-school hours; (3) a healthy start; (4) a marketable skill through effective education;. and (5) an opportunity to give back through community service.

These five resources are simple, familiar, and sustaining. Every successful adult American can identify each and every one of them as part of his or her own growing-up experience. We know that they work. We know that they will give any youngster who has access to them a decent start in life. We have only to put them within reach.

To deliver these five America's Promise Fundamental Resources, we are mobilizing a mighty coalition that includes all sectors of American society: government, business, nonprofits, service organizations, faith communities, the professions, and thousands of individual volunteers. We are building alliances and joint ventures to provide young people with mentoring, tutoring, health care, apprenticeships and part-time jobs, and opportunities to learn the joy of serving others,

One of our partners is Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Big Brothers Big Sisters has an exemplary record as a mentoring organization. Statistics show that youngsters paired with a Big Brother or Big Sister are significantly less likely to skip school, abuse drugs, or get into trouble. That is the difference a caring adult can make in the life of a child.

But whether it's with Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, or any of the other fine youth-service organizations we have in this country we need more Americans to join in our crusade. Even something as small as reading aloud to a child for an hour a week, or helping that child do homework, or enabling that child to discover his or her own unique gifts and abilities can be a gift that keeps the lights blazing in a child's eyes and changes that child's life forever.

General Colin Powell, USA (RET)

March 8, 1999

Guest Editorial # G4

General Colin L. Powell, is chairman of America's Promise - The Alliance for Youth. He served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff between 1989 and 1993.