The central floor of the La Jolla Library was so jammed that librarians had to move the furniture.
Almost 700 people ” from the very young to seniors ” came to hear world-famous chimpanzee researcher Dr. Jane Goodall speak on Oct. 4.
She was received like a rock star. More than 40 years ago she transformed the way the world looked at the relationship between humans and animals. She was asked at the event to discuss both.
“I asked her which she likes best, chimps or humans,” said David, 12. “She said sometimes she likes chimps better and sometimes humans.”
Now Goodall is on a one-woman whirlwind mission around the world, 300 days a year ” to save both.
“I have seen it in the eyes of chimpanzees “¦ I have seen it in the eyes of children from the effects of war “¦ their eyes say, ‘who will help?'” she said.
First it started with the deforestation she saw in Africa and the commercial killing of chimpanzees. But her message is now a plea for worldwide conservation and she has assembled an army to spread it.
Her soldiers are children. Goodall came specifically to speak to children in the area who have joined her worldwide Roots and Shoots Program. Here in La Jolla, the library is acting as an umbrella organization for schools that wish to sign up.
For Marnie Gavit, director of the Friends of La Jolla Library program, the choice was obvious.
“Our community is so rich and blessed,” she said. “We need to teach our children how to give. Roots and Shoots does all that, from the community to globally.”
Students do projects in their own backyard, first caring for the environment, then animals and people in that environment.
Roots and Shoots started with 16 teenagers on Goodall’s front porch in Africa 15 years ago. Now it has 8,000 chapters in 96 countries. Nine schools have signed up with the library.
Almost the entire student body of La Jolla Elementary School is among them.
“For us, we always wanted a program to teach character development,” said Donna Tripi, principal of La Jolla Elementary. “Jane Goodall gave us all the components. She’s one of those true heroes you always look for, for kids.”
Goodall named her program “roots, because we build a foundation, shoots because we grow from there and it has been found that shoots can be strong enough to break through brick walls.”
The scientist, 73, who spent so much time in the isolated reaches of the world, now travels as a United Nations Ambassador, trying to break through what she sees as brick walls of indifference about the environment ” and she clearly strikes a chord with young people.
“She kinda makes you feel that anyone can make a difference,” said Elizabeth, age 9.
The Roots and Shoots Program is open to children ages 8 to 16. For more information, contact the La Jolla Riford Library, (858) 552-1657.