The students were joined by parents, teachers, volunteers, and Saratoga Union School District Superintendent Lane Weiss, as well as about 50 eighth graders from Redwood Middle School leadership classes. The middle school students instructed the elementary students about how to construct rag balls—made of plastic bags and nylon stockings—to simulate what it would be like not to play with real, leather soccer balls.

"It's softer, lighter and it flies in the wind, so it's not as durable to weather," said eighth-grader Erica Baba, describing the difference between the rag ball and a real soccer ball.

The children were participating on Oct. 9 at Saratoga Elementary School in the "Get A Kick Out of Sharing" program, aimed at giving underprivileged children in 18 countries in Africa real soccer balls with which they can play. The Saratoga students watched a video detailing the African children playing with rag balls, rather than soccer balls. They were challenged to each provide one real soccer ball, new or used, for the African children during a drive that ends Oct. 24.

"My hope is that this will become a yearly project," said Anu Singh, a parent co-coordinator of the event. "We are creating history and doing something larger than ourselves. We are working together and reaching out to children across the world."

Mark Linsky, area director of the American Youth Soccer Organization, said so often soccer balls sit in the garage—unused. He encouraged families and teams to recycle those balls at the end of this soccer season by donating them to the program instead of letting them go to waste.

"The program is designed to put never-before-used and gently used soccer balls at the feet of children who have never played with a real soccer ball," said Mike Lane with World Vision, an international relief and development organization that advocates the well-being of people, especially children. Lane is the chairman of the "Get A Kick Out of Sharing" program.

He said soccer serves as a universal language for many children, and it's almost beyond belief for the children in Africa to receive a real soccer ball.

Argonaut Elementary School Principal Sue Brooks said it was great for these children, the leaders of tomorrow, to learn a sense of service.

"They are building bridges with each other," Brooks said. "It's thinking globally and acting locally. It's empowering them to know that they can make a difference."

Argonaut parent Whitney Hansen said the program was important to give the children an understanding that they live in such a privileged community. And parent Leilia Peake said she hoped her children would see they didn't need a $20 ball, but that kids their own age in other countries play with balls made out of salvageable material.

Argonaut fifth-grade teachers Janet Okada and Jackie Baer said they hope their students take away world awareness from the program. Baer added that a lot of the students already play soccer together on local teams, so it was fun for them to get together during school time. Okada said the soccer ball program, in its second year, has already expanded.

Each of the grade levels within the Saratoga Union School District participated in Building Bridges projects during the week of Oct. 20­23.

The movement continues Oct. 22, when first and second graders from Saratoga and Argonaut will assemble shoeboxes filled with basic necessities for children around the world, for the Samaritan's Purse International Relief organization.