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In an age when so many Americans view politics with cynicism and despair, Derron Parks, 22, is different. He considers it another avenue of service. "I see politics as an extension of my volunteerism. I really do think it's a noble profession." Helping others is something Parks has done for most of his young life.

And he's not about to stop now.

He began volunteering for the Youth Engaged in Service (YES) when he was 13. He went to Germany for a year as an exchange student when he was a sophomore in high school. He became active in the Battle Creek (Michigan) Community Foundation as a high school student as well, serving on the Youth Alliance Committee (YAC), which made grants to youth-serving organizations.

It was as a high school student that Parks got his first taste of politics, serving in a mock state government in the summer between his junior and senior years. In his senior year, at the suggestion of his high school government teacher, Parks began volunteering a couple of hours a week for the Democratic Party organization in his county. The state party candidate he helped, Mark Schauer, won his campaign to become a state representative.

"It became a passion for me," he recalls. "When I wasn't at school or working, I was there." Having decided to go into college as a pre-med student, Parks soon changed his major to political science. He continued his involvement at Michigan State University, serving as Vice Chair for External Affairs in the student government and continuing his voluntary state political work as well. From working as an intern in Schauer's office, Parks naturally went on to an internship in Washington, D.C., working for Harold Ford, a Member of Congress from Tennessee.

His stint as a congressional intern solidified his passion into a calling. "There are a lot of young people behind the scenes. A chief of staff who is 30 is not uncommon," he explains. It makes sense to Parks that young people are involved deeply in politics and government. "I don't believe that young people are just our future. We are the right now."

When Schauer offered Parks the chance to manage his campaign for re-election, Parks said yes. He was 21. Schauer won. "I took the job because I knew Mark believed in me and believed I could do the job."

From that victory, Parks went on to a job with State Representative Alexander Lipsey where he works with constituents who call the office. It is in this capacity that Parks has become convinced of the nobility of political work. "People call us to help them with problems they're having in their communities. And we can help them. We may not have direct oversight but if we make a call, people will more likely give the problem a second look. We can be there for people in some of their hardest hours. I find it very rewarding."

Destined for Georgetown law school now that he has graduated from Michigan State University, Parks believes that he will work in the civil rights arena before running for office himself. His service to his hometown community and state and his passion have been a seamless flow, beginning with his willingness to get involved when he was 13. "People don't believe that they can get involved as a single person but that's not true," he says. "There are people out there willing to accept your help and to help you get involved."

In fact, Parks believes that it's those people who develop future leaders. "The people who helped me-people at the Battle Creek Community Foundation and Mark Schauer, for example-showed me what good leaders are and their involvement in my life molded and shaped me. It's important for young people to be taken under someone's wings."

It was someone even closer to Parks who first showed him the essential qualities of leadership. "My biggest role model is my mother who raised me as a single parent. She did what she needed to do to make sure I had what I needed." It was his mother who showed him the value of figuring out what you want and persevering until you get it. "She applied for a fast-track promotion program but it took her six years to get in. She got turned down five times. She got in on her sixth try." When her opportunity came, it was in Battle Creek where she knew no one but she knew it was a good chance to provide for her son so she moved.

He can see that he has learned from his mother and the other role models in his life. "I am willing to get involved and to do what it takes to realize my goals. He points to his acceptance into Georgetown Law School as an example. "I know I don't have the best grades or the highest test scores but I put myself out there and got involved in what I was interested in and that made a difference."