The deadline for turning in the "Can You Make a
Difference?" surveys is extended until next Wednesday, Sept. 15. Francesco
Miniati, Midwest Region student division leader, volunteered his Web site
for online versions of the survey and the "How Can I Make a Difference in
Society?" album page. Visit http://www.msi.umn.edu/~min/sd/ and you will
able to download both. You will also find an option to fill out the survey
online; once you have inserted your answers, just click submit and you're
done. You can contact Francesco at min@msi.umn.edu if you have any problem
in this regard. Also, you can snail mail the completed survey hard copies
and album pages (which cannot be filled out online) to Valerie Thomas,
SGI-USA Headquarters, 606 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401. Please
encourage your friends to participate in the survey! All students studying
beyond high school are eligible to participate. The purpose is to evaluate
how students feel about their ability to make a positive difference in the
world and the factors that have influenced their feelings. Participants
will rank statements on a scale from "Strongly Agree" to "Strongly
Disagree."  Two examples of the statements are: "In the future, the world
will be a better place because of my efforts." "My education has increased
my ability to help others." The hope is that this survey, which can be
circulated to both members and non-members, will not only be a vehicle to
collect a clear picture of students’ current views but a way for SGI-USA
students to introduce their non-member peers to the organization. Results
of the survey will be presented to SGI President Ikeda and published in
Seize the Day.

 The SGI Youth Training Course is now taking
place in Japan. More than 400 youth division members from 55 countries and
territories have gathered there. During this training course, an SGI
student division conference will be held with Chicago student division
member Wendy DeSouza representing the United States. In a welcome message
to the participants, President Ikeda says: "I am sure that leading up to
this training course many of you encountered various obstacles in your
daily lives. Yet you succeeded in valiantly overcoming and winning out
against them. Now you have taken your place joyfully in this gathering for
worldwide kosen-rufu, an eternal gathering transcending time. There is
absolutely no doubt that you will accumulate boundless fortune and
benefit, and shine with indestructible glory, into the infinite future."
For more of President Ikeda's Training Course encouragement and news of
the participants' activities, please see upcoming issues of the World
Tribune. For information on subscribing to the World Tribune, call
1-800-835-4558 or e-mail SGISUBS@aol.com.