EFA- Reflection

Education for All was a different then many of the other activities that I completed this year and last year. Over the course of the year my my main focus was not learning new things about myself but helping others. I really feel like I was able to help others by being a part of this group. We raised money through several different fundraisers. Our most successful one for raising money was the oie sale earlier in the year which I both baked for and sold in. This year we raised much more money then we did last year and I am hoping that the club will continue to grow and raise more money again next year.

I feel that I did successfully reach my goal of helping plan an activity because being a part of EFA a very new club at Sturgis, it allowed for every member to have a bigger say at helping build up this club and plan what fundraisers we would be doing. I felt like I helped plan the pie sale the most. This is because I helped decided who would bake what pies and negotiate the best time to sell them as to reach maximum profit. I also added in my views when we were planning the school supplies sale and the crepe sale and when was the best time to do them and what were the best prices. For the fundraisers to go well it was very important to have good planning and that was what was something I was able to contribute to.

I also feel like I reached my learning outcome of engaging in issues of a global importance. This is because EFA is one of our most globally reaching clubs. This is because the money that we make goes towards helping build schools in the middle east. I learned so much about this problem during the last year. I new that education was lacking in the middle east but when I watched a movie during one of our meetings in EFA I learned how deprived these children are of any education and tricked into attending schools that are not what they seem. I would never have know the depth of the problem with out entering EFA and I am glad that I do. This problem seems to get little attention from major forces and so I am glad that our clubs and clubs like it all over the world are both raising money and spreading awareness of this cause. At the end of the year we will send in all the money that we made to help these children. With more awareness raised I hope even more good things will come to these children in the next years. I think EFA is a very important club for raising awarness of a global problem and trying to help it.

EFA FInal discussions

This week in EFA we discussed what would be happing towards the end of the year and our last projects. We talked about our booths at the Spaction and the springfest. I think that both of these opportunities are going to be a big hit for our club because we get people who have some more free time to learn about our cause instead of just students rushing to class. There will also be more adults who understand the seriousness of this problem and are more likely to purchase the book that inspired our club. Then we decided on who would be the leader of EFA next year because Kelsie, the club leader, is a senior and will be graduating. We decided on Mary, a junior, because she will by then have the most active experience in the club and be capable of running it next year. I think that we are going to end EFA very strong this year and that next year the club will continue it's successful growth.

MUN Reflection

This last year of MUN, I saw myself playing a bigger role than ever before . I completed my fist learning outcome this year by working very successfully with my partner. This year we both wrote well researched position papers which were a lot better written and researched then the one I produced last year. Also I was able to help show her different aspects of MUN and she was able to bring new ideas to our group when representing Macedonia. I think we worked really well together and were able to research both topics fully so that both partners would be equally prepared on both subjects.

I also completed my second learning outcome of considering my ethical implications. I have learned so much about the tricky process of de mining and also about how the UN works as a whole. I learned that when it comes to the dangerous and ethical question of de-mining there is so much to consider in the real world outside of the question of whether it's right or wrong. How much each country can supply for finically aiding a nation to de min and if using animals for finding land mines is an ethical process are two ethical issues that I had to think about during this experience. It's not about whether a country think's mines are wrong and should be gotten ride of, it's how this great goal can be reached and how far countries are willing to go to reach this ethical goal. I also learned a lot about the ethics of the UN as a whole. I learned about the importance of alligs and how a country might but align with certain countries even if it is not necessarily the best course of action. In the MUN conference this year Macedonia supported the failing resolution because even though it was not the better paper, we sided with what our ally's wanted. Alliances are such a important ethical consideration in the real UN and it was important to learn about it in this conference.

MUN Trip

Last week I went to the National High School Model United Nations and the experience and my involvement were much greater than last year. On the first day of the conference we got our self settled and decided to what topic to discuss first. We decided to discuss because even though it was not my topic, I had read what my partner had researched about the topic and it seemed that landmines macedonia had a much stronger stance on landmines and more personal positions on landmine de-mining than it did on security sector reform in Africa. This is because Macedonia had recently successfully de mined parts of it's country and so it had person connection to the topic and stronger view than on the security sector reform topic in Africa. Landmines vs SSR in africa were voted on my the delegates and de-mining won as the position that we would be discussing. This was a successful first night because the topic our country felt more strongly on was chosen which would lead for more for Macedonia to work with.

The next day we had both ups and down while trying to get our views on landmines out. During the first unmoderated caucus we went to go talk to the European Union because those country's would be the ones most likely to gain Macedonia's support in the real UN. We approached the big players from the EU and were essentially shut down. We asked a couple kids there view but they either gave vague answers or walked right by. We could not even inch our way into the EU crowed meeting. Macedonia is not part of the UN but they have been a candidate since 2005 and so showing support to these countries would be one of Macedonia's major interests.

After the shut down at that committee, we continued with different tactics to get our views heard. We wrote notes to a couple of our other major allies asking there views and positions and actually got some good responses from Bosnia and Albania and other nations. We started to see which countries were align ing with who and where we should place our alliance. One country even asked how we successfully de mined our country (we told then how finical support from our ally Albania helped us and how important the availability of funding was for countries needing aid to de-mine).

This continued for the next few committee sessions until we found a paper to align ourselves behind. We ended up choosing paper resolution 1.1 because it contained a good number of our ally's as sponsors/signers and talked about funding. This resolution did not pass and the other paper went through but our paper put up a good fight. All in all it was a very rewarding experience no matter what paper was passed and my partner and myself made a lot more contact with other nations then I had last year. I felt like we actually had a stance and were able to share it.

MUN- debate

This week in MUn we gathered during lunch to participate in a debate. We separated into groups and each debated one side of the issue which was if the US was justified in invading and starting a war with Iraq. We I arrived I went to the group that was against entering the war and there we gather and read information and made our case. It was a short debate with no winning side but it was important. It was important because it taught us how to collecte and clearly present information in a debate like setting. Being able to form clear ideas from facts and speck them fluidly is a importnat skill to have a MUN and I think that this drill really help the development of it.

Education For All- New Fundraiser

This week in education for all we discussed a new way to bring in money for our couse of building schools in the middle east that did not involve seeing baked goods. We brainstormed and we all discussed the pros of selling school supplies during break because they are items that are often in demand for people and they tie well into our mission. I discussed how selling school supplies would be easy for us to market because it ties into our mission of the importance of education and for people to have the supplies needed to attend schools around the world. I really like this idea because we are not just selling food to make money but making a statement with what we sell. I really think that promoting education around the world will help bring greater peace to our world and that with learning come understanding. That is why I think this fundraiser is a very good one for our club.

MUN Position Paper Finished

In the last weeks we have been working away on our position papers to get them finished and sent in well before the conference in New York City on March 17. I have finished my position paper and given it into Mr. Fetzer to be sent off to the leaders of the mun councils. I am really proud of my position paper this year and feel that I have made many improvements over the paper that I wrote last year. This paper is longer and has more research put into it them the one that I wrote last year. I have more sources and I feel that the essay is better organized. I also put more time into this one spending time throughout the weeks researching it and spending two days working on it a writing on it. I even had my partner proof read it because an extra set of eyes helps pick out flaws and errors that might be missed by me. I feeling like I know my subject well enough to represent it at the MUN committees. now I have to read my partners position paper on the the other topic for out committee and she has to read mine so that we both have a full understanding on both subjects. Our group will also be holding mock debates every wednesday after school to get us ready for sharing and expressing out countries views infront of of other people.

MUN- Position Paper

I have been working away on my position paper and so far i have found a few very good sites that give information on both who my country supports in the UN and what their veiws and solution to the problems with African Security Reform are. I have learned not only about my country but about a problem that I knew little about. I am now more educated on the problems of Africas lack of National protection but also the problems that come with them having a cirtain national security. It is a very interesting topic and it is interesting to see how Macedonia and other countries are trying to help. Also I have found out that Macedonia is trying to join the EU and so they are supporting the European UNions views on the matter. It is vey interesting to see how matters of the UN really work and how countries will support other countries for some of there own motives. Its not perfect but it is very important to learn that this is how the world truly functions together.

EFA-Preparing for Exams

EFA has decided to have there balesale during the breaks between exams. This is a great idea because during that time kids are hungrey but they don't have enough time to really go far and even less if they want to get some studying done. This way kids can by snakes in the school and have more studying time. I think that this is a very smart idea. We are prepareing for this week and hoping to make a lot of money during it. I am making fudge and I hope that it will be a big seller and make money for our cause.

I also was able to help spred the real meaning of our club to my english class. Ms. Carman is the supervisor for the club and during english I helped her talk to the class about the club and why we are having the sale. We talked about how the club helps build schools in the Middle East for children in need and that we would be selling snakes during exams to raise money and awareness.

MUN- Position Papers

I have been doing a lot of good work in MUN recently. I have stayed after school for a meeting and talked with my partner about our position paer. The position paper is really the most important part of MUN because it will detail what position your country would likly take in a UN committee and how you as a representitive should act. We need to find aspects about how the country in involved in the problem. What possible solutions do they support and who they will work with to bring about these solutions. There are two subjects that need to be covered for our committeee in Macedonia and that is Security Sector Reform in Africa and Demining. I talked with my partner and we worked out who would do what. I choose to do Security Sector Reform. So far I have found really great information on this subject. I have found a sppech from a really UN member from Macedonia talking about Security Sector Reform. I have also found that Macedonia is in Candidacey to become a part of the European Union and so they will likly be siding with the major players of the EU to help in gaining membership. Finding this out was helpful because I was able to find many more documents detailing the EUs views on the subject with Macedonia in support of them. I think that this year my paper will be much better reaserched then last years. I have a better understanding and more information on my subject then I did this year and so I will be more prepared and the committee meetings.

This year I am a much more prominate member because I am older and have done this before. Last year I was new and so I needed a lot of help writing my paper. This year I know what to do and I show my skills through helping my partner. My partner is a freshman and has never done MUN before. I was able to help her by explaining the set up of the paper and by helping her find documents. I even set up a messaging thread online where we can both post our sources, talk and share information. If she has questions she also can contact me there as well. I think that I am helping her learn about the MUN prossess and that our paper will be well reaserch and written by the two of us.

EFA- More sales

Last meeting in EFA we talked about the money we had made and how to continue making money. So far this year the club has been much more sucessful making money but there is still room for improvment. This is the clubs second year and we have already made much improvment over the money that was made last year. This year we are going to help raise money by selling snakes during break between exams. This is a good idea because kids are hungrey after there break and need food but don't really have time to go out and buy food. I have offered to make fudge because my mom has a great homemade chocolate chip fudge recipy and I think it could sell well and be a nice small treat for cranky exam students. We also still have to work on putting together fliers and panphlets to spread more information on our cause.

EFA- Pies and Crepes

I joined EFA last month and so far I feel that we are doing great. We did a pie sale for the week before Thanksgiving break and it was very sucessful. I made a chocolate creme pie and the entire thing sold. I am glad that I was part of something that helped raise so much money. Next we are having a crepe sale and I am in charge of bringing peanut butter and cinniomon. I hope that I can help make this one as succesful as the last sale.

We also want to work on spreading the news of what our mission is because it is not only important to the club to raise money but to all tell people why we are raising money and to help raise awareness of the problems of education in the Middle East and the importance of it. I am reasponible with another group member to make information phanphlets that tell about the project. Its a big reasponsiblity because they have to be good if we ant to really get the word out. I will try my hardest to create a very infomative and understandable panphlet.

MUN- Comitties

We have now chosen our own committees that we will be working on in our country this year in MUN. Last year I chose to be one legal commitee where we mostly focused on the problems of patents and third world countries. This year I wanted to try something new and so I chose military weapons. I chose it because one of the topis will be landmines and the problems surround old undiscovered ones. This is something new and it seems very interesting so I wanted to work on it. I have heard of undiscovered landmines leftover from wars blowing up inocent civilians that happen to tred unknowingly on them and either suffer major injuries or die. This is horrible and I want to know more about it so that I will have a better understanding of this problem our world faces and a better understanding on how to fix such a problem.

One thing that is new this year is that I am working in my committe with a freshman who is new to MUN. This is different because last year a was on a committee with two other people and both of them had been on MUN before and I was the new one. This year I will try to help her because I am more experienced and I know that I appreciated having help when I was new last year. I am excited about being able to help more people in the group because we have a lot of new members this year.

MUN- Countries!

Today we had our first meeting for MUN that wasn't about money or when we would be meeting. This week we were assigned our countries. We got very good countries this year including Syria, Turkey, and Macedonia. After reading the t, I knew topics that each committee would be covering, I knew I wanted to do Desec because it was covering land mines and critical matters or war technology and I found that problem very engaging. I wanted to to Syria but the spots for that were already taken so I had to choose Desec for Macedonia. I am still very excited because even though I did not get my first choice country, I got my first choice topic, which I think is more important. I am glad that I now know what I will be researching and it is something that is very improtant matter in this world.

Volleyball- Falculty Game

This was my last game ever a a Sturgis Storm volleyball member. It was different then most other games because the B and A teams played together and the B and A teams all played every position instead of just our normal positions. It was fun but because there was so many people I didn't get to play the often and when I did play it was in a position that I was not used to play in a game like back row or server. During the game I missed all three of my serves which was disappointing because my serves had been so much better in practice but I never had served in a game before and I just wasn't used to it. I did make some good receives and hit the ball over the net which made me happy. What I loved about this game was that I got to see just how far all the players had come. We may have lost but most of the girls playing had never played in a game before and now were playing much better. I have seen improvement in them and in myself and I am sad to let this team go. I hope to continue playing this great sport in some form at college.

Volleyball- Barnstable game

Yesterday we had a game agaist barnstable and our team played so well. Well lost two matchs and won one. I got to play in two of the matches and I was very proud of how I played. This game tough I didn't outside hot a lot but I was doing so well with my passing and serve recive.

This was the first time during the game that I felt like every pass that I made when recviving a ball went exactly where I wanted it to. What I did was basically I just relaxed. When that happens and you clam yourself down when you see the ball coming at you it isen't as scary and you just pass it. before I would be nervous and so I would hit the ball it the wrong way. I decided to calm down because this was my last game and i wanted to relaxe and have fun.

Also during this my positioning was on. I have been practicing so long in my one position that I now know how to switch go to my base and be in defense position with out even thinking about it. When I was knew to the game I would have to think 'go here. now" and that would slow me down. During this game I relized I was going to every poistion immidiatly once I read the other team and how they were going to send it over. This is other reason my passing was going so well. Before there was hesitation in getting to my next position but now I could be there 1005 percent and ready for anything.

Volleyball- Missed Hits

During my last practice I focused a lot on my outside hitting. In my last game I had a couple of outside hits and now that i have the confidence to hit during games I want to work on improving and making them even better. My hitting during practice start off a bit slow. I was a little bit off becasue this was my last practice and I was feeling a little bit sad. I continued to work though and one of my teammates even helped me. He told me that my shoulders when I went to hit the play would ratate to much and then send the ball outside. I worked with my teammate and he showed me the way to angle my sholders to get a good shot. It was difficult because it felt natural to me to completly rotate my sholders when hitting put the practice really helped. We also worked on our defensive foot work so when the other team sets up there attack for sending the ball over I know where to be to revive the ball. I felt that my transitions from resiving middle hits, back hits, right hits, outside hits, and free balls were going very smooth.

That practice I even stayed after for a little bit to work one on one. After I left my last practice ready for the next two games.

Volleyball- Excellet game

This Friday I played in one of my most exciting and well played volleyball games to date against Nauset. This was there homecoming game and from the beginning you could tell that it was going to be special. There were more people there then and there was so much excitement everywhere.

The first match I played okay and just played my normal rotation. We lost the first two games and so on the third game coach put me back in. This game I made the most plays I ever had. I recived several balls and was hussling all over the place. Then in the game I madde my first ever spike during a game. I have spiked many times in controled practice seeting but this was different. When I hit it over so perfectly I just felt so great and so powerful.

We won this game match and it felt great to be a part of that. I know that I was playing well because of instead of having me sit out the next match like I normally due every rotation, coach had me go in again. This made me feel so happy and proud. The next game I was so proud of my team. The score was tied almost the entire time. I felt like I played well again and even blocked a ball and made another strike.

I have never played this aggressively in a game before. I loved it. Before I was mostly just a receiver or a passer but now I was attacking balls. I was happy to know that coach was proud of my playing and I was becoming a better player. Especially with volleyball coming to a end in the next. I wanted to have a game to remember playing in and be proud of forever.

SOI

So far in advisory we are working on two major things at the moment and thats a organic tea sale in the morning and getting votes to try and win a grant. So far I have mostly just helped with getting the news out about the fund. I have voted and I have gotten everyone in my family to vote as well. Also I have walked around the school handing out papers to show people how to vote and encourage them to vote. I want to get more involved in the tea sales though because that would be a even more active approch to helping SOI earn money incase we don't get the grant.

Volleyball- So Much News!

So the volleyball team has been making incredible improvements in the last weeks. This week we faced upper cape tech in a match and one 3-1. This means that we lost our first match but were able to comeback and win three in a row to beat them in a best of five match. In the first game I didn't play as well and I sent the ball into the net twice which is a horrible move. This just shows me that this is something that I really need to work on. I am going to talk to my coach about doing net drills because sending the ball to the net is pretty much a fatal move in volleyball for losing a point. I then played in the third game and played much better. My momentum was up and I made good passes that did not land in the net and sent the ball over a couple times. I am very pround to be one Sturgis Storm Volleyball and am pround of my team for playing a great game and winning our first match ever.

In practices I have been playing okay. One thing I have seen improvement in is that I have found my serve. I have stoped serving over hand but am not serveing underhand either. I learned a side derve which just works for me. It gives my serve more power and is more intiminating then a underhand serve. My serve is still not perfect but so much more improved. I would say that during free serve drill I now get the ball over 80% of the time which is such an improvement over the 20% I was serving at the begining of the season. Now that I alsomost have serving down I want to work on saving the ball when it lands in the net.