Saturday, November 8, 2008

The Symposium on Social Action

The day started off with very delicious varieties of fruits and bakery goods. Then the group was split in to two, with 4 high school speakers to fill us in on their own action projects. It was really interesting to see the progress and ways of how each individual was able to engage in their project. From working within the schools to working with children in Tibet, it was really inspiring. I got a lot of ideas from them too! Everyone was also divided by their action plan's category, and I was put into a fundraising group. Here we basically discussed perspectives and how to manage time, keep a sustainable project, and there was a lot of brainstorming! Then there was a lunch break, so that we could stretch our legs a bit.
When returning, there was skill-building sessions which we could choose to attend. There was persuasive communication, meeting facilitation, working with administrators, web design and technology, and peer motivation. I joined the working with administrators with Ryan H. and the peer motivation with Lexi. Both of these sessions has opened my mind to how to approach others in terms of high officials to simply my fellow peers.
I really hope to incorporate everything to my action plan, which I shall tell everyone once I have established a boundary, or mainly when I have created a pretty organized structure of what it is I really want to stress.

*I will have to post pictures when I get back home because I do not have the cord to download them. So sorry!

2 comments:

Charles Ramsey said...

We will love to see the pictures of the Facilities and classrooms where you had classes. I also would love to see a picture of the Hotel where you stayed. By the way, have you had a chance to visit with your chaperone Krista Jann. I hope that she has had a chance to take in the experience with all of you.

Glad that you had an opportunity to spend time with your peers and learn more about their projects and how they have influenced you. I want to see a great action plan when you return to El Cerrito High School.

Hope you have a great final evening in Providence, I know that it was worth the time going back and getting another taste of this world renowned Ivy League Institution.

Charles T. Ramsey
School Board Member
West Contra Costa
Unified School District

Don Gosney said...

Jessica⎯You’re breaking my heart! We tell you time and again of the complete faith we have in you all and then we learn that you forgot the most important thing back on the other side of the country. When you left your house, didn’t you feel a little light or off balance? In the back of your mind, weren’t you asking yourself: “Did I pack just one photo transfer cable or did I pack a spare as well?” No photos til you get home? How am I to last the weekend with only words to get me by? Without photos, those words had better be good ones.

Sounds like your day was pretty full and you’re only half way done. Far out.

When you return home, I want you to take a closer look at the people you hang out with. Without making it personal, I want you to pass judgment on them and ask yourself whether they’re acting like teenagers or whether they’re acting like the leaders of the future. What I mean here is that people like yourself have been selected for inclusion in these programs because of your potential and, for the most part, you’ve been treated like adults⎯both by those of us here at home and by those you’re working with at Brown. Our hope is that you’ll embrace this newfound status and run with it. If you choose to act like a high schooler, adults will treat you as a high schooler. When you act more as adult, though, at first adults will look at you kind of strange and wonder why an adult still has the body of a teenager (the women will envy you and the men will have impure thoughts). After a few minutes, though, they’ll view you as one of their own. They’ll listen to what you have to say and consider your viewpoints as they would those of any other adult.

What you’ve already learned over the summer and what you’re learning this weekend only serves to bolster your claim to be included amongst the grown-ups. We read what you write, we listen to what you say and we watch you amongst your peers and we can see that you belong at the grown-ups table. Whether you stay or not is in your hands but I suspect that your seat at the table is permanent.

And since I have no photos to pore over, I look forward to reading more this evening to learn more about how you’re preparing to change the world.

Don