Putting the web to work for Darfur.

Nick Anderson, 17, of Conway, Mass., co-founded Dollars for Darfur (www.savedarfur.org/dollarsfordarfur), a nationwide fund-raising competition among high schools. It is using sites like Facebook and MySpace to raise awareness of the crisis in Darfur and encourage students to raise money for humanitarian relief. (For more on the situation in Darfur, see p. 18). Upfront talked to the junior at Northfield Mount Hermon School about his call to action.

(Q) Why Darfur?

(A) For one thing, it was receiving so little publicity at the time, and we felt it was really important to give the issue greater exposure among high school kids.

(Q) Why did you turn to the Web?

(A) It felt like such a huge resource that was not being put to really noble use. It seemed like a logical next step.

(Q) What motivates you to be an activist?

(A) I feel it is every citizen's responsibility to speak out for what they think is right and speak against what they think is wrong. That's part of the fabric of democracy.

(Q) Whom do you took to for inspiration as an activist?

(A) Nelson Mandela. He dug South Africa out of an incredibly difficult situation in the most peaceful way possible.

(Q) What are your future career plans?

(A) I'm hoping to go into business and politics on an international level someday. I'd love to work for the U.N.