This is such an exciting week! As Youth Art Month comes to a close, we are getting ready to complete our big project. On Tuesday, students continued to work on flyers and logistics for their Global Youth Service Day Project. Thursday, we took a field trip to WonderRoot to learn more about their organization. Volunteer Rebekah showed the students around the building. Students saw the community space, art gallery, recording studio, library, media lab, and even got to go inside the darkroom. Membership is $10 per month or $60; membership for students is absolutely free! To learn more about this artist space and their classes (free with membership!), please check out: http://www.wonderroot.org/
Students also has the chance to meet the muralist working on their project, artist Valerie Lake. She is very excited to be working with such a great group of students. She loved their ideas and did her best to create a mural with only their vision in mind. Due to the thunderstorm, the mural project will take place this Sunday, March 29th from 9 am - 5 pm. Please come by and check out their work!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
Week Sixteen: Expression Beyond Journaling
As the students know, we journal a lot. It serves three purposes: 1) it gives students a space to express themselves freely, 2) it gives me a space to dialogue with the students and receive constant feedback, and 3) is a reflection space, allowing for lessons learned and service experienced to sink in. For this week, instead of journaling, I brought in canvases, paint, markets, and paper and allowed the students time for self-reflection and expression. We had a lot of fun and the students produced some very intriguing and beautiful work.
To continue the work on our projects, students also followed up on in-kind donation letters, voted on their topic for student letters, and discussed how they will engage the children at Genesis, the transitional shelter they are fundraising for. The day to facilitator group play with the young children will be on Tuesday, May 2.
Students received two in-kind donations this week: ice-cream sundae coupons from Morelli's Ice Cream shop on Moreland for prizes for the dodgeball tournament and primer for our mural project from Lowes at Edgewood - thank you Morelli's and Lowes!
To continue the work on our projects, students also followed up on in-kind donation letters, voted on their topic for student letters, and discussed how they will engage the children at Genesis, the transitional shelter they are fundraising for. The day to facilitator group play with the young children will be on Tuesday, May 2.
Students received two in-kind donations this week: ice-cream sundae coupons from Morelli's Ice Cream shop on Moreland for prizes for the dodgeball tournament and primer for our mural project from Lowes at Edgewood - thank you Morelli's and Lowes!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Week Fifteen: Article Writing and Mural Preparations
With two big projects in the works, the weeks are going by fast! The students finished their articles for the Courier and the Porch Press. The majority of the time was spent planning out the mural. The students held an intense session brainstorming, creating images, and debating the importance of symbols and monuments in the city of Atlanta. Russell had a create idea and came up with the central theme of our mural: a phoenix. I would love to tell you more about what will be on the mural, but this is something I think we should wait until you can actually see it. Thanks again, Alicia, for coming out to help us!
We started off the week with great news: Earthshaking Music in the East Atlanta Village has responded to our in-kind donation request and are giving Everyday Leaders prizes for the winners of our dodgeball tournament. They were more than excited to support their local community. Thank you Earthshaking Music!!
Here is the article David, Noah, and Camille wrote for the Courier and the Porch Press:
The youth volunteer group, Everyday Leaders, is holding a dodgeball tournament on April 24th (Global Youth Service Day). The tournament will be held in order to help and gather donations for an organization called Genesis. Genesis is a non-profit volunteer organization that is an emergency transitional community for homeless newborns and their families. Until the tournament, we will be fundraising to help gather donations for Genesis. Here is their wish list:
+ Non-perishable food + Baby wipes
+ Office supplies + Diapers
+ Cleaning supplies + Pillows
+ First aid supplies + Clothing
+ Towels and washcloths + Bed linens
+ Blankets and quilts + Bath soap
You can bring these items to us by way of the container in the office or on the day of the tournament. If you don’t think you can donate an item, you can donate $5, but we would really like you to bring an item. Now this is our big project for Global Youth Service Day, and is one of our main focuses but we do have other projects. One of them is for Youth Art Month.
The project is a youth-based volunteer project that will hopefully brighten up one street corner. The Everyday Leaders will be working with WonderRoot (a non-profit arts organization committed to uniting artists and community to inspire positive social change) to do a mural at the corner of Glenwood and Moreland, the big building with graffiti on it right next to Buffalo China. You know, the old payless shoe store. WonderRoot artists will be helping us draw out our mural design and help us complete the project. We are looking for volunteers, mainly youth. And we hope that the parents or guardians of the youth can stick around and also help out. Sign up with a representative from Everyday Leaders and sign up soon!
We started off the week with great news: Earthshaking Music in the East Atlanta Village has responded to our in-kind donation request and are giving Everyday Leaders prizes for the winners of our dodgeball tournament. They were more than excited to support their local community. Thank you Earthshaking Music!!
Here is the article David, Noah, and Camille wrote for the Courier and the Porch Press:
Everyday Leaders Update
The Fight to End Homelessness Dodgeball Tournament
Fight Homelessness, Play Dodgeball
The Fight to End Homelessness Dodgeball Tournament
Fight Homelessness, Play Dodgeball
The youth volunteer group, Everyday Leaders, is holding a dodgeball tournament on April 24th (Global Youth Service Day). The tournament will be held in order to help and gather donations for an organization called Genesis. Genesis is a non-profit volunteer organization that is an emergency transitional community for homeless newborns and their families. Until the tournament, we will be fundraising to help gather donations for Genesis. Here is their wish list:
+ Non-perishable food + Baby wipes
+ Office supplies + Diapers
+ Cleaning supplies + Pillows
+ First aid supplies + Clothing
+ Towels and washcloths + Bed linens
+ Blankets and quilts + Bath soap
You can bring these items to us by way of the container in the office or on the day of the tournament. If you don’t think you can donate an item, you can donate $5, but we would really like you to bring an item. Now this is our big project for Global Youth Service Day, and is one of our main focuses but we do have other projects. One of them is for Youth Art Month.
The project is a youth-based volunteer project that will hopefully brighten up one street corner. The Everyday Leaders will be working with WonderRoot (a non-profit arts organization committed to uniting artists and community to inspire positive social change) to do a mural at the corner of Glenwood and Moreland, the big building with graffiti on it right next to Buffalo China. You know, the old payless shoe store. WonderRoot artists will be helping us draw out our mural design and help us complete the project. We are looking for volunteers, mainly youth. And we hope that the parents or guardians of the youth can stick around and also help out. Sign up with a representative from Everyday Leaders and sign up soon!
- This has been a message from Everyday Leaders
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Week Fourteen: Media Relations & New Partnerships
What an exciting week! Students wrote more letters (and are learning all of the paperwork that goes into project planning!) to Georgia Public Broadcasting, 11 Alive, and some local neighborhood newspapers telling them about their Global Youth Service Day Project. While seeking some media attention, students also began the article writing process to keep the local public informed (The Courier and the Porch Press) of what we are up to at Everyday Leaders. Students started working on some of the logistics of the dodgeball tournament by creating rules to keep everything organized.
Thursday was very excited as we started our four week engagement with guest organization: WonderRoot! Alicia Coleman, art education major from University Georgia, artist, and WonderRoot volunteer, came to lead the class in a discussion about public art. She helped the students understand the scope of their project, decide who it is for and why. Through a democratic process, students decided on a mural project to help clean and brighten up a building on Moreland and Glenwood. We have already received permission from the building owner to cover the graffiti with the students' art (with the help of WonderRoot artists) and are working on more details. WonderRoot will continue to work with us each Thursday through March and also on our Youth Art Month Day of Service on March 28th. If you are interested in participating (open to the public!), please email me, Laura Cleare, at lcleare@handsonatlanta.org.
Thursday was very excited as we started our four week engagement with guest organization: WonderRoot! Alicia Coleman, art education major from University Georgia, artist, and WonderRoot volunteer, came to lead the class in a discussion about public art. She helped the students understand the scope of their project, decide who it is for and why. Through a democratic process, students decided on a mural project to help clean and brighten up a building on Moreland and Glenwood. We have already received permission from the building owner to cover the graffiti with the students' art (with the help of WonderRoot artists) and are working on more details. WonderRoot will continue to work with us each Thursday through March and also on our Youth Art Month Day of Service on March 28th. If you are interested in participating (open to the public!), please email me, Laura Cleare, at lcleare@handsonatlanta.org.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Week Thirteen: Public Speaking
Students spent most of their time the first day utilizing their new letter writing skills to request in-kind donations from local businesses for the GYSD project. Students also wrote letters to their elected officials from city council members up to President Barack Obama telling them about their project and inviting them to come. This was an exercise in civics so students could learn who represents them and how easy it is to contact them.
On Thursday, we talked about some of the skills that make a strong public speaker. We also talked about tips to overcome the fear of public speaking. Student practiced by giving impromptu speeches on topic drawn out of a hat on random topics. Students had 2 minutes to prepare a 2 minute speech that was thoughtful, organized, and had a thesis. At the end of the speeches, the students gave peer feedback and learned from one another about how to become more effective speakers. Some of the topics were kind of crazy and the speeches were pretty entertaining! Nevertheless, the students learned a lot and are excited to practice more in the future!
On Thursday, we talked about some of the skills that make a strong public speaker. We also talked about tips to overcome the fear of public speaking. Student practiced by giving impromptu speeches on topic drawn out of a hat on random topics. Students had 2 minutes to prepare a 2 minute speech that was thoughtful, organized, and had a thesis. At the end of the speeches, the students gave peer feedback and learned from one another about how to become more effective speakers. Some of the topics were kind of crazy and the speeches were pretty entertaining! Nevertheless, the students learned a lot and are excited to practice more in the future!
Friday, February 20, 2009
Week Twelve: Midterm Review
We have made it past the half way mark! That can be a good or a bad thing depending on how you look at it. This past week we tied up some lose ends and also prepared for the the busy weeks that lie ahead.
On Tuesday, students learned how to right a proper Thank You Letter and created letters for two of our sponsors: Target and Caribou Coffee (both at Edgewood). Students also learned how to write a project proposal. They put their skills into action by writing their proposal for Global Youth Service Day! The students organized a meeting with Principal Underwood for Thursday to present their project idea. Students we nervous the day of the proposal, but they did very well answering Mr. Underwood's questions--he even provided very helpful feedback and suggestions. In the end, their project was approved! I will reveal the details by retyping their proposal:
"Everyday Leaders is creating a project for Global Youth Service Day. The reason for this project is to help Genesis; a small community based family homeless shelter. We as a group decided on this project. Our project is a dodge ball tournament and a fundraiser for Genesis. Kids will have a fun time, at the same time contribute to the community, and learn about homelessness and how it affects the city.
The day of the dodge ball tournament will be April 24 after school, in the gym, from 4-6 pm. We as Everyday Leaders will be working with Genesis to inform students and do letter writing to congress about homelessness. We will also be asking parents to help us with the tournament.
For this event, we will be asking in-kind donations for the winning prizes. Although the tournament will not need any funding, there will be a small entry fee that will go to Genesis either a small amount of money or an item that Genesis has request."
For more information on Genesis, check out: http://www.genesisshelter.com/
As this week's blog title suggests, we did complete a midterm review. Students had a chance to provide me with incredible and insightful feedback through an anonymous survey as well as a journal entry. Thank you, Everyday Leaders.
Note: I have only collected T-shirt money from one student. Until we receive forms from all of the students, I will order the t-shirts. The cost is $12; however, pay what you can. We want everyone to have a t-shirt so we only need the forms in to start the process.
Finally, students also connected with Chris Appleton, Co-Executive Director at WonderRoot, a non-profit arts organization committed to uniting artists and community to inspire positive social change (http://www.wonderroot.org/). Russell did a great job calling and setting an appointment with Chris. The students are going to organize with WonderRoot for their project for Youth Art Month during the four Thursdays in March that we will meet. This is really a chance for the students to not only make decisions, but really take the reigns in project planning. I am very excited to see what they come up with!
Whew! That's a lot of stuff! Keep up the great work!
On Tuesday, students learned how to right a proper Thank You Letter and created letters for two of our sponsors: Target and Caribou Coffee (both at Edgewood). Students also learned how to write a project proposal. They put their skills into action by writing their proposal for Global Youth Service Day! The students organized a meeting with Principal Underwood for Thursday to present their project idea. Students we nervous the day of the proposal, but they did very well answering Mr. Underwood's questions--he even provided very helpful feedback and suggestions. In the end, their project was approved! I will reveal the details by retyping their proposal:
"Everyday Leaders is creating a project for Global Youth Service Day. The reason for this project is to help Genesis; a small community based family homeless shelter. We as a group decided on this project. Our project is a dodge ball tournament and a fundraiser for Genesis. Kids will have a fun time, at the same time contribute to the community, and learn about homelessness and how it affects the city.
The day of the dodge ball tournament will be April 24 after school, in the gym, from 4-6 pm. We as Everyday Leaders will be working with Genesis to inform students and do letter writing to congress about homelessness. We will also be asking parents to help us with the tournament.
For this event, we will be asking in-kind donations for the winning prizes. Although the tournament will not need any funding, there will be a small entry fee that will go to Genesis either a small amount of money or an item that Genesis has request."
For more information on Genesis, check out: http://www.genesisshelter.com/
As this week's blog title suggests, we did complete a midterm review. Students had a chance to provide me with incredible and insightful feedback through an anonymous survey as well as a journal entry. Thank you, Everyday Leaders.
Note: I have only collected T-shirt money from one student. Until we receive forms from all of the students, I will order the t-shirts. The cost is $12; however, pay what you can. We want everyone to have a t-shirt so we only need the forms in to start the process.
Finally, students also connected with Chris Appleton, Co-Executive Director at WonderRoot, a non-profit arts organization committed to uniting artists and community to inspire positive social change (http://www.wonderroot.org/). Russell did a great job calling and setting an appointment with Chris. The students are going to organize with WonderRoot for their project for Youth Art Month during the four Thursdays in March that we will meet. This is really a chance for the students to not only make decisions, but really take the reigns in project planning. I am very excited to see what they come up with!
Whew! That's a lot of stuff! Keep up the great work!
Monday, February 16, 2009
Week Eleven: Random Acts of Kindness Week
Due to the early release day, we were only able to hold one session of Everyday Leaders -- though it was a busy day! On Thursday, students made over 100 cards for the Alzheimer's patients at the Wesley Woods Nursing Home. They were so happy to receive such bright, colorful, and warm valentines! Students used great teamwork and took on the big task, not wanting anyone to go without a card. Shout Out to David's mom for helping us by cutting out hearts!
Later that evening, DeJanique, David, and Camille all volunteered to bake a cake for their teachers for the following morning. On Friday, we received a large donation of fresh coffee from Caribou and students brought their cakes into the teacher's lounge with their big thank you banner. Camille came in with cup cakes that morning because her dog ate her cake! Poor thing! Shout Out to Camille's mom for taking her to Kroger!
The students did a great job with such little time. For the upcoming week, the students will start on their proposal to the Principal for Global Youth Service Day as well as thinking ahead to March for their project for Youth Art Month.
Later that evening, DeJanique, David, and Camille all volunteered to bake a cake for their teachers for the following morning. On Friday, we received a large donation of fresh coffee from Caribou and students brought their cakes into the teacher's lounge with their big thank you banner. Camille came in with cup cakes that morning because her dog ate her cake! Poor thing! Shout Out to Camille's mom for taking her to Kroger!
The students did a great job with such little time. For the upcoming week, the students will start on their proposal to the Principal for Global Youth Service Day as well as thinking ahead to March for their project for Youth Art Month.
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