Boum Committee Meeting

Today we had another boum committee meeting. I lost two members, a couple of freshman who seemed to be planning on coming during recess and then decided to tell me they didn't want to do it after I had to go looking for them during lunch. Apparently they "had a lot of work and joined too many clubs", their immaturity was annoying but at least they didn't flake out on me when it would have counted, that is during the boum.
       We were supposed to be deciding on a theme; we didn't want to do Halloween this year as it is quite expected by everyone, but it seems the real problem is location. No one wants to be at our school because it is the same place we spend all our time working, and has not always worked well in the past. No one wants to have it at the school's other campus, because that NEVER works, as it is much too big for the amount of people we have. There were some good ideas tossed around, I just need to take some time to find something that can work.

DIS Movie Night #3

Yesterday was the Fundraising Club's first movie night of the year. We screened Ratatouille in English with French subtitles for the kids at the Churchill campus. I arrived there at 5:30 to set up chairs and the concession stand. For the rest of the night, I sold chips and attended to the cash register, we were very busy all night. Actually it amazed me how many people kept coming again and again to buy things. But at least we raised a lot of money for our school, and these movie nights are always enjoyable. The only thing that is bothersome is the unrest of all the kids. So many of them weren't watching the movie at all and were running around yelling (inside AND outside of the building) while the parents did nothing. Next movie night we're going to try to find a way to calm them down; at least it will be in the winter and they won't be as likely to want to go outside.

Boum Committee Activity This Week!

So this week I was able to begin Boum Committee as the club fair was held Tuesday and Wednesday.
On Monday night, I created a banner for Boum Committee to set up at the club fair, where I recruited Members. Here's a photo of the banner as I was working on it in my room. The only change before the fair was that I sprayed a subtle silver glitter over it.

I really like it! Over Tuesday & Wednesday I sat at a table set up for the committee and recruited 8 members! I also had a meeting with our teacher advisor to discuss our budget, dates, etc. Since our first Boum is October 29th, I wanted to get things started quickly and held our first meeting yesterday. It went pretty well and we're scheduled to have our next one on Tuesday. 

Wipe Out Kids' Cancer Run

So last Saturday I ran at the Wipe Out Kids' Cancer Run in Addison, TX. 

For more evidence, my name is on this results document: http://runningblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/09/addison-oktoberfests-wipe-out.html

I think this is a great event for a good cause and I really had a fun time running. I actually ran with my dog,  he behaved very well so he went all the way (5K or about 3 miles.) There were many people there that ran for a specific child, it was saddening to be reminded that so many children have to face such awful diseases for no reason. But I really think that it's possible to make cancers easier to treat. On another note, I'm happy I ran simply for the exercise of it, which I needed. There is another event that I'll be running at on October 8th, Nickel From Nicole. It's the first run to promote safer teen driving in the memory of Nicole Legrow, who was actually on my soccer team. She died in 2010 at the age of 16. Her friend was driving them to a party, and they were speeding in the rain. They hit a concrete cylinder and Nicole didn't survive. I didn't know Nicole too well, but she was always nice to me and a beautiful person. Going to her memorial service and seeing her mom was the most tragic thing I've ever seen. At the end of it there was a room with photos of her, including a board that she had had in her room with photos, ribbons, tickets and papers on it. At the time I had one very similar to that. Seeing that really affected my own mom who couldn't imagine be able to do such a thing.  I was shocked at how quickly the process of death is finished. I couldn't imagine being able to absorb the shock of a loved one's death and then have a funeral for them in two days, or a memorial service in three. Afterwards, her parents would still come to our soccer games and her mom would always look terrible, I can't imagine how it would be to have someone you love taken away from you so tragically. My heart goes out to them, I think the run will definitely be emotional, but I'd like to go support the Legrow family. 

Just a note . . .

Yesterday an issue touched me that I would like to get involved with. It may or may not end up having anything to do with CAS. But in case it does and because this is on my mind, I'd like to write about it here. If it's found irrelevant and I need to remove it at any time I will.
        I knew that executions as punishment for criminal offenses were still going on in my state of Texas and many other states in the U.S., and had heard mentioned some unjust cases. But last night I became informed of one that has absolutely shocked and disgusted me. All night I watched coverage of protesters a mile outside of a prison in Georgia where an execution was set to take place. Even though I hadn't heard of Troy Davis's case before, it had been protested in cities around the world. Wednesday night it went to the U.S. supreme court once again. And Troy and his family began a night of torture.
       In a case wherein an overwhelming majority of witnesses recanted their statements and admitted they had been threatened by the police to prosecute Davis, wherein Davis's right to choose witnesses was discarded, wherein there was no forensic evidence, you would think that death row is a highly cruel and unusual punishment to dole out to a very likely innocent man.
      Scheduled to die at 7:00, his execution was postponed while the supreme court deliberated. For four hours. During this time, the family had no idea of what was going on as they stood outside with the protesters, a mile away, anxious and sick to their stomachs. They weren't allowed to watch their family member die, whereas the family of the person Davis allegedly killed was. After four hours the supreme court agreed unanimously to kill Davis, without any explanation to him or his family. The president didn't intervene. And so they allowed the state of Georgia to murder an innocent man. There are so many things wrong with this case and the death penalty I cannot write it all here. I've always been against the death penalty but this makes me want to take action, rather than just hold an opinion. So I've contacted a non-profit organization here that works to abolish it in my state, I hope I can do something.
   

Pinwheels for Peace

So last Thursday my peers and I helped with someone's CAS project, Pinwheels for Peace. Pinwheels for Peace is a project that aims to promote peace ( in both politics and everyday life) by distributing material for simple paper and pencil pinwheels to be decorated, created and displayed for International Peace Day. (Which was yesterday, in fact.) So we spent time helping to each decorate and design a pinwheel. I quoted a song from John Lennon in a spiral on one side: "All we're saying . . . is give peace a chance." And made flowers on the other. On the spiral side I also wrote "Think Positively" on two corners. I love the idea of focusing on promoting peace for peace, rather than fighting war for peace. It is actually something I am trying to depict in my artwork, and this attitude of focusing on the positive was a driving force for my decision to change my art show theme.
For more information on Pinwheels For Peace:
http://www.pinwheelsforpeace.com/pinwheelsforpeace/home.html
For sources that helped me to better understand the power of positivity:
http://www.theusversusjohnlennon.com/site/ (Film)
http://thesecret.tv/ (Film & Book)

Me working on the Pinwheel.

 

Face design of the Pinwheel. 

Back design of the Pinwheel. 

Fundraising Committee Car Wash

Here's a photo of me at the car wash last year! I'm on the right and that's Noor again from the Russian Gala on the left. I should be attending more car washes and movie nights this year with the Fundraising Committee.

Student Council Meetings

So the school year has started and I've already attended two student council meetings, one of which was today during lunch. Our President, Noor introduced the student council and we each had to speak to the new head of highschool on our role. I intoduced my role as Boum Committee President and told Mr. Vanhille of my goals for this year. I'm still very excited.