Greg Mortenson

Eighteen years ago, Greg Mortenson climbed Pakistan’s K2 to honor the memory of his sister, Christa, who had died following a lifelong struggle with epilepsy. After the climb Mortenson found himself in a remote village where he saw a group of children writing with sticks in the sand because they were without a proper school and became inspired to build one for them.

In the intervening years, through his nonprofit Central Asia Institute, Mortenson has established 131 schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan, providing education to over 58,000 children.

On Friday evening, March 5, in front of a packed-house at the Exeter High School auditorium, Mortenson spoke to students from across the state in an effort to instill a will of change, and a message of hope and peace through education.

The author of the best-selling “Three Cups of Tea,” “Stones Into Schools” and “Listen to the Wind,” Mortenson’s message has been known throughout SAU 16 since 2008. That year copies of the first book were made available to 37 New Hampshire schools through donations by the Oristano Family Foundation and the Cricenti Trust in collaboration with the NH School Administrators Association/Lakes Region Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Committee.

Local schools have also been participating in the Pennies for Peace Program started by Mortenson. The program has students collect spare change to support education in Afghanistan and Pakistan where $5,000 is enough to run a school for a whole year.

During the evening Mortenson spoke about the need for children to become actively involved in community service and work towards empowering those less fortunate in order to create a better world.

“The key is that we have to empower people,” said Mortenson. “There’s a very big difference between helping and empowering.

“Through empowerment people can get on their own feet, and have viable projects and work towards their own benefit,” he said.

Mortenson said the growing popularity of community service initiatives among elementary, middle and high school students was truly inspiring, and he urged every student to believe in the power they possess to make a change.

“Anybody here can make a difference, and all of you are making a difference,” he said. “It starts out with just following your heart and not being afraid to take risks.”

Exeter High School student Kelly Kennedy, 17, said she never imagined she would get to meet the man who has inspired her so immensely.

“He’s the most inspiring person I’ve ever heard,” Kennedy said.

When asked what about Mortenson’s message was so inspirational, Kennedy said it was what his work instills in the youth around the globe.

“When you bring his message of peace into schools, that’s teaching a whole new generation that we can educate students through peace and understanding,” she said.

For a group of fifth-graders from Stratham Memorial School the evening will likely have a profound impact as they look to change the world.

“It was so awesome hearing someone who did such good things and someone who could actually take time to help other people in the world because there’s so much sorrow and people without education,” said Amber Gurecki, 11.

“I’m so glad we got to see him and hear how he was able to help people because now I know that we can all do something to make people’s lives a little better than they might be even if it means doing something small like collecting pennies,” said Sophie Hughes, 10.

Liam Hayes, 11, said Mortenson’s visit inspired him to give as much as he could to those less fortunate.

“It inspired me to want to go out and help other people, and donate money to charity to help with whatever I can to make people’s lives better,” he said.

(c) Seacoast Media Group 2010

http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20100309-NEWS-3090323