So how did you spend your day Monday, January 21?

In the United States, a president was being inaugurated on the same day an iconic figure in American history was being remembered.

For many, the Martin Luther King Day holiday is about people offering themselves as citizens to assist on any number of projects and needs within their communities, acting upon our innate human need to help others.

Understanding this core need and assisting pre-adults to activate it within themselves through empathy and action is the work of generationOn.

generationOn is a growing New York City-based organization focused on helping teens, tweens and younger Make Your Mark On The World, by encouraging the investment of their time to address opportunities, solve problems and engage others of like age within their communities.

Uniquely, kids helping kids.

Given the power of teens and younger age children as influencers upon adults, when generationOn mobilizes through displays of idealism and action, parents, teachers, extended family, coaches all follow.

Such was the case Monday, at Public School 57 - James Weldon Johnson Leadership Academy Magnet School in New York City. As described by Concetta Anne Bencivenga, Executive Director of generationOn:

"Over 750 people of all ages came out to PS/MS57 to join us in a day of service.  We had amazing volunteers from Disney and from our presenting sponsor- Target.  Target employees came from stores near and far [Manhattan, Brooklyn, North Jersey, the Bronx, Mount Vernon] to be a part of the day as volunteer leaders- and lead they did!"

generationOn is truly about the teen and younger audience and how they become engaged, learning how they each create impact by rolling up their sleeves and being themselves. 

Yes, there are other nonprofit organizations that seek to engage pre-adults, from scouting programs to Big Brothers Big Sisters and more:

Yet only at generationOn do we see teens and younger ages actually leading adults into action on behalf of their communities, rather than the other way around. 

generationOn, a dynamic organization of leaders - some pictured below - you will hear more about in the months to come. 

And don't be surprised if the first time you hear of generationOn in your community, the tip comes from a teen or younger child you know.