High school junior David Berg stood in front of a small group at Williston’s Bethel Lutheran Home with acoustic guitar in hand.

He asked anyone if they’d grown up on a farm, and he talked briefly about his experience on his family’s farm near Devils Lake. Berg then took a seat and gently strummed his guitar, singing in a soft voice.

Nearby, Williston High School graduate Aaron Hanson and Fargo high school students Bri Marthe and Rachel Nelson talked with resident Calmer Braaten about wind energy and the Obama administration.

This group called Students Today, Leaders Forever made a stop at Bethel on its “Pay It Forward” community service tour. The group consists of students from the Fargo-Moorhead area and is affiliated with the Fargo-Moorhead Chamber of Commerce.

Hanson is one of the leaders of that STLF chapter. He graduated from WHS in 2008 and as a student at the University of North Dakota, he heard about STLF. Hanson embarked on his first community service tour during spring break in March and was hooked. “You get to know a lot about yourself. It revamped my focus in life toward service,” Hanson said. 5

He had worked at Bethel over the summer because of his interest of going into the medical field. Hanson thought Bethel would be a good place for the Pay It Forward tour because it allows high school students the opportunity to interact with an older generation, as well as help Bethel.

While at Bethel, the students cleaned wheelchairs, helped move equipment, potted plants, visited with residents and other activities. Marthe cleaned wheelchairs and brought them to the residents. Marthe, 16, joined the organization this year.

“I like how close everyone is,” she said.

Nelson joined because she thought it is a great opportunity to give back to communities. Devils Lake was one of the Pay It Forward tour stops in North Dakota, and while there the students painted one of the playgrounds. Berg enjoyed the project as it brought back memories for him.

“It felt good to be able to do that,” he said, remembering when he playing there as a young boy.

The chapter’s Pay It Forward tour included Minot, where the students painted a family crisis shelter; and Medora. There were 25 students and six leaders on the tour.

Hanson has talked to WHS principal Chris Kittleson about getting a STLF chapter started in Williston.

“I want to bring this home and let everyone know what I found,” Hanson said.

For more information on Students Today, Leaders Forever, visit the Web site at www.stlf.net