SWA #4

After carefully analyzing Alex William's 2005 New York Times piece entitled, "Realistic Idealists," I feel motivated to try to catch up with many of my generation and become more involved in my community.  Williams explores the large array of recent community service projects that have resulted from the work of children even younger than I; I cannot help but feel proud, impressed, and also slightly intimidated by their accomplishments.  The essay is clear and persuasive, with extensive research, facts, and firsthand accounts and examples to help prove his point.  

I personally relate exceptionally well to the words and issues presented here, because I, like many of the people mentioned in the essay, was required to complete numerous hours of community service throughout my middle school and high school years.  I have to admit that I somewhat resented these forced acts, and overall, I was just "looking to impress admissions officers."  Williams caught my attention, but I think that his words reach out to practically all possible audiences.  He brings in evidence and personal accounts from people my parents' age, my older siblings and younger siblings' ages, and also from other college students of my own generation.  

He efficiently tells about what a great impact our children's community service is having on the world today and then delves into the possible causes for this altruistic outburst of giving back.  Williams is clearly educated, and obviously he is a reputable and credible writer since his piece was published in the highly respected New York Times.  He does an excellent job of tying together relevant statistics, moral issues, and social trends into one all-encompassing topic.