Young Observers: July 2026

By Young Observers editor Teagan Yoo on July 9, 2026 • ( Leave a comment )

The FIFA World Cup

by Olive, 11th Grade

As many people know, the World Cup is underway, and here are some fun facts about it! The FIFA World Cup officially began in 1930. The inaugural men’s tournament was hosted by Uruguay and featured 13 teams. The World Cup is held every four years, with 2026 being the latest edition. It is the most-watched sporting event in the world.

Only World Cup winners are allowed to touch the 18-karat gold trophy with their bare hands. Everyone else must wear gloves. Argentina is the most recent FIFA World Cup champion, and its victory marked the country’s third World Cup title. The tournament runs from mid-June to mid-July, lasting 39 days. France and Spain are the top projected favorites to win this year, followed by England and Argentina. However, this is one of the most unpredictable tournaments in years. We’ll have to wait and see who wins the 2026 FIFA World Cup!

The Truth Behind That Trendy T-Shirt

by Dahlia, 8th Grade

Do you ever wonder where that beautiful blouse you purchased at the mall came from? Or why it is so inexpensive?

That’s probably because a child made it. Many children living in poverty are exploited and forced to make clothing while earning very little money. Fast fashion companies not only harm children but also damage the environment. The business of recreating clothes that just walked the runway for cheaper, more affordable prices is called fast fashion. Purchasing trendy clothes may seem fun and easy, but many people don’t know the true story behind them. Children work in clothing sweatshops in countries such as India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, China, Indonesia and Cambodia to make these new, trendy products.

Many do not have a choice because they feel pressured by their struggling families to earn money. The companies that produce fast fashion often do not feel the need to pay fair wages and do not care who they are harming. Fast fashion is difficult to avoid nowadays because it is everywhere. It affects not only the Earth’s climate but also its water, energy resources and ecosystems. Just to make one cotton blouse, more than 700 gallons of water are used. To make one pair of jeans, about 2,000 gallons of water are used. Fast fashion companies don’t just waste water, they pollute it.

When manufacturers dye clothing, they often dump excess dyes into waterways, polluting rivers and seas. Brands use fabrics like polyester, nylon and acrylic, which can take hundreds of years to biodegrade and contribute to growing amounts of waste. The world consumes up to 80 billion pieces of clothing each year, which is 400% more than people purchased 20 years ago.

As consumption increases, so does the amount of clothing that ends up in landfills, where it breaks down very slowly. Scientists estimate that 35% of the microplastics in the ocean come from synthetic fabrics, including polyester, which release tiny plastic fibers whenever they are washed and worn.

How can you help?

Consider purchasing clothing from a secondhand store—there are plenty in Fullerton—or buying from a sustainable brand. You can also purchase fewer clothes and ask yourself whether you really need that new T-shirt or dress. After all, you can make a difference, one clothing item choice at a time.

The Hidden Reward of Giving Back

by Kate, 11th Grade

The All the Arts summer camp is where I first discovered my passion for working alongside children. A fond memory I often revisit is my experience in a movie-making class full of elementary students who quickly became my tiny co-directors.

They debated camera angles, brought their own scripts to life, and reminded me that creativity begins with the courage to believe a small idea is worth sharing. Along the way, I unexpectedly formed unforgettable friendships with the kids, whose boundless enthusiasm and imagination made every hour of volunteering deeply rewarding.

“How much have you given back to the community?” is often the first question asked about volunteer service.

Serving 40 hours in the span of 2 weeks at the All the Arts camp seems like an admirable chunk of hours. This tendency of measuring contribution through numerical metrics is deeply ingrained in society, where large figures appear most impressive on college applications, resumes, or job referrals. As a result, many studies focus on hours served and volunteer rates. However, volunteering should not be measured by numbers alone. People can become easily consumed by accumulating more hours than their peers in pursuit of acknowledgment and prestige.

The true value of volunteering cannot be quantified by a spreadsheet or a service log; it should be defined by the sense of purpose it creates, the fulfillment gained from helping those in need, and the willingness to serve even if no one is present to congratulate them.

This prompts an important question: If volunteerism is more than accumulating hours, what is it that causes young people to continue serving even when there is no reward or requirement to do so?

Research suggests that external recognition is not always the primary reason for people to start volunteering. According to the Springtide Research Institute, 46% of young people ages 13–25 reported volunteering because they enjoyed it, while 42% said helping others simply made them feel good. In juxtaposition, only 31% cited building a resume for school or work as a motivation. It can be concluded that young people are driven by authentic generosity and personal fulfillment of philanthropic work.

This pattern mirrors my own experience as a volunteer. I was awarded the Presidential Service Award and the National Service Honor Gold Award. It seems as though these titles alone reflect an impressive commitment to the community.

Yet, when people ask how I give back, I would rather spend five minutes sharing all of my enthralling adventures and experiences behind those awards rather than mention the awards themselves: delivering weekly meals and watching an elderly woman’s face light up with gratitude, celebrating with a middle school athlete after a hard-earned point, or connecting with a special education student over similar interests.

To be fair, I may not have worked as hard to accumulate more than 250 hours in a single year had I not been pursuing the Gold Award. However, when I became unsure whether those hours would be recognized or not thanks to the suspension by AmeriCorps in 2025, I continued volunteering at multiple summer camps focused on art education and athletics.

My experience, along with published research, indicates that long-term volunteerism depends on more than just altruistic intentions. So what makes volunteers stay committed? According to GiveButter (a management system for nonprofits), even after volunteers begin their service, roughly 65% of nonprofits identify retention as a greater concern than recruitment. Retaining volunteers, especially younger ones, can be a daunting task, with disengagement stemming from feeling undervalued, unclear expectations, poor communication, and burnout.

To combat this trend of volunteers becoming disengaged over a period of time, a strong predictor of continued volunteerism appears to be identity. Psychologists describe volunteer role identity as “the extent to which they consider their role/s as a volunteer to be important and central to who they are.”

A survey of 214 existing volunteers measured their volunteer role identity pre-pandemic (British Journal of Social Psychology). Months later, during the pandemic, they found that those who viewed volunteering as an important part of their identity were more likely to continue helping others, even in the major social crisis.

In other words, people are more likely to remain involved when meaningful community service allows for a deeper understanding of oneself and evolves into something so much more impactful on one’s identity.

While awards initially urged me down the road of rigorous yet satisfying volunteer work, I continued serving even when recognition became uncertain. Similar to the participants in the study, my motivation shifted from earning hours to embracing service as a part of my unique identity.

I am truly blessed for the resources and opportunities to serve others, because it is not the number of certificates or hours, but the number of lives I was able to touch. This work molded my character into one I am deeply proud of and defined what volunteerism means to me.

To champion a deeper understanding of the impact volunteerism has, not only on communities but also on volunteers themselves as they discover their role identity, purpose, and meaning, I hope to continue this research, build an online presence, and collaborate with peers. To support this effort, please take five minutes to complete the questionnaire using the QR code here.