Social Action days are my favorite days at Stone Ridge. This morning, I awake to the sun streaming through my window Not paying any attention to what day it is, I prepare for a normal day of classes. When I get to school, I am shocked to learn that it is Wednesday, and we do indeed have Social Action today. I dread sitting through the long presentation, but I know that I always end up enjoying it. Despite my hesitation, I sit down in Good Hall, and just like every Social Action day, I am extremely shocked at how much I enjoy the speaker’s presentation.
Brendan Tuohey is a co-founder of the organization PeacePlayers International. His brother, Sean Tuohey, also founded the organization. PPI is non-profit and aims to bring together kids in divided communities through playing basketball. Mr. Tuohey presents my classmates and I with all of the information we hoped to learn – how PPI got started, what it’s like today, and what it’s goals for the future are. PPI even focuses on educating kids on the HIV virus epidemic in South Africa, where 30% of the population is infected. PeacePlayers International is a well-respected charity which I personally am eager to learn more about.
As usual, I began my day thinking of silly things, and Mr. Tuohey helped brought me back to the present. I myself played basketball from first through twelfth grade, and loved every second of it. In my experience, the sport truly brought any team together – I can only imagine what it does for a broken, conflicted community. Brendan and Sean Tuohey had a genius idea in founding PeacePlayers International – their work, I am sure, inspires thousands all around the world to keep fighting for peace.
