Can you imagine volunteering fifty hours a week after you retire? Former attorney Steve Griffith does just that, and describes the experience as effortless. “I just enjoy working with young people,” he says. “I like to show them how the world works, how interesting it is, how many opportunities there are for them to make a difference, and how much potential they have.”

One of five children born in Washington, DC, Steve’s early education came primarily in Quaker schools. He later completed graduate work in England, served with the Peace Corps in West Africa, and then came west for law school.

All of these experiences gave him a deep and abiding love of education and respect for the role it plays in human development.

“I am a lifelong learner. I find myself just as curious now as I was 60 years ago.”

Before Steve retired, he began teaching classes on the US Constitution in American history as a volunteer. SAGE is a perfect fit for Steve.

“What SAGE does is exactly what I would be doing anyway, which is working on matters of policy affecting future generations and working directly with members of the next generation.”

His passion for working directly with younger people is reflected by his interest in the SAGE young adult Leadership Advisory Board (LAB). To support the LAB, Steve brought a half dozen of his students from Lincoln High School to develop the rationale of the advisory board. “We expect young people to listen to us and take our suggestions. Why should we not, in turn, listen to them about how they view the world? Youth are very perceptive. They’ve done a lot of thinking on their own. We should be having a conversation between generations as current leaders age.”

For Steve, helping young adults develop the skills and courage to assume leadership roles is one of the most enriching opportunities in life. He helps his students to realize their potential. He wants his students to be “the stem cells of democracy.”

Steve’s Tips for Giving Forward

1. Decide how you want people to remember you.

2. Identify what you love doing. (If you’re not sure, listen to others who know you.)

3. Find a place or person who needs what you love to do.

4. Give yourself wholly.

To learn more, contact SAGE.

 

"We expect young people to listen to us and take our suggestions. Why should we not, in turn, listen to them about how they view the world?"