Final Blog Summit

Summit Park is over and with it community service at Boyd comes to the end. For the last day we make the kids play games and gave them candy. It was sad to leave them after building  a nice relationship, I will always remember the kids at Boys; Cody, Antonio, Jairik, Jonathan, Carlos and Keandre. All this kids made an impact in the group life and create new experiences that in my case never thought I could experience.

Since the beginning of the semester people have give us the support necessary to keep this project up, people such as Courtney Swan and Andrew Foley were major contributors to make this project a  success. At Boyd elementary school there we difficulties with the kids behavior because the kids are very young  so they dont have alot of manners and they want to be playing most of the time.

With time the kids start building more trust in us and start behaving better and telling them their experiences. At the end of this community service we create a strong relationship with kids. I think the project was a success because every member of the group learn new experiences and became a better person.

Danny Loza

Issues in our Boyd Community

It is perhaps in luck, that I am writing this post late and I am now able to form a more profound and updated conclusion on what sort of issues are going on in our community at Boyd. I would first like to say that our community partners have been excellent, the change from last semester is very noticeable and we could not be happier with Andrew. The response from Boyd has also been satisfactory, the school has openly shown support to us helping with the kids and have facilitated the rooms we need and all of our "demands".

However there is a large and at the same time invisible problem that I see in the public education system. And it is just that! The fact that is public make both the kids and the teachers have attitudes that are perhaps not beneficial to either. Of course there are exceptions to every rule, but I do see how the teachers on an overwhelming level did not seem to care about the development of the kids and often make comments in front of them that in my opinion were hurtful. For example, one of the teachers once said in a very loud and carrying voice: "Oh they are the ones working with Kyandre and Carlos, they should get paid for doing that!" right in front of the kids! Needless to say Carlos and Kyandre were troubled kids, but at the same time they are 6 years old so they can hardly be blamed for their behavior. Everything they know they learned from their teachers or parents at home. Schools should be about making the kids live in a happy and productive environment and if a teacher doesn't have the patience to deal with 6 years old then maybe they chose the wrong career. I also remember a rather rude lunch lady that talked to the kids as if they had no intelligence and did not recognize their presence unless addressed to directly. I am no psychologist, but if a child is ignored then he will develop troubling behavior. The kids seemed to dream about when they would get to hang out with us because we engaged them in conversation and actually listened to what they had to say, unlike any other adult around them.

Since day one are group has repeated that we are in no way trying to change America's Public Education System, but without a doubt this was a very interesting experience because we got to see the root of many issues we see in teenagers today.

Issues in the community

It almost end of the semester now and the group is happy to be working with the kids of Boyd educational center. Even though the experience has been wonderful there also have been several obstacles and issues that I will like to address. The children that we work with have come from not common families, they have come from difficult situation in their parents life or just with problems that any kids should have. I have learned from the kids that their life is difficult and still they smile and enjoy life. I admire the kids because of the way they think, some will say is selfish and other will say that is unconscious but the think I take into account is that the kids are happy.

The problem I want to address is that most of the kids parents don't care for their kids development. Once we got to teach in boyd we never receive a letter back from the parents, our partner in the project, Andrew was the one who convince all the parents to sign the sheet required us to teach there. If the parents would put more effort and attention for their children most of the children wouldn't have problems. 

Community issue and Community partner

There is an issue in education and backgrounds in the community. There is an issue in how we take care of our households. There is an issue that affect our kids. There is a big issue that needs to be resolved. The issue is not having control of what goes on in our kids lives and not paying attention to their childhood. Kids are growing out without any parental attention. They are having trouble with learning, they have no role model, they don't receive this from school. They have problems in their outer parts of their house-holds. With this broad issues, we could learn more stuff about this community. We could learn that the community is eager to work with us. We are able to work with the community thanks to our community partner. This community doesn't want any help from people they don't know. Our community partner helped us interact and work with families so that we are able to work with their kids. The community families don't want strangers helping their kids. The problem with this kids was that they need permission from their families so we had to deal with that. This was a community issue that we addressed to our community partner, and he helped us by talking to them and making the families more secure about what we are doing.
We learned that even thought this community has many difficulties, we can overcome them by working with our community advisor. He deals with their families so that we can deal with their kids. We can overcome the overall problems and we can understand what is what we are working with. We know there will always be problems and struggles in the community, but the output will be more important than what we have to deal with. My group and I learned about the community, and we learned how to solve the issues. We also learned what are the good things of working with them. This as overall is a good experience and now we know what we will deal with in the future.

Communication as an essential tool of society (Juan Franco)

The Summit Class we had with Ed was perhaps one of the most insightful evenings I had in a long time. For me the "What bothers Me" page was extremely vital because it really gave me a look into what really bothered my roommates. I was under the impression that I did nothing to bother them, but indirectly I was with some of the things I said and my attitude towards problem solving. I normally take on a very strong approach towards everything, I often take a leadership position even though it is not handed to me and this can be intimidating for some people. I learned from Ed that communication can be both physical and verbal, something I normally don't think about just concluding that everything is verbal; but physical in some cases is even more important. Crossed arms are an indication of denial or rejection, even when you are not wanting to give that impression or communicate that feeling. Overall this experience provided me with essential insight on who I was and what I was perceived like in the community

Communication Monthly Blog

This blog will be reflected on the presentation that Ed Derr gave to us on Friday, February 17, 2012. He talked mainly about communication and how it can make a difference by communicating in the right way. He gave us tips and he made us do activities to see what kind of animal we are. It was really interesting to see the tips and how it can all help to us to have a better connection with the people who surround us. All of this tips were helpful for me to understand how communication works with my friends. Since he gave us those tips I felt that I can understand and they could understand me better. All by a simple tip by just asking them the right questions and paying attention. I have tried with my roommates the communicating tips, and it totally works. We now tell what bothers us and what we need to change. That way we avoid having problems and discussions between us. Also the conflict solving sheet helped to see what really bothers us. We noticed that in everyones sheet we had something that bothered from someone of us. This make us realize that we were not communicating right. From then on and with the tips he gave us we were able to communicate better and now we tell what bothers from the rest of us. Overall it was a helpful experience that by small tips can help everyone of us.

16 march homework

17 February presentation

The presentation of February 17th the presentation talked about conflicts and in what way can we solve them. Conflict is not always something bad, it can be a chance that improve relationship or know better the other person. The presentation was really interesting,in this case they teach us that the best way of solving problems is talking and learning from the other person.

My group in the day of the presentation wrote about the strenght and conflict of each individual. In these strenghts we discuss that each one get alone and with maintain a good relationship with each other. Also we havent had any conflicts in the passed months, the first semester we learn of each other and we discuss what we like and dislike of each other. In this conflicts was the dishwashing and how loud is each other.

A way I can improve is by improving the relation with my friends more and continue to be friendly, fortunately there havent been any major problems and everything is going well.

Danny Loza

January 22th Meeting by Juan Franco

• The meeting of January 27th was perhaps one of the most insightful and powerful experiences I’ve ever had, not only did I learn a lot about myself, but also about those who live in my same environment (Summit Park). I connected too many people while we were doing the “step to this side of the room if…” exercise through common experiences or ways of thinking, but I also realized how diverse our group is. Most Drury students cite Summit as the place where the best students are, but I learned that night that we could all be the best students in hundreds of different ways. It takes a lot of courage to undertake projects like we all did, and even more to discuss them with our class and teacher. What I take from that night was that I should never be quick to judge. Most people in Summit I thought I had figured out, but after that eye opening experience I can humbly say that I was wrong and that I want to get to know a lot of them better. “Excellent teaching and learning for all” is the motto of Pipkin Middle School and I can say that I couldn’t be more proud of working with an institution that promotes learning for everyone no matter what education level you may have. Although our project is limited to only Summit, I know the school hosts a Reading Club and I’m almost positive that they take on volunteers.
  Community website link-https://sites.google.com/a/pipkinpirates.org/pipkin/
• Pipkin Middle School

  sites.google.com

Juan Fernando Calderon Monthly Journal Blog about Community Partner

On the class from 1/27 there were several points that could be taken to consideration of making connections and diversity. In this class we made an activity that was called "cross the line", were the speaker made questions to the group and either you needed to cross the line if the answer was yes, or stay were you were if the answer was no. This activity helped to me and I believed to my group because I could understand more about my summit peers and their backgrounds. Also this helped me see how a diverse group of people we had in our class. It was a hard activity were some questions were compromising that sometimes people didn't want to respond. This showed me it takes value to cross the line and to accept what the reality to what the question is. The key point I took is that with a simple activity like that you can get to know a group of 40 people. Thats what we can do in getting to know our Pipkin students with simpler activities but get to bond with them with simple activities like this. 


Our community partner does not have a link but the Springfield Public Schools does have information about Pipkin Middle School. 


http://springfieldpublicschoolsmo.org/relocating/pipkin.htm


Mission Statement: Excellent teaching and learning for all.


You can get involved with our program by visiting the school and working together with us so that we can gather a bigger group to work with more kids instead that only 15. This also could raise awareness in Springfield Public Schools so that the school system can be changed and there will be better education and easier access for college. By gathering more people we can show the society that kids are our future and that we need to work with them. Thats why we need to gather people who is interested in joining our program or could join us in the weekdays that we go to Pipkin to work with the kids, one hour a day, Monday, Wednesday, or Friday.

Community Partner key point

So during the meeting that we had last week I observed and learned a lot about my teammate’s experiences and personality. A very important key point that I took away from my community partner in this activity is that he is very organized with his schedule. I will like to implement this to my leadership since organization is very important to do things right and maintain a high level of performance. Organizing my time will allow me to do more things and even get a better communication with the people that I'm working with. I excited to start my Pipkin help and organization will be fundamental to fulfill the goal of this group. For this semester our goal is to teach our boys success is achievable and that a great future is waiting for them if they make good decisions in their lives. 

Danny Loza

Smart Goals (Juan Franco)

S

I want to create positive change in the Drury community before 2012 is over in an effort to increase awareness about Diversity so that we as a society can benefit from the experience.

M

I will know when my progress is moving forward when I observe how people I know change their behavior towards diversity issues. Sadly, parts of this campus are not friendly towards things that defy the majority, they are not used to change or doing things in a different manner. I personally am living proof of this, I have felt the resentment when I speak towards issues they are not used to discussing. I do not like to generalize as there are people in this campus who share my vision and recognize that there are better ways of doing things. I will test the people to observe whether they have committed to change through innovation.

A

As tough as it sounds I believe that to accept change the status quo needs to be challenged. People will struggle to commit but as one my favorite quotes says: it is always darkest before sunrise, symbolizing how things may get very bad but when they hit bottom this is when our desired goal will become a reality. People need to be pushed and pushed until they realize that not only there are other options and ways of life out there, but actually a better way of doing things. I will encourage being different since this will create a greater pool of perspectives.

R

I can accept this sounds extremely tough and there might be repercussions socially, but it is my motivation that will never change. I just cannot accept that I live in an environment that does not consider Diversity a priority. Although Drury as an institution has made deep promises concerning this, it is the students that must be part of the change and if they don’t do it then who will? That’s why it’s realistic, we don’t have another choice. However I also find strength to fulfill this because of my life experiences, experiences that have shown me this path is the way to go.

T

Just this month I won the election to become the new Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion for the Student Government Association here at Drury, and it is through this position that I’ll spearhead my movement. Although I would very much like to make this a life-long goal, the position I represent gives me legitimacy hard to obtain through other methods and so my timeline will be 1 year from January 1^st to December 31^st of 2012. In one year I will attempt to create change in a community that needs it desperately

 - Juan Franco

Vision Statement (Juan Franco)

The crowds cheering, the nervousness creeping into my feelings as I ascend the stairs to reach the podium. I am suddenly unable to see ahead of me because of a strong spotlight directed my way. As my sight adjust to the glare I swallowed my nervousness and for the first time addressed the crowd as an elected official. I spoke of change and innovation, how the power to modify our lives lies within us and it is this power that can help us change society and on a general scale the world. I had just won my first election based on a campaign of honesty, responsibility and humility, and I was going to make an impact in people’s lives. I felt as if I was going to change the world. 

-Juan Franco

Experience in Joplin with the Smart Mob (Juan Franco)

During the 2011 Summer an F-5 Tornado hit the City of Joplin in Southwest Missouri, not only leaving a destructive path behind it but killing hundreds and virtually wiping out the city. Aid from all over the world started to flow in, but as it is expected after a natural disaster of that magnitude recovery was slow. I was witness to this when Drury University organized a smart mob to help in the reconstruction effort of a memorial. As we drove through the “city” I saw destroyed houses, abandoned buildings, trees at awkward angles and despair in peoples faces. However as soon as our bus pulled up to the construction site cheers erupted in our honor since we were there to make a change. I feel that the Smart Mob organized by the University was highly efficient, in contrast to the Extreme Makeover crew who I felt was there as an act or show. We worked throughout the day and at the end the result was extremely visible, something I also heard from the Architecture students that had been on site for the duration of the week. Overall it was a great and humbling experience and I would most definitely like to do it again in the near future.  
-Juan Franco

Smart Goal

My Smart Goal for a long term is to maintain friendship with this kids and spend time with them. I'm really excited to watch how they apply all that we have learn with us. Hopefully we are going to maintain a nice friendship and help each other in the future.
Danny Loza

Smart Mob

On August 29 Joplin was victim of one of the most devastating hurricanes in human nature. Irene hurricane took the life of more than one hundred people and thousands get injured.  After the hurricane hit Joplin thousands of people and foundations came to relief Joplin. Hundreds of supplies and tools were given to Joplin. Two months after hurricane Irene, Drury University decided to create a memorial based on the experiences and the symbolic meaning of all this help and the reconstruction of Joplin. 

Architecture students were in charge of designing the model and with the help of architects and the community we were going to create a magnificent memorial. The 23^rth of October Smart mob group which was willing to help Joplin and to help build the memorial went to Joplin to bring happiness and hope. I was in the Smart mob and this event was one of those moments that could change your life. Ten minutes before arriving to the park I was able to see the devastation that Joplin had suffered. Broken houses, roofs, wood and materials everywhere was this city at first site.  After two months of the devastations and Joplin still wasn’t completely recovered, for me was surprising how much damage Irene Hurricane did in this city.  After I get to the site I was in charge of helping putting the grass together, taking the rocks apart and instead put some flowers and plants. Besides that we were in camera since extreme make over was present and were surprising about the development of the memorial they interview some of the guys and the professors of what we planning to attempt. We are a group of people willing to help and give Joplin not only a memorial but a site were they could leave away all those bad experiences and keep going forward in their life.  

This day was a great experience for me because I could interact with people of the community and also help this Joplin to become a better place for everyone. There are always unfair events in our lives but there is always going to be good people willing to help and motivate you.

Danny Loza

What do I plan to accomplish is this remaining weeks in Pipkin Middle school

Well so the semester is coming to its end and I had had an amazing time in my school and the great new experiences that the present offers me. One of the things I’m really thankful and happy about is all the things that I have learn from Pipkin middle school, this tiny but special place where I do community service had teach me thing that no other class or sport could teach me. Such things as people willing to change even the bad circumstances or the inspiration of watching a kid doing better in his life and maturating to fulfill success and happiness in his life. For this next weeks my goal will be not longer just talk to the kids about my experices and now its will be the acting part. This acting commitment will be that after talking we have to put It in practice. In that case the kids will learn quicker and it will safe time to talk about more things.

Also I was thinking in a location were we can gather together, since my class its of twenty students, and have a nice dinner before Christmas holiday. In that way be can learn more about each other and the different view of people personality than we your in the school.

Danny Loza 

Smart Goal

My Smart Goal is to implement a monologue technique which consist in organize and plan the week. Each kid need to create a goal like for example, get good grades or do something good for somebody. This will make the kids more organize and having a goal help to organize better your lifestyle. This also will help the kids to socialize and know each other better. Maybe some kids have the same goal and they can help each other to accomplish it.
Danny Loza

Joplin Smart Mob

The monday we joined Smart mob to volunteer in Joplin, was a week we will all remember. It started by passing through the devastated buildings and how we can see the images of what the tornado whipped out. It was a life changing experience because all of the great things we could do to help the community. We worked helping moving and placing grass sods on the garden. We took about an our to plant all of the sods and to create the garden in the surrounding of the memorial site. This was a hard work which I enjoyed because we could work as teams for a more effective work. After that we helped in other site to move the dirt and to place more grass sods to create the exterior parts of the building. It was a long day but it all had its reward and it was helping a community that needed help from everyone. This is an experience that makes you feel complete inside because you don't care if they pay you or they say thank you, but you will feel that you did your job with the people who need it the most. As an experience this is one that could take your stress off by helping the community and could make you see that to help other people is what makes you really happy, and to see their smiles after a long time of suffering thats what makes me happy.

SMART Goal

"Play entertaining and fun games with the group of 15 kids every 2 weeks in this current semester for 1 hour each day. This will make kids to be more engaged and attracted to the program."

Juan Fernando Calderon

Danny Loza Projects Description

My summit Park project is based on three people, in which our task is to help middle school kids to create a good perspective toward studying and how important is to get an education in this day. My group works in Pipkin middle school in Springfiled Missouri. Most kids in this school come from a poor family and dont have good grades because they cannot focus in school. We gather the group of kids that seem unhappy and they appear not having any interesting in school because of their problems. We want to create a new experience for this kids, not only show them that education is important but to make them fill protected and create a good experience toward high school and college. My group has been talking to several kids over lunch and we are very excited to get to know people that need our help and support.My summit Park project is based on three people, in which our task is to help middle school kids to create a good perspective toward studying and how important is to get an education in this day. My group works in Pipkin middle school in Springfiled Missouri. Most kids in this school come from a poor family and dont have good grades because they cannot focus in school. We gather the group of kids that seem unhappy and they appear not having any interesting in school because of their problems. We want to create a new experience for this kids, not only show them that education is important but to make them fill protected and create a good experience toward high school and college. My group has been talking to several kids over lunch and we are very excited to get to know people that need our help and support.