By Sineah McGrady

You don’t set out to build a wall. You don’t say ‘I’m going to build the biggest, baddest, greatest wall that’s ever been built.’ You don’t start there. You say, ‘I’m going to lay this brick as perfectly as a brick can be laid. You do that every single day. And soon you have a wall. Will Smith

 You are 1 of 7 billion people in this world. You are 1 of 50,000 people in Portland. You are 1 of 7,000 students at SMCC. There is only 1 of you in this world, in this town and in this school. Are you the best 1 you can be? You have the power to make a positive change, starting with 1 step, 1 meeting, 1 team, 1 choice; ENACTUS.

All around the world, throughout Portland, and coming to SMCC students, teachers, and future leaders are enrolling in ENACTUS. They are using basic problem solving, passion and teamwork to improve their local economy.

Have you ever thought about the food that grocery stores and fast food chains waste? Well Ireland did; and then what? The students at Trinity College in Dublin created a virtual food bank. They made weekly food runs and connected those in need to food that was available through a mobile app they created. They saw a problem and they sought a result.

How about access to education? If children are unable to go to kindergarten due to your town’s poor economy; what would you do about it? In Ukraine students at Vinnytsya National Technical University minimized operating costs by $20,000 with fundraising and manual labor efforts. This allowed the school to run efficiently, local children to go school, and parents to go to work.

Have an opinion about all the homeless veterans you see around Portland? If you had the opportunities to give them work, to see them not stand on medians, would you do anything about it? The Enactus team at Flagler College started Veteran’s Farm employing disabled vets where they marketed and were paid for products they made.

Have your gears turning? Ideas igniting? Come share and hear more at our Friday meetings in Hague 204. Enactus is about solving mini crimes. It’s about knowing you have the answers. Enactus has the ability to empower students and enlighten their future; all we need is your attendance.

For more information about Enactus please contact Aimee Vlachos avlachos@smccme.edu  Or Student President of Enactus Sineah McGrady sineahmcgrady@hotmail.com. Or like Enactus on facebook “ENACTUS SMCC.” See you all Friday.