Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Serving And Learning

These past four weeks have been so much fun. I've met more people than I every thought i would. Over these past five weeks, Markita and Me have been meeting with a young girl at the Boys and Girls Club. During our first meeting we got to know Breona and what her dreams were. She was very easy to talk to and didn't mind thinking more about her future.
At first we asked her what she wanted to be. Her response was a engineer and a basketball player. We tried to get her to think about other things but that's all we got,so we worked off that. It was fun making a collage with them and seeing Markita and I teach Breona more about education. this was just one of the great things that i learned from serving.
In our next activity with Breona we researched items to make her dreams come true. We looked for the criteria and courses she would need to take during her high school years. This made for a fun day and was something that made all of us the learners. I never realized how much it took to become a good basketball player or the different types of engineering. We also pin pointed that she wanted to be a Structural Engineer. If she stated now than I believe that Breona will know more than her classmates in her dreams.
During our third meeting we reviewed over the researched information and started writing a Career Essay. We had a lot to do at this meeting so we got busy right away.I think that her essay proved to be really good. Wwe managed to keep on topic and talked mostly about Basketball.
This was a challenge at first but than we figured that she wanted more to become an all-star basketball player more so that would be her essay. An outline was made than we decided to write it than type it. This was one day that made me feel like i was really helping someone with their dreams. We talked about what there was to do in high school and how she could make it to college level. Breona showed us that she was ready and willing to start playing on a team next year.
I hope that our last visit this week doesn't mean that Breona will forget about everything that we taught her but now give her a head start. Over these few meeting I know that from Markita and Breona I've learned even more, not just about things about education but also in the community and all the different areas I've never been. Like that there are young people that have better dreams than just staying at home and working at BK. More people need to teach our young people that they do have a place and affect on out world.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Personal Statement

What a honor it would be to receive a full-ride scholarship. That means no debt after College, one only dreams of this. Since my freshmen year I have worked to make sure that's me. I want to awarded with a full ride because I feel that I will use the knowledge I learn from college and bring it back to the community that gave it to me. The honor to be one of the few to receive such a amazing gift is indescribable. Through hard work and the caring for my scholarship applications I believe it to be possible.

Well since I have stated my college journey, I have found the perfect fit for myself. The school that I want to go to is Peru State College. Only one thing holds me back from getting the full-ride scholarship to go there, ACT score. I currently have a 20 but I need a 25 for the Board of Trustees scholarship. I believe that with two more tests I can improve my score. There are other factors involved to reach the award. Another major factor is my recommendation letter. This is why I have been working my hardest since freshmen year. I plan to ask my high school counselor to write my recommendation letter. I have gotten to know him very well and believe that he will have only good things to say about me, and won't leave out the fine details either. These are some of the ways that I have been working to get the scholarship.

To be honored with this award means more than just free money to me. It means that after college and graduation I can start my life without any financial worries. By this I mean that if i am awarded with this honor I can seek out my job and start a family. The way I plan on giving back is through teaching. I plan to major in Social Sciences Secondary Education. So I want to go back to my roots and teach at my high school. Since I stated there why not end back there and give back every minute that they gave to me. I believe by doing this that Peru will see that they made a good investment in giving me a full-ride to their school.

An investment or a opportunity to change the community. This is what the scholarship judges will be pondering when they get my application, I hope. Over the past three years I have made an Impact on a youth's life in our community. Through the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands i have had the opportunity of mentoring and tutoring a young boy. When We first meant I didn't know a lot about him but after talking and "Cracking his shell", he opened up his world to share. This is just one thing I am proud of doing in the community. With the full-ride I believe I could make even more happen in my teaching.

The honor to receive a full-ride is more like a gift that must be used in the right way. When the time comes to send in my application I hope that they will see all that i have done to give back and read about how I want to give even more. Like the phrase "pay it Forward", if you borrow from someone than someone can borrow from you. Just trying to make the world a Better place one person at a time. This is why I believe I should be one of the few to receive a Full-ride to Peru State.

Friday, June 19, 2009

Week In the Residence hall

This week was full of so much fun and excitement. i learned more about the UNO campus and the ways to use everything. I feel closer to an adult than ever before. My new Friends from this week just got bigger all week. I got to know everyone and what the liked to do and how they were. I really liked how we connected on more than just a classmate level. The RA's were so cool too. Hector showed me a lot and ill never forget the Snail. Ashley is just one cool girl that knows how to dance. Jarrett, what is there to say he is just that cool. D'Antae was there for everything and was really fun to talk to. Caitlin, this girl knows how to have a good time and is really exciting and fun to be with. Eryn, wow she is a very cool and fun girl too but also knows how to balance everything very well. I can't believe its already over but ill never forget this week. I know more than ever before.

My balancing acts weren't the best but I did manage to know everything for my test today. I studied when everyone was having fun. I learned new techniques for me to use during my college years. I also figured that working better with other people is helpful. My new connections and ways I met people that sat right next to me in class, help me even more. The studying could have been more but I still did good.

The resident activites were really fun. I played basketball and Battle of the Scholars,and capture the flag. We also watch a movie( I did cry) and had an ice cram social. This week was full of fun. The Ra's knew how to challenge us and get us to work together. Like in Basketball we started to pas more and Nick scored off a pass. This made us even closer than ever before. i really wish we were still there but it's nice to be home too. I know that there is still three more weeks but not like this week.

The camp at NLOM was amazing. We went on the high ropes course and talked through our fears. Today we went up on the team course and used great team work skills. I got to see the group grow and become more like a small family traveling over a rough area. Suspeneded up to 55 ft. was really scary but i was cool with being up there. Than the final outcome was the zipline. WOW, I felt like superman, Ill never forget that place. Thanks to all the staff that made this event possible, Maggie, Megan,Dennis,Rachel, and Timothy.

Friday, June 12, 2009

During my first week of college I have seen and experienced many things. From my new travels in the school I have seen the different kinds of students from people getting credits over the summer to people coming back to school to finish their degrees. It's very nice knowing that there are different ages all around campus and not like high school where we have just four. They feelings that pour professors are really interested in helping you and getting to know you. The other thing that is really great about my college life so far is how your opinion is not the only one, others may feel the same or may not. When an argument arouse in the class there was more than one way to see the matter at hand. In the Native Americans Studies class there is an atmosphere of everyone is a person no one is better than the other. I have already seen how having a lecture, to watching a video in a college class is different than high school.

From the study group that I have been doing with my classmates and our Facilitator( John Rocks!!). We had our first small Jeopardy!!game to review what we had learned after the first three days. We have had a lot of fun in there already after just two days. It has helped all of us in my class going to the study group and discuss what the notes were about to what some of the key things to pay attention to. I know that getting involved with this program was going to be fun I just didn't know how much fun I would really have.

In the College 101 class i have started to learn more about college. How to study, where to go, how to use Blackboard. It has showed me how to look for the best college for me. We have also had some fun in this class with doing this twist activity and also learning about where we all come from. Things that tells us how to be the best we can be at college. How to be great students in the classroom. The basicis of college life and the balancing act the comes from it.

In the social area of college I have had a great time meeting new people. Not just in the scholars but also people in my class. With our service learning projects we have had fun making a collage about Breoan's dream jobs. My partner Markita has been fun to work with and just to talk to. I hope that from all of this I will be closer to being even more comfortable with college. In the first two days I was already have a study group with Nick And Brazier, in the library. It was fun researching about the Wichita Tribe and finding about some of the culture and history that goes along with that. I can't wait for Sunday, were going to stay in the dorms and get to go rock climbing and get to know each other even more.