Boxes upon boxes, bare walls, and summer expectations -- Summit isn't Summit anymore. Before I go let's take a look back at what this year has been like:
If I had to describe Summit in just one sentence it would be this: You don't know what you have until it's gone. I've done my fair share of complaining about the project, the house, and the class over the past two semesters. But if I really think about it I've had a great time with my group. When Andrew handed me the certificate for the class I realized that the classes we had taken were also worth it. And as for the project? That tree still looks great.
The most beneficial aspect of Summit, to me, is the resume building component of the experience. Having the ability to tell potential employers that I have engaged in a leadership community wherein I educated young minds about sustainable living is an important part of my college experience. This opportunity has made me a much more appealing candidate for internships and possibly entry positions on my career path.
The greatest thing I learned about living in Summit was compromise. I am generally a person who does the whole "my way or no way" style of living. However when you have three other guys in the same living space (something that is new to me, having only one brother) you cannot control everything around you. People have their own habits and lifestyles and at some point you have to stop being so damn stubborn and meet them halfway. It's funny that I say this in principle because I am the worst at putting my own advice into practice. Still, learning is learning just the same.
Our biggest impact is on the Boyd Community. The Green Team at Boyd was a good idea but did not have the necessary funds to keep going year after year without someone to get the parents more involved. Thanks to our help with the garden and other events the parents would not be as involved with Boyd's commitment to sustainability. I feel that without our group the Green Team would not have been as successful in the coming years at it will be now.
Not living in Summit meant that I would have lived off campus. Honestly I'm not quite sure how it would have changed my experience. I know that I would have spent less time on campus and that has both pros and cons. I know that it would not have given me the career opportunity that I needed but that isn't really related to the overall experience, not directly anyway. Overall I'm glad I lived in Summit but I'm not quite sure how living elsewhere would have changed the experience for me.
There's 3 things I would change:
1. Classes- Instead of once a month on a Friday how about once a week for 1 hour, 3 times a month. This would make blog submissions and activities much easier to facilitate and would give students some regularity instead of saying, "Oh yeah we have Summit this week, just do it every week.
2. Community- The groups really didn't know much about each other, not much of a community. Having a retreat that lasts one weekend for Summit residents could be helpful in creating a better community. I like that we have the socials, but they don't really promote the community as much as try to sustain it.
3. Coursework- I liked having the blog but this could be so much more useful to the students if it were formatted as a portfolio for job opportunities. The blog can be a big part in showing employers how students integrate social media with their work. If we make a portfolio as the big part of class I think it wold be more beneficial than small homework things.
The one piece of advice I would give to Summit groups is to know what you have before you leave -- an opportunity. As many hardships as you will face this semester, always remember that you were picked from a large group and that you have been given a privilege to make Drury a bigger partner in the community. Don't let that slip away.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Friday, May 6, 2011
Adios, Summit!
Our last Summit project culminated with the even we've been organizing for months: the Green Carnival! It was a great event to say goodbye to our awesome project and kids at Boyd, who came out and enjoyed all the games we had set out for them, as well as all the prizes and booths that we helped put together. There were kids getting their faces painted with Desiree, playing Green I Spy with Drew, Taylor and I, posing for pictures with Amy and Anna, and given information bags by Jimmy. This coincided with Earth Day, and the day was beautiful and enjoyable at the circle with all the local stores and coffee shops coming in and presenting their organic treats to everyone.
We also packed the car twice with all the recycling we've been doing, and it made me realize it would be one of the last trips, if not the second to last, we would make to the recycling center for my entire Sophomore year. I'm going to miss Summit, working with my roommates at Boyd, the kids over there (especially Amelia, the really cute child that would always attend our meetings) and living in the best houses on campus. Summer is here in a week, and I'm looking forward to returning to Guatemala and bringing back a few of the things I picked up while living in Summit (such as the recycling of all these different materials) and Skyping with the people I've grown used to seeing every day at my home here. Gracias Summit, Adios!
We also packed the car twice with all the recycling we've been doing, and it made me realize it would be one of the last trips, if not the second to last, we would make to the recycling center for my entire Sophomore year. I'm going to miss Summit, working with my roommates at Boyd, the kids over there (especially Amelia, the really cute child that would always attend our meetings) and living in the best houses on campus. Summer is here in a week, and I'm looking forward to returning to Guatemala and bringing back a few of the things I picked up while living in Summit (such as the recycling of all these different materials) and Skyping with the people I've grown used to seeing every day at my home here. Gracias Summit, Adios!
Goodbye Summit, Hello Summer!
Overall, my Summit experience has been characterized by some frustrations, lots of successes, and countless memories with our group. Not only will I have my Summit experience to reflect on when I do group work in the future, I will also be able to use the project that we have done to build my resume. I think the best thing that I have learned from Summit this year is that even if you encounter frustrations or problems along the way, if you simply continue trying to make your project work you will be able to get the results you wanted. We set out with an extremely ambitious calendar for our project, and in spite of all of our frustrations and miscommunications with each other and our organization, we were able to still accomplish all of the goals we set. In conjunction with the teachers at Boyd, I think our group has made a real impact on all of the kids we have worked with at the school. Teaching them basic environmental principles, we had really great feedback from both the kids and the teachers ensuring us that we made a lasting impression on them. Had I not been given the opportunity to live in Summit this year, I think my sophomore year would have been much less of a learning experience than it was. Developing time-management, communication skills, and the basics of how to plan and implement a successful lesson plan or activity with the groups we met with at the school, this year was a great opportunity for me to fine-tune my leadership skills and learn how to work on a long-term project. The only thing that I would have changed, in retrospect, would be to set out better communication agreements for our group to have been able to avoid a lot of the troubles that we ran into. Ultimately we were able to resolve our communication issues much better during the second semester and better coordinated with each other's schedules, but it would have been nice if we could have figured this out sooner.
For future Summit Groups I would recommend to set out really clear, tangible goals for you year. Set a calendar and really try to stick to it as best you can to ensure you can make all of the things you want to happen a reality. And, finally, figure out at the beginning of the year how you will best communicate with each other , and a system of accountability to ensure that everyone does their fair share of the work.
Thanks for a great year, and I hope everyone has a great summer!
Anna
For future Summit Groups I would recommend to set out really clear, tangible goals for you year. Set a calendar and really try to stick to it as best you can to ensure you can make all of the things you want to happen a reality. And, finally, figure out at the beginning of the year how you will best communicate with each other , and a system of accountability to ensure that everyone does their fair share of the work.
Thanks for a great year, and I hope everyone has a great summer!
Anna
Thursday, May 5, 2011
The End's Not Near (It's Here)
1. In just a sentence describe your Summit Experience this past year?
It was cool.
2. What aspects of Summit do you feel will be beneficial to you as you continue your Drury experience?
There were two major aspects of my Summit experience - the living situation and the volunteer work. Both the living situation and the volunteer work helped me to work better within a community of people. I have gained skills in communicating my thoughts and listening to others' ideas. For the rest of my life I am going to be in situations where I have to work with people in order to accomplish and individual or common goal. Summit has taught me the skills I need to work well with others.
I have also learned to be patient and deal with problems as they come to me. Sometimes things happen outside of my control, and when working with a group of people there are even more factors that are outside of my control, because we all have to work with one another and accommodate for each others' needs and wants.
3. What was the greatest thing you learned from living in Summit Park?
The greatest thing I learned form living in Summit Park? That's tough to say. I've learned a lot about working within a team, and working with others and educating them about a cause. As a result of living in Summit and working with our cause, I have also learned a lot about living sustainably.
4. What impact do you feel you have made on the community along with your agency and why?
I think that we have taught some bright young children about how to live sustainable. We've taught them that they aren't helpless against huge issues like climate change or deforestation or pollution. I think we've done a little bit to raise awareness about the importance of the environment. We've worked with the kids, and some of them maybe have heard us talk, but didn't really listen. But I think that of all the kids we've worked with there were a few kids who we did affect, and that makes it worth it to me.
5. If you would have not had the chance to live in Summit, how would have this changed your experience at Drury?
I would not have had the chance to become as close with my current housemates. I wouldn't have had a chance to meet and and teach and learn from all of the people at Boyd Elementary. I also wouldn't have learned as much about the other nonprofits in Springfield, the ones that other Summit Park participants worked with.
6. Looking back at the Summit Experience over the past year what would you have changed and why?
I wouldn't have changed anything. I think some things could have gone more smoothly, but we learned valuable lessons from the "mistakes" we made.
7. What is some advice you would give to future Summit groups?
Be willing to compromise and work with one another. Realize that you're all in this together, so do what you can to help, and your team members will look at you as an example and be motivated. Take into consideration that nonprofits are difficult to get a hold of sometimes, but stay persistent. Persistence is key to getting anything done. No matter what you do, you'll run into difficulties, but you just have to take it in stride. The world is a massive place, but there's a place in it for you. Let go of any desire to control everything you do and everything that happens to you, because it's not going to work. Instead accept every situation you encounter and every person you meet for exactly who they are, no better and no worse.
-Desirée
-Desirée
Well, That's All She Wrote
My Summit expierence--although only for the past semester--has been eye-opening. I think that what I found most interesting was how I relate to school-age children now that I am a young adult. Even working with high school students as a college student was something I had never experienced before, and becoming accustomed to that atmosphere will be important down the road. It's something that I know I will be using this summer because of where I will be working and it will definitely be beneficial for me as I continue to be involved at Drury.
The greatest thing I learned from living in Summit Park had to be the status achieved. Living in a residence hall or apartment is something that every Drury student does; Summit Park has a certain vibe about it. I remember seeing the surprised look on some of my peers' faces when I walked into the first Summit meeting of the semester. It shows how significant it is, both for other Summit Park residents and for those doing other things here at Drury. That idea of status is something that I think has had the most impact on the community. We chose to do this community service project because we felt that it would have a strong impact on kids, teachers, parents, and other community members. It definitely has; just look at the pictures we have of smiling faces and that direct effect on the community is very clear.
I don't really think I am fit to answer the question of what I would have done if I hadn't lived in Summit Park because I didn't for half the year. I feel very fortunate to still have a strong relationship with my former roommate (and replacement), suitemates, and fellow residents that I left behind.
There are some things about Summit Park that I would like to see changed, both within my group and in the way the program is set up. As for the group, I think we need to do a better job of performing tasks based on what we are good at. I felt like some of us were doing this, but others were left without a task to do and looked somewhat uncomfortable in their roles. This is something that we could have planned for and addressed early on, and I would advise future Summit Park groups to do the same. As for the program itself, I think it needs to become more community-oriented rather than individual-oriented. I certainly learned quite a bit from Drury's career planning office and the lady who talked about credit and managing money, but those don't really apply to the true meaning of Summit Park: community activism. I think that Summit Park class meetings in the future need to be tied to the groups and their service projects and to other community programs that we could benefit from through observing the way they affect people's lives and emulating that in our own work.
Since this is my last post and my farewell to this blog, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to replace a great guy in the Think Green at Boyd Elementary group. I hope my work has been appreciated by everyone, and I wish everyone a great summer and best of luck in the fall.
-Drew Kemp-Baird
The greatest thing I learned from living in Summit Park had to be the status achieved. Living in a residence hall or apartment is something that every Drury student does; Summit Park has a certain vibe about it. I remember seeing the surprised look on some of my peers' faces when I walked into the first Summit meeting of the semester. It shows how significant it is, both for other Summit Park residents and for those doing other things here at Drury. That idea of status is something that I think has had the most impact on the community. We chose to do this community service project because we felt that it would have a strong impact on kids, teachers, parents, and other community members. It definitely has; just look at the pictures we have of smiling faces and that direct effect on the community is very clear.
I don't really think I am fit to answer the question of what I would have done if I hadn't lived in Summit Park because I didn't for half the year. I feel very fortunate to still have a strong relationship with my former roommate (and replacement), suitemates, and fellow residents that I left behind.
There are some things about Summit Park that I would like to see changed, both within my group and in the way the program is set up. As for the group, I think we need to do a better job of performing tasks based on what we are good at. I felt like some of us were doing this, but others were left without a task to do and looked somewhat uncomfortable in their roles. This is something that we could have planned for and addressed early on, and I would advise future Summit Park groups to do the same. As for the program itself, I think it needs to become more community-oriented rather than individual-oriented. I certainly learned quite a bit from Drury's career planning office and the lady who talked about credit and managing money, but those don't really apply to the true meaning of Summit Park: community activism. I think that Summit Park class meetings in the future need to be tied to the groups and their service projects and to other community programs that we could benefit from through observing the way they affect people's lives and emulating that in our own work.
Since this is my last post and my farewell to this blog, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to replace a great guy in the Think Green at Boyd Elementary group. I hope my work has been appreciated by everyone, and I wish everyone a great summer and best of luck in the fall.
-Drew Kemp-Baird
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Over and Out
My Summit experience this year has been so full of challenges, dedication, hard work, achievement, and, above all, FUN! :) As I spend my next two years at Drury, I will definitely continue to benefit from the work that's been done through Summit. I've developed so many contacts with people around the Springfield community, and I've established a reputation for myself with important people connected to Boyd, Central, and even the Drury administration. If I wouldn't have lived in Summit this year, my experience at Drury would have been marked with more individual volunteer work and much less involvement around the Springfield community.
The greatest thing I learned from living in Summit is that it really is possible for a group of students to make a true impact on their community. That being said, I feel that the impact we've made can be seen, not only at Boyd, but also at Drury and in the surrounding community. Visibly, we've planted flowers at the Victims Memorial Garden, we're going to be planting a tree behind Summit Park, and we've worked at the Community Garden. Not so visibly: we've educated 220 Boyd students on the importance of sustainability and environmentalism.
In hindsight, if I had the chance to change something about Summit, it would be involvement in making our house carbon-neutral. We did attempt to make changes to this, but I don't think we were as adamant as we needed to be to see some actual action.
My advice to future Summit groups is get started early and work until the end. The sooner you contact your organization, the faster you can get to volunteering and the more impact you will have!
Peace out Summit! What a long, strange trip it's been. :)
Amy
The greatest thing I learned from living in Summit is that it really is possible for a group of students to make a true impact on their community. That being said, I feel that the impact we've made can be seen, not only at Boyd, but also at Drury and in the surrounding community. Visibly, we've planted flowers at the Victims Memorial Garden, we're going to be planting a tree behind Summit Park, and we've worked at the Community Garden. Not so visibly: we've educated 220 Boyd students on the importance of sustainability and environmentalism.
In hindsight, if I had the chance to change something about Summit, it would be involvement in making our house carbon-neutral. We did attempt to make changes to this, but I don't think we were as adamant as we needed to be to see some actual action.
My advice to future Summit groups is get started early and work until the end. The sooner you contact your organization, the faster you can get to volunteering and the more impact you will have!
Peace out Summit! What a long, strange trip it's been. :)
Amy
Monday, April 18, 2011
One Month Left (But Who's Counting?)
Between our summit project, classes, and other extra curriculars, the month of April has been an extremely busy one. Although the spring semester always seems to be an extremely busy one, our group has found time to continue our work at Boyd Elementary in some new and exciting ways. While we generally do more hands on work at Boyd, this month has mostly been geared towards planning and preparations for some of the big events we are going to hold in the next couple of weeks. Amongst these things we have been planning for is our biggest, most exciting event: the Green Carnival we will be hosting at Boyd. At this Carnival we will be coordinating with Boyd faculty and staff to maximize the amount of time that kids will be able to come out onto the playground and participate in all of the exciting booths we set up. From recycled crafts to planting plants, we hope that the Green Carnival will be a fun, interactive way to teach the kids at Boyd how to be a bit greener, and how to have fun doing so.
Over the past month one of the most difficult issues our group has run into is coordinating times that work for the whole group to plan for the Green Carnival. We have partnered with a group from Central High School who will be working with us to make the Green Carnival a success. While this partnership has been extremely helpful in delegating all of the work that needs to be done, it has been frustrating trying to coordinate times to meet with them since they are limited to meeting right after their school gets out at 3:00 pm. IN spite of this, however, different members of our group who are free at that time have been very committed to going over for every meeting and working to get everything lined up.
As far as the rest of this semester is concerned, the Green Carnival will be our biggest project, but we also have some smaller, fun events to set up too. Amongst these is a fun little community project going on this Sunday where our group is meeting with Paula Tindell, a woman from the Springfield community who works to maintain a memorial garden at Phelps Grove Park. Working with Ms. Tindell, our group will be buying and planting flowers in memory of victims of crimes in Springfield. Along with this, our group will be doing a Summit Social here in the next couple weeks, more details to to follow on that so stay tuned!
Happy April!!
Anna Regan
Friday, April 15, 2011
April Showers Bring Cool Lightning...
Although I missed Summit class today and this blog post isn’t quite on time, let me tell you that the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum in Kansas City is phenomenal. Check it out even though the website is far from doing it justice: http://www.nelson-atkins.org/
I feel that just the past week has had the most opportunities for me to help out the group since joining at the beginning of the semester. My final project in Design IV was due at the end of March, so hopefully I will be able to continue to increase my involvement even more. Still, what I have is an update from the “Eye Spy” group of Taylor and myself with regard to the upcoming Green Carnival. We took pictures on Thursday afternoon of various objects being hidden in everyday imagery, took some pictures with minute changes between them, and even took some with blatant examples of littering (we picked up afterwards, of course). We will have eight 18x24 boards for the Boyd kids to challenge themselves with next Thursday that I will have printed at the architecture building ASAP. I was very excited to take charge of this Green Carnival activity, and it will certainly be something that Taylor and I can be proud of.
One of my challenges over the past month has been—as with most people—time. As I previously stated, my final studio project was due at the end of March, and I felt that every second I had (waking or not) was being spent at the architecture building. I was mentally and physically drained, and it was taking a toll on my ability to work on the project at hand and communicate with the people in the house. Fortunately, the project is done, so I will hopefully be around more. This may be why I feel that the most substantial thing I feel that I have to report on has occurred within the past week. Still, in my opinion, the timing of the Green Carnival couldn’t have been better. I am really looking forward to seeing what our overall product is at the Carnival next Thursday and at the rest of our events for the semester.
-Drew Kemp-Baird
Being Green in April
April is my favorite month this semester, because 1. the sun came out after 6 months, and 2. our beautiful campus looks green again! This means that our Think Green group can take advantage of the season and plan out activities for the Boyd kids that would have been otherwise more difficult to plan during the cold months. And this leads up to the Green Carnival, the big event with which we will culminate our project with teaching them to be green. We went to one of the activities that the Garden Club was hosting one night at Boyd, and got involved in several activities with the children, including making those Boyd booklets with recycled paper and cardboard, and planting avocado seeds with milk boxes. It was fun, and we got to see a slideshow of the really young children explaining what they have learned about being Green. It was definitely a fun experience.
But what really got me excited about planning the Green Carnival was going shopping for the materials for it. We got tons of crafts, glitter, glue, paint, materials, seeds, decorations, and prizes. We even got them some Easter candy. If I were a child, I'd be ecstatic to see all the cool things we will be doing with them at the Carnival. I'm looking forward to building the activity and to get the children all riled up about the event. This Sunday we are planning to go to the Garden and help plant something out, and considering how sunny it has been, I'm hoping for a great day. I'm excited, and looking forward to culminating the year with the Green Carnival, as well as planning our Summit Social soon.
But what really got me excited about planning the Green Carnival was going shopping for the materials for it. We got tons of crafts, glitter, glue, paint, materials, seeds, decorations, and prizes. We even got them some Easter candy. If I were a child, I'd be ecstatic to see all the cool things we will be doing with them at the Carnival. I'm looking forward to building the activity and to get the children all riled up about the event. This Sunday we are planning to go to the Garden and help plant something out, and considering how sunny it has been, I'm hoping for a great day. I'm excited, and looking forward to culminating the year with the Green Carnival, as well as planning our Summit Social soon.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
The End is Nigh - Smith
We haven't been able to spend as much time with the kids this semester as we did last semester, but that is because a large portion of our volunteering has been helping Central High School plan a carnival that will be taking place next week. At the beginning of the semester we were able to do a couple of in class presentations, and when it started warming up we had a green recess. We were also able to go to the Gardening Club kick off and help the kids plant avocado trees and make notebooks from recycled materials.
The greatest experience so far this semester was the Gardening Club kick off. The kids really enjoyed making planters for their avocado seeds out of old milk cartons, and ate food that was grown locally. The garden they will be working in will grow vegetables that they can bring home and share with their families. The next day we had a green recess, and several of the kids who were at the Garden Club kick off came up and talked to us. They all seemed pretty excited about having their own garden. A couple of the girls even made their own garden on the playground that they named "Justin Bieber's Garden".
The greatest challenge this month has definitely been time. April seems to be the month that all the professors decide to assign their hardest assignments, and so, for me at least, finding time to volunteer hasn't been the most easy of tasks. Besides all the homework I am also going to Powershift this weekend as a facilitator, and I have had to spend some time training for that, as well as helping Think Green plan the Earth Day festivities on Drury's campus. Fortunately for my grades, I have been able to finish my assignments and find time to volunteer.
The last project we have for the year is going to be the BEST one. Our house has partnered with the Central High School Science Club to plan a carnival for Boyd Elementary on Thursday the 21st. There will be booths set up with games, crafts, and prizes for the kids to enjoy. Originally meetings were held once a week but as we have neared the date meetings have grown to twice a week. There is only one left before the big day, and everything looks like it will be finished in time. The kids are going to LOVE this!
The greatest experience so far this semester was the Gardening Club kick off. The kids really enjoyed making planters for their avocado seeds out of old milk cartons, and ate food that was grown locally. The garden they will be working in will grow vegetables that they can bring home and share with their families. The next day we had a green recess, and several of the kids who were at the Garden Club kick off came up and talked to us. They all seemed pretty excited about having their own garden. A couple of the girls even made their own garden on the playground that they named "Justin Bieber's Garden".
The greatest challenge this month has definitely been time. April seems to be the month that all the professors decide to assign their hardest assignments, and so, for me at least, finding time to volunteer hasn't been the most easy of tasks. Besides all the homework I am also going to Powershift this weekend as a facilitator, and I have had to spend some time training for that, as well as helping Think Green plan the Earth Day festivities on Drury's campus. Fortunately for my grades, I have been able to finish my assignments and find time to volunteer.
The last project we have for the year is going to be the BEST one. Our house has partnered with the Central High School Science Club to plan a carnival for Boyd Elementary on Thursday the 21st. There will be booths set up with games, crafts, and prizes for the kids to enjoy. Originally meetings were held once a week but as we have neared the date meetings have grown to twice a week. There is only one left before the big day, and everything looks like it will be finished in time. The kids are going to LOVE this!
Can you dig it?
Today we had another Green Carnival meeting at Central High School. I still think it worked out so nicely that we were able to collaborate with them for the Green Carnival. We brought the supplies we had bought earlier in the week. The students in the environmental club at Central High School meet have been meeting for the Green Carnival Tuesdays and Thursday after school. Any time someone from our Summit group is able to make it, we meet up with them and see what we can do to help.
At this meeting the students were preparing everything for the Green Carnival booths. We helped make some signs for the small zoo they’re going to have. Brandi said they think there will be owls and snakes and maybe a few other animals. We also helped prepare some bird feeders made out of empty 2-liter soda bottles and milk jugs. I think the kids will really enjoy the carnival, there’ll be so much going on! There’s a lot to get done before it happens in a week, but once it’s done it’ll be great.
Then on Sunday we’re going to help out in the Victim’s Memorial Garden. I hope the weather’s decent. We were going to plant flowers there yesterday, but it turns out that it’s supposed to get down to freezing this weekend! Which I’m not excited about and the flowers wouldn’t be either, I’m sure. But I think it’ll be a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
As always we have trouble managing all of our schedules so that we can all go to these events. The end of the semester is a hectic time for everyone. Stress is high, but I think we've kept our cool. I would say scheduling and communication is still something we all have difficulty with, but we’re learning! And living and Summit and sharing this experience has definitely helped us to learn to work better as a leadership team.
-Desirée
-Desirée
It's almost over :(
This month Think Green has been primarily focused on planning and preparing for the Green Carnival at Boyd on April 21st. We've been attending bi-weekly meetings at Central High School and discussing with the students how to best set-up the carnival and realize our goals for the event. A few days ago, we purchased all of the supplies for the carnival and exhausted much of our Summit budget :).
The greatest accomplishment made this month with Think Green at Boyd has been our attendance and commitment to the preparation of the Green Carnival. We have attended all but one of the many meetings they've held, and we've signed on to develop one of the booths as a group.
The biggest challenge we've faced is trying to work more events into our schedules this month. April is a super busy time for everyone, and it is especially difficult on our group because of Earth Day events on and off campus that we are involved in planning. We haven't had much time to do any green recesses or in-class presentations this month, but we're still making "green" strides in the right direction.
Obviously, the biggest event we have planned for the rest of the year is the Green Carnival. This will be an opportunity for all of our efforts to culminate into one big extravaganza! All of Boyd is invited (220 kids) and 20 + Central students will be there as well. It will be a great showing of our year-long project and a nice wrap-up!
Peace,
Amy
The greatest accomplishment made this month with Think Green at Boyd has been our attendance and commitment to the preparation of the Green Carnival. We have attended all but one of the many meetings they've held, and we've signed on to develop one of the booths as a group.
The biggest challenge we've faced is trying to work more events into our schedules this month. April is a super busy time for everyone, and it is especially difficult on our group because of Earth Day events on and off campus that we are involved in planning. We haven't had much time to do any green recesses or in-class presentations this month, but we're still making "green" strides in the right direction.
Obviously, the biggest event we have planned for the rest of the year is the Green Carnival. This will be an opportunity for all of our efforts to culminate into one big extravaganza! All of Boyd is invited (220 kids) and 20 + Central students will be there as well. It will be a great showing of our year-long project and a nice wrap-up!
Peace,
Amy
Monday, March 21, 2011
Think Green! Plant-a-Palooza!!!
As the final days of our semester pass idly by, I begin to look more and more on our cozy little home with reminiscence, rather than expectancy. Our time is short, and it makes me want to ask a question I hope would be on every group's mind:
What legacy will you leave behind?
Think about it: As a group, each Summit team sweated and fought for the house in which they now comfortably reside, yet it seems as though we will leave no part of the sweat and blood (you know, papercuts) for future groups. This is unacceptable.
The Think Green! group will host a flower planting event on Saturday April 30th where Summit students will have the opportunity to plant a row of flowers in front of the bushes outside their apartment. Flowers, fresh soil, and equipment will be provided by the Think Green! group. All students who help plant will be entered in a drawing for a $25 Kum and Go card, good for gas or snacks, or what have you.
Food and drinks will be provided, there is even talk of an inflatable pool! So mark your calendars and take a few hours out of your Saturday to make a lasting contribution to this year's Summit group.
What legacy will you leave behind?
Think about it: As a group, each Summit team sweated and fought for the house in which they now comfortably reside, yet it seems as though we will leave no part of the sweat and blood (you know, papercuts) for future groups. This is unacceptable.
The Think Green! group will host a flower planting event on Saturday April 30th where Summit students will have the opportunity to plant a row of flowers in front of the bushes outside their apartment. Flowers, fresh soil, and equipment will be provided by the Think Green! group. All students who help plant will be entered in a drawing for a $25 Kum and Go card, good for gas or snacks, or what have you.
Food and drinks will be provided, there is even talk of an inflatable pool! So mark your calendars and take a few hours out of your Saturday to make a lasting contribution to this year's Summit group.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Summit FebruAny
This February at Summit we decided to incorporate Valentine's Day into the activities we had planned out for the children at Boyd. We went shopping at Target for around 50 Forget-Me-Nots and other cute flower pots, and also some organic candy bars to reward the children after our presentation. We went to a Fifth Grade class where the kids were a lot older a lot more mature than the Second graders we were used to having. We divided them into groups, and the kids and my group seemed so smart and funny whenever I asked them questions about pollution, recycling, and why it is important to be Green. They gave creative answers on ways to recycle that I had never had thought of before, like recycling hair for dolls, recycling leather and fabric, and all these things that I hadn't even thought of. I could tell these kids came from families that took on the responsibility of being Green in their households very seriously. Afterwards, we shared the results with the class, and we gave them the Forget-Met-Nots along with the organic candy bars. It was a sweet and green way to celebrate Valentine's Day.
As for recycling in Summit, it's been great! We've kept on track and a list of who's turn it is to recycle, and I've made it to the list a few times... I am very proud. With the Green Carnival coming along and organizations like the Garden Club helping us, it's going to be a very successful culmination of ThinkGreen at Boyd.
As for recycling in Summit, it's been great! We've kept on track and a list of who's turn it is to recycle, and I've made it to the list a few times... I am very proud. With the Green Carnival coming along and organizations like the Garden Club helping us, it's going to be a very successful culmination of ThinkGreen at Boyd.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Those things that you take for granted.
The past few weeks at Summit have been busy as always. Today we had a green recess with the kids of Boyd elementary. It’s a great time of the year for Green crafts. It’s spring, after all! A time of growth and fertility. A time to be Green! We had two different activities for the kids to do. With the first craft we used cardboard from food packaging and toilet rolls to make little flowers. I think these sorts of crafts teach the kids important lessons about the value of all of our resources. I mean, toilet paper rolls! So many people ignore their existence. In fact, I think many people have probably come to hate toilet paper rolls. You just got done going to the bathroom (don’t be shy, we all do it) and you look over, and there’s NO TOILET PAPER. Okay, well stay calm. There’s probably some toilet paper in the cabinet under the sink, right? It’ll be okay. Just open … that… cabinet… door.
But no. It’s empty. The cabinet is empty because either you or your housemates have just not gotten the chance to buy toilet paper. You are stranded on that toilet in a most vulnerable state, staring with disdain at that toilet paper roll. That toilet paper roll, which no matter how long you stair at it, will not produce any toilet paper.
And once that knight in shining armor produces that white roll of toilet paper, the first thing you do is victoriously slam dunk that toilet paper roll into the dark black hole by the toilet that is the trashcan.
BUT NO! Don’t do that! The trashcan???? Really??? The trashcan!!!?!? I think you know better than that. I hope you know better than that. You have just wasted one of the most versatile resources that you will ever have the honor of sitting next to while on the toilet. It’s this perfect cylindrical form, this circular prism made out of cardboard. Cardboard! Do you know what you can do with such a wonderful cardboard cylindrical prism?
Elmo figurines!
Pretty tree cutout art!
Lamp shades!
Irishmen!
Napkin holders!
Think about that next time you sit in anguish on the toilet, wondering how you will ever escape this toilet paperless prison. Think of how you could embrace this opportune material, the toilet paper roll.
Desirée
March Madness - Smith
Things are really rolling this month, I have already racked up 4 hours this month, and I haven't been able to attend all of the events we have had! The Boyd kids are also starting to recognize us, and are remembering almost EVERYTHING we presented in their classes. Central High School is pretty excited about us helping with the Green Carnival, and soon we will be meeting weekly to plan/work on events for the carnival.
Last night was the Boyd Garden Club kick off night, and we were there to help them get started. The kids were able to get 100% recycled notebooks we have been making out of recycled paper and cardboard boxes from cereal and similar boxed items. We also gave them avocado seeds that they can grow. First the kids colored single serving milk cartons that had been cut in half to serve as a planter for their seed. Then we helped them put toothpicks in the seed so that way it could rest just on top of water they would fill the carton with. In a few weeks, with plenty of sun, the seeds should sprout. Then they can transplant them to a larger container. In about 10-15 years they will even have their first avocado. I wonder if any of the kids will still have their tree when they get to college.
Today we had a green recess, and had two activities. The first activity was making cardboard flowers out of cereal boxes and toilet paper rolls. Everyone wanted to make one, but we ran out of supplies so we will have to do it again sometime. The second activity was drawing on large sheets of paper that we will hang up at the carnival in April. Kids drew their favorite things about Spring, and I even doodled a few things. While we were there kids came up to us and said things like, "I know you," or "Hey you came to my class". We asked if they remembered what we talked about and every one of them did! Some were even able to go into detail about what we had taught.
This month isn't even half way over and I feel like we have accomplished a lot. Things should keep moving pretty quickly up until our main goal of a green carnival takes place. It should be a lot of fun.
Last night was the Boyd Garden Club kick off night, and we were there to help them get started. The kids were able to get 100% recycled notebooks we have been making out of recycled paper and cardboard boxes from cereal and similar boxed items. We also gave them avocado seeds that they can grow. First the kids colored single serving milk cartons that had been cut in half to serve as a planter for their seed. Then we helped them put toothpicks in the seed so that way it could rest just on top of water they would fill the carton with. In a few weeks, with plenty of sun, the seeds should sprout. Then they can transplant them to a larger container. In about 10-15 years they will even have their first avocado. I wonder if any of the kids will still have their tree when they get to college.
Today we had a green recess, and had two activities. The first activity was making cardboard flowers out of cereal boxes and toilet paper rolls. Everyone wanted to make one, but we ran out of supplies so we will have to do it again sometime. The second activity was drawing on large sheets of paper that we will hang up at the carnival in April. Kids drew their favorite things about Spring, and I even doodled a few things. While we were there kids came up to us and said things like, "I know you," or "Hey you came to my class". We asked if they remembered what we talked about and every one of them did! Some were even able to go into detail about what we had taught.
This month isn't even half way over and I feel like we have accomplished a lot. Things should keep moving pretty quickly up until our main goal of a green carnival takes place. It should be a lot of fun.
Times Are A-Changing
A lot has changed in the Summit group since the last time I've blogged; many welcome changes. We've had much more communication with the administrators and students at Boyd, and we've even been establishing relationships with members of the Springfield Urban Alliance. March, and this week in general, have been really busy for Think Green. As Drew mentioned, he and I embarked on a cold trek to Central High School yesterday to solidify plans for the Green Carnival in April. This will be a wonderful opportunity for us to partner with others in the community, and it's also really rewarding to see high school students that are so passionate about the environment (future Summit kids? :))
Last night we headed over to Boyd and participated in a Springfield Urban Alliance garden and environmental awareness night. We were able to break up into groups and help the Boyd students plant avocado seeds, make recyclable notebooks, and learn about eating healthy. This activity was an excellent way for us to meet other Springfield men and women who share our enthusiasm for the environment and also wish to instill these values in the future generation.
Finally, today we will be heading back over to Boyd for a green recess event. These events have been very successful in the past, so I've got high hopes for today. We will be making flower pots/vases with the kids that are made from toilet paper rolls and carefully cut cereal boxes. I think the students will be really excited to make these.
Peace,
Schamy
Last night we headed over to Boyd and participated in a Springfield Urban Alliance garden and environmental awareness night. We were able to break up into groups and help the Boyd students plant avocado seeds, make recyclable notebooks, and learn about eating healthy. This activity was an excellent way for us to meet other Springfield men and women who share our enthusiasm for the environment and also wish to instill these values in the future generation.
Finally, today we will be heading back over to Boyd for a green recess event. These events have been very successful in the past, so I've got high hopes for today. We will be making flower pots/vases with the kids that are made from toilet paper rolls and carefully cut cereal boxes. I think the students will be really excited to make these.
Peace,
Schamy
Greene County=GREEN County
It is a warmish, sunny start to an exciting day for out Summit Think Green Group! Though our group has only had sporadic interaction with the kids at Boyd elementary, this week has been an exciting one for our group. The fun all began last night when our group trekked over to the school for a a community garden event for the kids and families at Boyd Elementary. Hosted by the Springfield Urban Alliance Coalition (SUAC), the event highlighted the upcoming Community Garden events at Boyd's community garden located next to cox north. With a dinner made of all organically grown ingredients- wraps with home made hummus, fresh veggies, and a side of tasty organic apples- the kids and parents were all excited to see the types of products that their own garden could yield throughout this spring and summer. Along with tasty foods, there were also representatives from Boyd's Green Team, Cox North, and other leaders in the Midtown community who participate in communal activities- each bringing crafts, hands on learning tables, and other great ways to get the kids and parents excited to volunteer at the community garden over the next couple months.
Overall the most exciting aspect of this event last night was to see the type of work that is already going on in the Springfield community, and the encouragement that came with realizing that we are not the only group in Springfield who is working to ensure that kids are properly informed about the importance of living green. It was also a great opportunity to meet the parents of some of the kids we have been working with throughout the year and to see that they have a vested interest in what their kids are learning at school.
Today we are heading back to Boyd for another "Green Recess" where we will make flowers out of recycled materials to celebrate that spring is almost here. Hopefully the kids will be just as excited today and throughout the rest of the semester about the community garden as they were last night so that we can really plug in at the garden and ensure that it is a success.
Enjoy the sunny day!
Anna Regan
Overall the most exciting aspect of this event last night was to see the type of work that is already going on in the Springfield community, and the encouragement that came with realizing that we are not the only group in Springfield who is working to ensure that kids are properly informed about the importance of living green. It was also a great opportunity to meet the parents of some of the kids we have been working with throughout the year and to see that they have a vested interest in what their kids are learning at school.
Today we are heading back to Boyd for another "Green Recess" where we will make flowers out of recycled materials to celebrate that spring is almost here. Hopefully the kids will be just as excited today and throughout the rest of the semester about the community garden as they were last night so that we can really plug in at the garden and ensure that it is a success.
Enjoy the sunny day!
Anna Regan
Thursday, March 10, 2011
"In 10-15 years, you'll have an avocado!"
March has been pretty good so far, and as spring break nears and our FAFSA forms are getting filed, the Think Green at Boyd Elementary group has been going strong. Now that all the snow is gone, there are more opportunities to work with the kids at the school. I actually went to Boyd for the first time today for a display of the work that the club is doing, and the turnout was very good in my opinion. I was happy that I finally got the chance to get out there and see the great work that’s getting done.
Personally, I am looking forward to the Green Carnival at Boyd on April 21st as a partner with the science club at Central High School. Amy and I were informed at the meeting over there today that there could be up to 220 kids going through the carnival, which would be phenomenal. Taylor and I have teamed up to pilot the “Eye Spy Collage” booth, which will be similar to the I Spy books that got all of us through elementary school back when a cell phone with Tetris was the coolest thing ever. Anyway, Taylor and I will take pictures of various cluttered montages with a recyclable item cleverly hidden somewhere in the picture. We can then edit and format the image in PhotoShop and I can have the sheets printed at the architecture building. Children will receive candy/prizes if they find the item in the pictures – simple yet effective. This excites me because I get to use my talents as an architecture student in this project.
I think that the partnership with Central High School will be incredibly successful and is a good opportunity for this group to finish the year off strong. The students and teachers over at Central are great and have the same vision as we do. Until next time, stay classy.
Monday, February 28, 2011
February 2011 (Proszek)
Many things have happened for our group in February, despite the number of snow days. Here are some of the activities that have been happening this month:
Teaching: Our group has been in the classroom two times this month to teach the Boyd elementary students about recycling and other positive green activities. As always, healthy snacks were included and the students were well behaved. Unfortunately due to snow day conflicts I was unable to make the two teaching sessions, however there have been some good developments in other areas of our project with which I am more involved (more on that later).
We are looking forward to more teaching sessions in March, with a focus on keeping our ponds, forests, and sidewalks free of trash. As Spring begins to permeate the environment a little more, we will also talk about the energy from the sun and how we can use it in smarter ways to power the planet.
Carnival: In tandem with Central high school, our group will be hosting a "Think Green" carnival for the community on Earth Day. We have had our first meeting with the coordinator of the event at Central, and will continue to meet every Monday until the actual event to track the progress of our planning. I will be at the "ring toss" booth where kids can try to toss the ring onto empty plastic and glass bottles. Around the outside will be trash cans which are bad because "plastic and glass should never go into the garbage." Winners will receive a fun earth-friendly prize and everyone will walk away with a piece of candy. Again, the idea is that the kids learn that plastic and glass bottles should be recycled and not thrown into the trash, because plastic bottles are among the highest recyclable material that is put in landfills each year.
Garden: Our first event this semester was helping take the weeds out of Boyd's vegetable garden. In the coming months I am hoping to help the students plant and cultivate new vegetables for the garden. If successful, we might even be able to share some of the "fruits of our labor" with the entire Summit community during a class period. Only time will tell.
That's all for February, hopefully March brings less snow.
Teaching: Our group has been in the classroom two times this month to teach the Boyd elementary students about recycling and other positive green activities. As always, healthy snacks were included and the students were well behaved. Unfortunately due to snow day conflicts I was unable to make the two teaching sessions, however there have been some good developments in other areas of our project with which I am more involved (more on that later).
We are looking forward to more teaching sessions in March, with a focus on keeping our ponds, forests, and sidewalks free of trash. As Spring begins to permeate the environment a little more, we will also talk about the energy from the sun and how we can use it in smarter ways to power the planet.
Carnival: In tandem with Central high school, our group will be hosting a "Think Green" carnival for the community on Earth Day. We have had our first meeting with the coordinator of the event at Central, and will continue to meet every Monday until the actual event to track the progress of our planning. I will be at the "ring toss" booth where kids can try to toss the ring onto empty plastic and glass bottles. Around the outside will be trash cans which are bad because "plastic and glass should never go into the garbage." Winners will receive a fun earth-friendly prize and everyone will walk away with a piece of candy. Again, the idea is that the kids learn that plastic and glass bottles should be recycled and not thrown into the trash, because plastic bottles are among the highest recyclable material that is put in landfills each year.
Garden: Our first event this semester was helping take the weeds out of Boyd's vegetable garden. In the coming months I am hoping to help the students plant and cultivate new vegetables for the garden. If successful, we might even be able to share some of the "fruits of our labor" with the entire Summit community during a class period. Only time will tell.
That's all for February, hopefully March brings less snow.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Start of 2nd Semester - Smith
During our second semester in Summit I see our group accomplishing even more than last semester. We know what we are doing, and how to get it done. Besides still leading Green Team meetings and having in class presentations, our group is going to team up with Boyd Elementary and Central High School to make the coolest green carnival ever. Due to school cancellations we haven't been able to have many events with them so far this year, but we already have a head start compared with when we got started last semester.
Unfortunately I have no experience volunteering this semester. Our group has only been able to visit Boyd once, and I had class during that time. Snow has definitely been the greatest challenge this semester, as it has kept me from being able to volunteer. I am not complaining though, I love having snow days myself, and if it has to be cold outside, I want some snow on the ground.
I am really looking forward to our Summit event in April. We haven't decided on exactly what we are doing yet, but I know it is going to be a lot of fun. The ballroom dancing that our neighbors hosted was awesome, it was also the first Summit house event I was able to attend.
Being one of the people put completely in charge of a project has made my leadership skills grow at an incredible rate. Its one thing to take classes about leadership and learn all about how to be a leader. But when you are put into a position where no one is telling you what to do, or giving you guidelines for a project, when the things that were learned in all the classes actually get put to use, that is where the biggest growth happens. I literally feel like I have gone through a growth spurt.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Summit This Semester
The new semester at Summit has had a slow beginning because of the snow days there have been whenever the group has planned an activity for certain dates. However, I did many things at the beginning of the semester where I lacked a lot last semester: for example, I visited the recycling place near Drury and was very impressed by the organization of the recycling process here. Although I have recycled, by placing different cardboard, metal, plastic, and glass on different bins, I had never visited one of these places either here in Missouri, or in Guatemala. It was very exciting to see how it works, and I am looking forward in getting more involved in recycling for summit whenever my roommates and me make the trips to this recycling center this semester.
Besides recycling, we have gone to give a class at Boyd to fifth graders and recap with them the importance of being Green, and what it means to recycle, why we should do it, and what are different ways of doing it. The kids were very engaged and cooperative, and we divided them into groups to make it more effective and dynamic. Afterwards, we shared the results with the class, and ended up treating them to organic juice and bars. We also left them a little Valentine's Day recycling present, a little flower pot of forget-me-nots and some other plants they can grow by themselves. It was a fun activity and I think the kids enjoyed it because of how engaged and happy they were.
So far, regardless of the obstacles of the weather and managing the schedule with Boyd, things are looking good... I know my roommates have been on top of organizing the Green Carnival and we will probably be partnering with a lady who will organize an activity for the children for Earth Day. So far, its looking good, and I'm enjoying Summit as much as last semester.
Besides recycling, we have gone to give a class at Boyd to fifth graders and recap with them the importance of being Green, and what it means to recycle, why we should do it, and what are different ways of doing it. The kids were very engaged and cooperative, and we divided them into groups to make it more effective and dynamic. Afterwards, we shared the results with the class, and ended up treating them to organic juice and bars. We also left them a little Valentine's Day recycling present, a little flower pot of forget-me-nots and some other plants they can grow by themselves. It was a fun activity and I think the kids enjoyed it because of how engaged and happy they were.
So far, regardless of the obstacles of the weather and managing the schedule with Boyd, things are looking good... I know my roommates have been on top of organizing the Green Carnival and we will probably be partnering with a lady who will organize an activity for the children for Earth Day. So far, its looking good, and I'm enjoying Summit as much as last semester.
Summit Summary (February)
I, like everyone else I'm sure, am so glad the weather has changed. The snow has melted. The side walks are clear. The weather is warm. And during a French class today a pleasant breeze blew through the room. I can move my car. I can walk on the side walk. I can ride my bike.
The snow, although beautiful (before the snowplows tainted it with dirt) made everything a little more difficult. Drury and Springfield just weren't prepared for this amount of snow. Mais, c'est la vie. Drury had a couple of snow days as a result. And Boyd Elementary (our organization) had even more snow days. We'd scheduled some in-class presentations with them. We'd talked with one of the fifth grade teachers. The fifth-grade class had been discussing environmentalism, so we'd planned on doing a presentation on "Going Green" for a couple of the classes. With the original plan, there were a few scheduling difficulties. First, there's the schedule of the class and when it works best for the class and the teacher. Then we are all full-time college students, so there's that. The teacher gave us some options for the two presentations we were going to do (one for each fifth-grade class). Of course, we couldn't all make it at the same time. Our best compromise was to pick a couple of times when each of us could go to at least one. Which is what we did. So we went through this process a couple of times, doing it all over again each time class got canceled because of snow days.
We finally got to present for the kids. We mostly worked with them, seeing what they already knew about being green, and building further off of that. It was exciting to hear that they already knew quite a bit about environmentalism. Maybe not all schools are like Boyd, but it's great to know that that has become a part of school curriculum.
Over the course of the next semester, I'm excited to continue working with the kids. It's refreshing to work with this age group. They're smart and imaginative. They bring a new perspective to these issues. I hope we can encourage more students to join the Green Team (the after school group). It'll give us a chance to work with more students more often.
I'm most excited for the Green Carnival we're going to have around Earth Day. We're planning on working with Central High School because they usually do an event like this. So there's an established event which means we'll have some structure, but then we can also bring new ideas and new energy to this project.
As far as leadership roles, I think working with Boyd has helped my ability to work within a team. It's also helped me with my time-management skills.
-Desirée
-Desirée
Some Sun for Summit
It's hard to believe it's already February... and that it's 70 degrees outside! But it is even harder to believe that our Summit project is more than half way over with. January and most of February, as Anna and Drew both mentioned, were covered in snow and ice; thus, rendering our service efforts ineffective. But thanks to the sun and higher temps, we finally got our project rolling again on February 11th with an in-class presentation discussing "green" living and sustainability. If the weather cooperates, we will be doing our second installment of that in-class presentation next Thursday for the other 5th grade class.
For this semester, I'm incredibly excited for our Green Carnival (as Anna also mentioned). Our plans have developed from simple craft giveaways and food, to green games, presentations, and family participation. To my delight, and surprise, there are a couple of teachers from Central High School who have also been planning a similar event, and we will be meeting with them and their students next Thursday to discuss collaborative efforts!
The Summit class project/activity that I'm looking forward to most is the technology fast. Although when this was proposed on the syllabus there were loud grumbles, I think it will be a great experience. I'm interested to see how I will feel after 24 hours without my phone or computer. Will I survive? :)
This semester has made me a stronger leader in that I am improving my communication skills, my interpersonal skills, and my skills as a manager and coordinator. I do not plan on taking on additional leadership roles in the group this semester. We are all doing fairly well in the roles we already fill.
Until next month!
Peace, love, happiness,
Amy "Millie"
For this semester, I'm incredibly excited for our Green Carnival (as Anna also mentioned). Our plans have developed from simple craft giveaways and food, to green games, presentations, and family participation. To my delight, and surprise, there are a couple of teachers from Central High School who have also been planning a similar event, and we will be meeting with them and their students next Thursday to discuss collaborative efforts!
The Summit class project/activity that I'm looking forward to most is the technology fast. Although when this was proposed on the syllabus there were loud grumbles, I think it will be a great experience. I'm interested to see how I will feel after 24 hours without my phone or computer. Will I survive? :)
This semester has made me a stronger leader in that I am improving my communication skills, my interpersonal skills, and my skills as a manager and coordinator. I do not plan on taking on additional leadership roles in the group this semester. We are all doing fairly well in the roles we already fill.
Until next month!
Peace, love, happiness,
Amy "Millie"
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
The Highs and Lows (in degrees) of Jan/Feb- Regan
So far, January and February have been characterized by lots of planning, canceling, and rescheduling due to the blizzards we have enjoyed over the past couple weeks. After numerous cancellations and rescheduled dates, however, our group was finally able to work out a time to go meet with the 5th grade class at Boyd last Friday afternoon. For our in class presentation, our group decided to work with the 5th graders by having small group discussions quizzing them over their "Green Knowledge." Since the 5th grade class has been doing a unit on environmentalism, the results that we got were extremely encouraging. Not only did the kids in this class have a good grasp on what kinds of things threaten the "greenness" of our planet, they also were full of descriptive and innovative solutions as to how we can all pitch in and help make our planet a more sustainable one.
Although I have thoroughly enjoyed the classroom work that we have been able to do last semester and this last week, I am most looking forward to our group's plan to host a schoolwide Green Carnival for all of the kids at Boyd this spring. Last semester, one of our most successful projects was when we were able to host a Green Recess Day where all of the kids came out after lunch and got to make green crafts and interact with our group. After the success of this, I am hoping that our Green Carnival can be a bigger and better version of this- a MEGA-Green Recess, if you will.
In order to ensure that this Carnival will be a success, however, it will be up to our group to have better communication with the school and with each other in order to make sure the event can be as fantastic as we hope it will be. With a better feel for what works (and doesn't work) for our group, I am hoping to utilize this semester as a chance to keep building the leadership qualities that I have seen develop from last semester, and to challenge myself to be more personally involved in the long-term planning initiatives of our group. Now that the weather has finally cleared up (our greatest challenge in volunteering at the school), we are looking forward to a new semester and more exciting activities and interaction with the kids at Boyd.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
The New Kid on the Block
I feel like I should parade around in an American flag button-down shirt and a cowboy hat on occasion after seeing that picture on the right…anyway, as the newest resident of the Summit Shack, I’d like to thank you guys for choosing me to fill Ethan’s shoes. Although I may choose alternative rock over country and am not nearly as good at stretching out a tight hammy on the second day of an ultimate tournament, I hope that I can be as charismatic as the two guys that have moved on (dang, it sounds like they died or something). Jared and Ethan, I hope you’re doing well and you’re definitely missed.
It was quite a decision to switch residences and pick up the Think Green at Boyd Elementary project halfway through the year. I moved in four weeks ago both excited to get started and unsure of what to expect. Four weeks later, I still feel these emotions. I haven’t gotten an opportunity to go over to Boyd yet both because of classes and the white death, so I don’t really have a sense yet of how this whole process works. It was interesting reading the previous posts on this blog.
A sense that I get from the previous posts is that communication is lacking right now. I’ve worked in groups this size (although not on a project of this type) and found both positive and negative results. Generally, the sense that I get about large groups like this is that process is key: everyone needs to be on the same page, know their role exactly, and feel confident about what they are doing. And so I ask: are these being fulfilled right now? What do we need to do better as a group in order to achieve the best process and get the best results? Organization is very important when seven people are working toward one goal, and maybe we need to take a step back and work out that part of this project.
This semester will be a period of growth for all of us as group members have shifted and roles in the project as a whole may change. I hope that once I get the opportunity to go to Boyd and become more active in this project that I can be a strong contributor to the group’s success.
-Drew KB
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