Assignment

     For my assignment, I decided to Volunteer on a Saturday at the "Christmas Store" in Woodstock. I was very interested in devoting my time to help young children have the opportunity to buy Christmas gifts for their families. A church provided a large area full of tables to display gifts that were donated throughout the entire year. As helpers, we were known as the elves, who helped the kids pick out gifts for each person on their “list” which consisted of all their family members, some of their ages and also grandparents. Similar to a store, there was a check out aisle. This is where an older gentlemen sat and put all their items into a box. At the end he would ask for a small amount such as, "Your total comes to $5 today", and would give them a sticker to show they had paid. I thought the idea of “paying” was really a good idea. The kids took pride in getting out their money to “pay” for their purchases. Afterwards,myself and the child I was helping, both headed downstairs to the workshop! The walls were covered in decorations to boost the Christmas spirit. Several helpers, (including my mom!) were ready and willing to help wrap all of their presents!!! This is where everything really started to hit me. As I walked a particular child back to her mom, she looked back at me and asked for a hug. Although I was a stranger to her, for the short time I had met her, she felt loved and accepted. She carried her “paid for” and “carefully selected” presents with pride. Her mom gave me $2 and told me to get myself a hot chocolate! I wished them a Merry Christmas and went back to help the next child standing in line. All day I remembered this little girl and how much of an impact she had on me! I truly believe an event like this could be set up in even more towns and cities. It would help those in need of “meaningful experiences” like me as much as those in need of “presents” for their families. I was also proud of the young kids who wanted to show their love to family members by giving gifts at Christmas time. I thoroughly enjoyed volunteering at the Christmas Store and would be happy to return next year! Thanks for the challenge!

Gratitude #13

I have learned that feeling and expressing gratitude is a skill that can be developed with practise. I’m very aware that I take the simple things in life for granted, which makes me feel like a selfish person sometimes. I want to be grateful for the “ordinary” experiences that make me smile or the little lessons I can learn from them..... not just the extraordinary ones that come only once in a while. As it says in the book, “Tragedies have a way of forcing us to confront what is important in life”. I feel like I have trained my brain to only be thankful for those “highs” or “exceptional experiences" and forget about the small but important blessings I am granted. As I think about my day so far, I realize it’s the small things that sometimes make the biggest impact. When you show gratitude to others, they feel accepted and look at their lives in a new light too. When others show us gratitude, we want to continue to help because of how it makes us feel. And the truth is we don’t have to perform huge acts to feel and receive gratitude. We can thank someone for holding the door, we can write a note of thanks to someone we take for granted or thank a friend for always being their for us. And, when something doesn’t turn out exactly as expected, we can be thankful for what we still have. Gratitude is contagious!! The Me to We philosophy reminds us all to have a spirit of gratitude. 

    Ten things I am grateful for...

1. Waking up in a safe home

2. Having the capability to have strong mobility skills

3. Being able to have fresh, clean water

4. Finding food in the kitchen when you are hungry  

5. Having the choice of what to wear everyday

6. Growing up in a loving, supporting family

7. Living in a free country

8. Having the right to believe in a religion  

9. Being able to go to school everyday

10. Extremely thankful for medication. (I don’t know what I would do after having four impacted teeth removed without any sort of pain medication!!!!)

Who supports me?

1. Family

2. Friends

3. Teachers

4. Coaches

5. Boss/ Co-workers

6. Community

7. Government

8. Church

Who mentors me?

1. Parents

2. Teachers

3. Guidance councillors

4. Coaches

5. Community

6. Boss

7. Friends

Who helps me reach my goals?

1. Family

2. Friends

3. Teammates

4. Teachers

Gifts I have...

1. Reading& writing skills: Education

2. Athletic ability

3. Fresh water

4. Safe home

5.  Family: Participation throughout school/ community 

6. No medical conditions

7. A job I enjoy

8. Caring friends

9. Nutritious food

10. Freedom

Midway

 Time really does fly in leadership class. I feel very involved with class projects and feel very connected to the students who work together and help create them. I enjoy assignments in Leadership because I feel inspired and know my personal skills continue to develop and advance to new levels. 
     I believe I have grown throughout the course and know my final challenges will help me find inner stength and determination to fufill my personal expectations. I feel with every day a new problem occurs and gives me the opportunity to look at it in a new way. I really feel I’m looking at things with a new perspective now and not getting as discouraged. I have faced some obstacles like working with people of all different personalities and realizing not everything is in my control. I do feel many things happen for a reason, often to teach us things and help us learn about ourselves. I think I look at challenges and trials as opportunities to grow rather than get discouraged and feel overwhelmed. I believe you develop as a leader through all types of experiences and I’m glad for every opportunity I’m given to learn and grow.

     I never want to stop learning. We should be thankful for knowledge and we need to use that knowledge wisely. We have a responsibility to stand up for what’s right even if it’s not easy. We also need to confront people in a responsible and caring way. You can’t spread rumours and play with peoples’ minds. Our motives need to be sincere so we can bring out the best in ourselves and each other.

     In the last months of Leadership class, I want to know how to deal with others when their attitude is often discouraging. Many of us are faced with several situations in life when someone can always find a way to bring you down. I want advice and guidance on how to connect with people in a positive way. I think this will force me to become more exposed and open but hopefully change for the better. For example, by sharing emotions with someone you are more vulnerable but your relationship can be more meaningful. I want people to be able to rely on me and trust me. I want to be supportive and not judgmental. I want to be positive and not discouraged. I want to be a great problem solver and a willing participant in meaningful tasks.

Haunted House

     Although I did not play a major role throughout the funhouse, I felt my job greeting people at the door set the tone. I was dressed as a goofy clown with vibrant makeup. I welcomed people into a small closed off area surrounded with polka dots and flowers. Carly and I told an eerie story in creepy and distorted voices. I enjoyed seeing people's reactions towards the story as we slowly opened the curtains for their mysterious adventure ahead.
     I feel I gathered many materials and used my time wisely to decorate our given area. My group was very supportive of everyone's ideas and contributed lots of hard work to our "fun" room. At times, I felt overwhelmed and distant from other groups in the class... but my group quickly noticed and reassured me everything would work out.

     I do feel I crossed a few barriers. I believe they were only personal barriers and self insecurities. I feel more secure when one person is in charge but I see that several groups working on a specific part is can be effective. Sometimes, at the end of class, people heard the bell and dashed out the door. This was when I started to panic and felt very anxious. I had some trust in our class to complete the job on time but I wasn't sure how everything would come together. I resolved this problem by making sure my area was organized and everyone knew what we needed to get done the next day. I felt this was necessary in order for people to know what materials to bring in and what jobs were still not completed. Thankfully, everyone was on the same page Thursday second period! I was relieved when I saw the final project. Everyone did an awesome job and had lots of fun!

     I feel I contributed my creative ideas and dedication. Our group deigned an outline for what we wanted our room to look like. We made sure everyone got a say, and divided up the roles evenly. I made sure everybody felt included into the discussion. I consistently contributed ideas for our fun house. I never shut anyones thoughts down or discouraged the vision other people had. If I felt their idea might produce complications, I would ask subtle questions to make them think. I also was very dedicated towards my role as a "good" clown. I captured people into my characters role, making them think about what would be behind the curtains. I really appreciated how everyone got along and supported each other.

     I personally would have made the funhouse much different if there was only one creator. I think it should have been more interesting by adding more detail. I may have had more stations and a path to follow so you couldn't see the floor. I do, however, accept that everyone have different ideas and learning styles. Speaking for my group, we divided up the jobs reflecting our personalities. For instance, Carly and I gathered material and decorations for the funhouse because we were reliable candidates for that role. And, for someone like Sophie, who is quieter, we gave her the role as a tour guide. Then she wouldn't have to talk in front of large groups or play a certain character. This worked very effectively and made everyone happy and more comfortable.

     Honesty- I was very honest throughout this whole experience. I feel as a leader you should be very honest and respectful of others. I gave my perspective on specific things and asked questions if I thought a problem might occur otherwise. Everyone wants to be heard and accepted.
     Enthusiasm- I felt my positive energy made people excited to present the funhouse on Thursday and Friday. I hoped it would be contagious and I was happily surprised! I also made sure I thanked everyone for all their hard work and helped the clowns get off all their make-up... haha.
     Organization- I felt I helped my group stay focused and organized. Not many guidelines needed to be set because everyone stayed on task. I feel I played the part of making sure everyone was keeping busy. I don't, however, feel I was pushy or controlling while doing this. I was very patient with all my group members and they did the same.
   
     My group had good time management skills. We stayed organized and stayed focused throughout the work periods. We set goals for each day in order to get everything completed. We knew that our room would set the vibe and effect peoples attitudes towards this class project. I knew I didn't want to spend loads of effort into something that didn't turn out as planned because of disorganization. I feel it really helped that everyone was excited for people to evaluate our hard work. We were all pumped to reveal our funhouse!

     If I had to evaluate myself on all my work towards the funhouse, I would give myself a 17/20. I feel I worked consistently and effectively. I contributed my skills and ideas and encouraged others to do the same. I was dedicated to bringing in materials and was a reliable group member. There are some areas where I could improve. For instance, in new situations I can be a little nervous at times. I was feeling a little nervous when we put on the fun house and maybe came across a little shy at times. I often want to step up and make more of an impact but sometimes I back off a little. I hope I can overcome this insecurity so I can be a better leader. My sister wasn't really outgoing either but I feel she became an effective leader when people gave her responsibilities and she was able to prove herself. She was always really dedicated and worked hard.

Chapter Two

     I feel like both Craig and Marc have amazing stories. They simply wanted to take action and "find meaning in.a material world". Marc had an appealing approach of how he persevered through tough challenges and how he set his mind on one goal. Many of us create goals but let them slip away in the process of trying to accomplish them. Marc faced many crucial decisions, yet wasn't phased over loosing money or status. Although he turned down a life that may have granted him richness.....he was not interested in loosing his vision and the dreams he had. He had one dream. Marc was passionate about helping struggling children that deserved better. After his trip to Klong Toey, Marc experienced his own Me to We transformation. That was his first real glimpse of tremendous happiness and pride. I enjoyed reading about how Marc came to this conclusion: "Sometimes life's most important lessons need to be literally staring us in the face before we are able to recognize their true value." I think we should listen carefully, and be aware of others next door and around the world, so we can take advantage of opportunities to reach out to others.

Chapter One

     I believe Craig's story was written very realistically to give the impression that,"Everyone is capable of anything". I felt connected to his everyday school life and was drawn to his passionate and disturbing thoughts about child slavery. I was surprised he took the next step and shared his emotions to his class that morning. At first, I didn't believe that the peers in Craig's class volunteered to stand beside him, even though the "next step" was not yet established. Although I was pleasantly surprised about the number of students that offered to stand behind him, I would have done the same thing. You need to take that leap of faith sometimes! I think it's a great idea that so many people support charities and organizations to help struggling children. But, I believe it takes real activists like Craig to show true courage at such a young age and believe that changing the world is possible! How inspiring!! I think everyone could use Craig as a role model and benefit from following his story. 

     When I was 10 years old, I decided instead of asking for presents on my birthday, I would ask for money. I didn't want my friends to buy me presents. I wanted to donate the money to an orphanage in Peru. I had watched a slide show the previous week at church and saw these children struggle to find food and shelter. Although 100 dollars wasn't a pile of money, I felt I did the right thing. I didn't mind not receiving presents that year... it made me happy to know I was giving some innocent children a gift. A few months later, I got a note in the mail thanking me for the money. I also was sent a picture of the children at the orphanage (SOO CUTE!!). Some day I hope to travel to Peru and personally meet children that can't afford food or very much of anything. They seemed so thankful for so little. I believe an experience such as that, has changed me. I'm looking at the Christmas shoe box pamphlet and can't wait to pack a few boxes with my sister. It makes life meaningful.

      

Challenge Day

     My thoughts, on the episode we watched in class, varied. I felt connected to their stories and felt a part of their journey throughout Challenge Day. I accepted and felt confident regarding the chosen students. I felt that the people running the show would put their best effort forward to make everyone feel welcome and turn any uncomfortable situations into moments of understanding. I knew a variety of students from different "clicks" would be put together to share what was not "obvious" about their everyday life.
     Further on into the show, it hit me that the students who were focused on had devastating stories. I felt, from that point, pushed away. Although I would like to be apart of Challenge Day, I feel my story would not meet the "standards" of others. I feel students, that shared deep and thoughtful information about themselves, had more to share and experience. I would still like the opportunity to listen to how students are impacted and become more aware of their needs. I want people to feel they can trust me. I would look forward to helping others find their way back onto their feet.
     IDCI and River Valley are connected on some levels. We are separated into specific groups/clicks and tend to push others away that don't meet our expectations. Most students are not friendly to people that don't seem "normal" or are labelled as "weird". We are strictly associated with the people that share the same interests and maybe values. We are not like River Valley because we don't seem to spread constant rumours about other groups within the school. I feel, although we are separated into groups, we keep to ourselves. I am aware that bullying occurs throughout our school and is impossible to eliminate, however, it is the silent type of bullying that is most difficult to stop. I think Challenge Day will reveal many hidden conflicts and stories no one was aware of.
     I am glad IDCI is investing their money into Challenge Day because I want everyone to feel safe and welcome when they come to school. I think this will be a huge opportunity for leadership students to become role models and push people out of their comfort zones and become more understanding and accepting. When someone has trust for someone else, it creates a strong support system. Many of us are unaware that other people face the same conflicts as we do. We all have worries and insecurities....no matter what kind of life we lead. I hope Challenge Day will be successful and an extraordinary experience.

Today was a good day...

     I was so thankful we had a meaningful discussion today that pushed everyone past their comfort zones. Although it was a depressing conversation, is was a definate wake up call. I appreciated that everyone was on the same page by the end of the class and walked out with a new perspective. It seemed to make a difference with Tuesdays Corn Hole game in the caf. Everyone that participated was laughing and enjoying themselves. Even the students that didn't participate looked to be entertained from the sidelines. If we didn't have our class discussion today, I would have felt embarassed and ashamed. Not because I would be standing alone encouraging others to play a game... but that many leaders were not stepping up as better role models when it comes to leadership opportunities. I am proud of our class for overcoming many obstacles. We need to keep challenging ourselves and work together to achieve class goals. I know we are capable of anything... We are all great leaders!!

A different kind of story...

     I struggled to hold back tears as I read the story. I felt an emotional connection and a passion to help, yet envisioning their lifestyle becomes a blur. Imagining their day to day life is unrealistic. We are rarely faced with death threatening challenges. We are all aware that food is essential to live, however, it doesn't seem to phase us that while we eat, others die from starvation. There is hardly anything in our life that is comparable to theirs. We are so fortunate to live in freedom.
     I believe Knaan's story reveals his leadership role in this world. To go back to your original country without knowing what will happen, how people will react, or who to talk to has extreme ramifications. Unlike some celebrities, Knaan can and wants to loose sight of his fame. It is obvious that he has a strong passion for helping others and feels giving back to his country is necessary. Also, Knaan writes songs he feels strongly towards and stands up for what he believes in so he can teach others. Therefore, I consider Knaan an extraordinary hero.

#5 ...Everything is amazing and nobody's happy

     I felt very connected to the video, "Everything is amazing and nobody's happy" because I often tend to catch myself in the middle of an act wishing I would have been more appreciative. As technology advances and new products are released we forget about our basic needs and take advantage of them.  Nobody is ever satisfied. I have lots of respect for the programs that occur throughout the school year such as, "The vow of silence" and "Turn it off". I feel these are great initiatives that people should participate in to get a glimpse of what we call essential from day to day. I believe our world is full of greed... But without anyone noticing, everything will remain the same. I took the time to be thankful for my friends, family, food and education today... I want to make a difference and increase my appreciation for the things I have.

Respect goes a long way ...

     Today was an awesome day in Leadership class! Our discussions don't revolve around what one person's opinion is ........ we dig deep and think of real reasons things happen in life and how we can improve or change them. I feel involved in discussions and always come to class eager to hear what others have to say about our next topic! I feel we really become a "family" during second period. No one is afraid to speak their mind or get made fun of. We are all encouraging and supportive of our peers.
      I think what it means to "give back to the school" or "do something for the school" can be shown in a variety of ways. Personally, I feel like you don't need to stand out, be noticed or attract attention. I know the small things count in life and I try to do the best I can. Volunteers help because they want to make a difference and they can also be "behind the scenes". Leaders are also different and have different qualities. However, to do something for you school means to have a positive impact and help those in need. It means to make your school a better place in some way. I know when I walked out of class today with our lesson in mind, I bent down and picked up the garbage sitting on the ground and held the door for someone behind me on crutches. I want to speak to others through my actions around the school. You can help in lots of little ways too! I have respect for everyone in our school. No matter shape, size, gender or race... they have my respect. I believe respect and putting yourself in someone else's shoes is essential.  I remember how I felt the first few days of grade 9. I felt lost, discouraged, and at times embarrased. I want people to be excited to become a Bomber... not to be afraid of getting initiated. I am ready to make the change and welcome everyone into our school.
     I am proud of how I have served the school the past 2 years. I have participated in sport teams and joined clubs. I feel I have supported our school spirit by going to school wide activities and setting a good example for students around me. I attended meetings and have been dedicated to my school work. I want others to be proud of the school they go to and the accomplishments they have been a part of! Im ready to kick our spirit into overdrive!!
     I wouldnt say others have stopped me from doing my best or getting involved, but I have been experienced peer pressure before. I am my own self and I know I live with the choices I make, good or bad. I don't let others influence me or push me around. I feel I have grown up ever since the first few days of grade 9. I almost found it to be a mission to decide where I was going, who to interact with and what to get involved with. When the years go by, you follow your interests and find friends you can depend on. These friends will not lead you down the wrong path. They will stand behind you and help you do the best you can.
     Work together, show respect, make a difference, have fun and be your best self!! You can't go wrong!    

Canada Flag Activity

     I felt the activity let us work together to create a unique design for our flag. My group shared ideas and listened to each others contributions. Everyone thought of neat ways to add personality traits and specific qualities. We decided to outline our hands on the paper to make the flag and glue the extra paper on each side of the flag, making beams. Even though we had limited supplies, we used what we had to build a flag that represented each student in the group. I enjoyed this activity because we were all involved in creating a final project.

My Song Choice

Song: Believe  By: Suzie McNeil
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aByA-svpXYw

     I chose this song because its about inspiring others to reach their true potential. I think that is a very important job that leaders should posess. If people believe in themselves and put forth their best effort they can accomplish many goals and they will be willing to share their ideas and creativity. A good leader knows when to encourage and when to give constructive critisism. If everyone pulls their weight and listens to each other, a leader has done his/her job. This song version was written for the Olympics. It also touched on not always being able to win or being perfect. It suggests that putting forth a really good effort will still be worth it even if things didn't turn out exactly the way you had hoped they would. You won't regret taking healthy risks! You might even learn from them.

First days of Leadership!

     I have had tons of fun in leadership class during the past week! The spirit in the classroom in very encouraging and motivating. I am looking forward to being a leader around the school and helping others this year. It's hard to believe we are actually learning, haha! I know this semester is going to rock and I can't wait to get started!