Hello everyone,
For those of you who have been following the news lately we have had some interesting stories in the last few days. Everything from the predication of the end of the world that never came, to the push for the creation of a Palestinian state to natural disasters particularly in the mid west.
On top of this children today are growing up in an increasingly distraught world and one that is harsh. The other day I received an email from someone I know in Uganda. The email was to let me know that one of the children whom I had taught had passed away at the age of 12. Why did she die? She died because her family could not raise the money needed for heart surgery. Why should a child die of something that we as a society can fix?
Why did I bring up this story because there are many children around the world who tonight will die because they do not have water or they do not have the medicine they need to survive. On top of this in some parts of the world children are used as soldiers wand forced to fight in a war they do not want nor do they understand. You may be asking yourself, it cant be that bad? Check out Invisible Children to see what is happening in Uganda and how you can help. Many of the local high schools also have a club for this organization and would appreciate your support.
Now you may say that is horrible but what about children here? Well there may not be child soldiers here in the US, but there still is hunger and poverty. The other day I watched a documentary called Homeless: Motel Kids of Orange County. The documentary followed children in one of the richest counties in the US. How is it that children in America face poverty and even worse are often deprived of the ability to get an education due to being homeless and constantly on the move. So I ask you again, what will the children of tomorrow be when they are being forced to grow up so fast?
I would love to hear your comments and what you think about this.
Students Worldwide
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Think globally, act locally!
Hello everyone,
As some of you may or may not notice I have not posted for a while. I have been extremely busy and have not had a chance to post for the last few days. I would like to briefly talk about what your high school students can do this summer to keep them busy and also make a difference in the world.
The first opportunity I want to talk about is Kiva. Kiva.org is a website that gives micro-loans to people in need from all over the world. For those of you who are not familiar with micro loans the idea is simple and effective. First you loan a small amount typically $25 through the website. The money goes to the person you have chosen and there are typically multiple people funding one person. Over the course of the set time the person you loaned will pay you back in small increments. Now the great part about this is for as little as $25 you can make a difference in the world. Here is the best part when the money is paid back you can re-loan it or withdraw the money. For more information on Kiva check out www.kiva.org
The next opportunities I want to talk about are two different foundations both which serve a great purpose. The first is Soles for Souls, a non profit that collects old shoes and gives them to those less fortunate. Many people may not know this but in many parts of the world a pair of shoes is often considered a luxury. To help out with this group simply set up a shoe drive and Soles for Souls will do the rest! Last year when I was at DBHS we collected hundreds of pairs of shoes that I delivered to the drop off center! More information found here http://www.soles4souls.org/ Finally, Habitat for Humanity is a great charity for those who want their teenagers to get out there and use their hands. Habitat for Humanity is a non profit that focuses on building and restoring houses for those who can not afford to do so themselves. While I worked for Lowes I was able to participate in a building event and it was awesome. More information can be found at http://www.habitat.org/
I hope you enjoyed this and for more volunteer opportunities check out http://www.idealist.org/
Thank you,
Students Worldwide!
As some of you may or may not notice I have not posted for a while. I have been extremely busy and have not had a chance to post for the last few days. I would like to briefly talk about what your high school students can do this summer to keep them busy and also make a difference in the world.
The first opportunity I want to talk about is Kiva. Kiva.org is a website that gives micro-loans to people in need from all over the world. For those of you who are not familiar with micro loans the idea is simple and effective. First you loan a small amount typically $25 through the website. The money goes to the person you have chosen and there are typically multiple people funding one person. Over the course of the set time the person you loaned will pay you back in small increments. Now the great part about this is for as little as $25 you can make a difference in the world. Here is the best part when the money is paid back you can re-loan it or withdraw the money. For more information on Kiva check out www.kiva.org
The next opportunities I want to talk about are two different foundations both which serve a great purpose. The first is Soles for Souls, a non profit that collects old shoes and gives them to those less fortunate. Many people may not know this but in many parts of the world a pair of shoes is often considered a luxury. To help out with this group simply set up a shoe drive and Soles for Souls will do the rest! Last year when I was at DBHS we collected hundreds of pairs of shoes that I delivered to the drop off center! More information found here http://www.soles4souls.org/ Finally, Habitat for Humanity is a great charity for those who want their teenagers to get out there and use their hands. Habitat for Humanity is a non profit that focuses on building and restoring houses for those who can not afford to do so themselves. While I worked for Lowes I was able to participate in a building event and it was awesome. More information can be found at http://www.habitat.org/
I hope you enjoyed this and for more volunteer opportunities check out http://www.idealist.org/
Thank you,
Students Worldwide!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
State of Education!
Hello everyone,
Today I would like to talk about the current state of education within the United States and shortly I will be covering Walnut Valley Unified specifically. Everything I am going to say is based on my own research and opinion and is not intended to change the way you feel about education.
Ok so right off the bat as the US struggles to climb out of the recession many are wondering what will come of education. Everyday you hear stories of school districts laying off teachers and experts saying what is best to fix it. You will even see comparisons of the US education system versus those of other countries. Now this may seem overwhelming and there is no doubt that there needs to be some changes here in the United States, but what? Well here are some key topics that we need to look at: the way we teach our students today can not be the same way we taught them 20 or even 10 years ago, second we need to strive to make education much more interactive and global and finally the way in which schools are run from the highest to the lowest need to be rework in-order to truly be successful.
Lets first look at how we teach our students. Traditional teaching includes lecturing and test based assessment's, which is a whole problem in itself and a expensive one. Teaching today needs to be much more technology based and use kids strengths to get them to understand the material. One thing that I like to do that many teachers do is have students teach parts of lessons. Several reasons why this seems to work is they are responsible for learning material and presenting it to the class. This makes the students use critical thinking skills as well as traditional study skills to truly make it successful. I often have gotten positive feedback and students tend to learn material better. Think of this new way of teaching where everyone is teaching and the teacher is more of a moderator or there for clarification.
Second, we need to make classrooms more global and interactive. One way in which you can do this is by teaching to the may different learning styles. An example of this would be doing skits, picture walks where students observe pictures and make notes on it or even have students create their own wikipages on a certain subject. We need to be more global by including current events and impacts they have around the world at least 3 times a week! I like to talk to my students for the first 5 minutes about a major event in the world and why it impacts us. They really seem to enjoy it!
Finally, the education system as a whole in the way in which it is run needs a total revamp. Whether this means changing pay, benefit's, tenure or just the way schools operate, I do not know. This is where I am not sure on what needs to be done as I have little experience within this specific issue. Teachers and administrators do not always see eye to eye, but we should always remember that at the end of the day, the students are what is most important.
Interesting link on how to make learning more like a game, based on rewards and choices!
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/extra-credits/3167-Gamifying-Education
Today I would like to talk about the current state of education within the United States and shortly I will be covering Walnut Valley Unified specifically. Everything I am going to say is based on my own research and opinion and is not intended to change the way you feel about education.
Ok so right off the bat as the US struggles to climb out of the recession many are wondering what will come of education. Everyday you hear stories of school districts laying off teachers and experts saying what is best to fix it. You will even see comparisons of the US education system versus those of other countries. Now this may seem overwhelming and there is no doubt that there needs to be some changes here in the United States, but what? Well here are some key topics that we need to look at: the way we teach our students today can not be the same way we taught them 20 or even 10 years ago, second we need to strive to make education much more interactive and global and finally the way in which schools are run from the highest to the lowest need to be rework in-order to truly be successful.
Lets first look at how we teach our students. Traditional teaching includes lecturing and test based assessment's, which is a whole problem in itself and a expensive one. Teaching today needs to be much more technology based and use kids strengths to get them to understand the material. One thing that I like to do that many teachers do is have students teach parts of lessons. Several reasons why this seems to work is they are responsible for learning material and presenting it to the class. This makes the students use critical thinking skills as well as traditional study skills to truly make it successful. I often have gotten positive feedback and students tend to learn material better. Think of this new way of teaching where everyone is teaching and the teacher is more of a moderator or there for clarification.
Second, we need to make classrooms more global and interactive. One way in which you can do this is by teaching to the may different learning styles. An example of this would be doing skits, picture walks where students observe pictures and make notes on it or even have students create their own wikipages on a certain subject. We need to be more global by including current events and impacts they have around the world at least 3 times a week! I like to talk to my students for the first 5 minutes about a major event in the world and why it impacts us. They really seem to enjoy it!
Finally, the education system as a whole in the way in which it is run needs a total revamp. Whether this means changing pay, benefit's, tenure or just the way schools operate, I do not know. This is where I am not sure on what needs to be done as I have little experience within this specific issue. Teachers and administrators do not always see eye to eye, but we should always remember that at the end of the day, the students are what is most important.
Interesting link on how to make learning more like a game, based on rewards and choices!
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/extra-credits/3167-Gamifying-Education
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Travel and volunteer!
Hello everyone!
I would like to take a chance to talk to everyone about traveling abroad and impact it can make on yourself and in the country you are visiting. As for myself, I travel as often as I can. I personally have traveled all over Europe and have taught English in Uganda. Peru should be marked off the list this summer!
Now I know most people will say traveling is expensive, while this may be true there are several ways to lower the cost, while maximizing your experience abroad. I am a big supporter of volunteering or working in another country. First you are able to truly dig into the culture and get to understand life within the country you are visiting. Second you get to meet people and experience new things, which is what traveling is all about. Thirdly and most importantly you will be helping more then likely the country your visiting while growing yourself.
My time in Africa was spent teaching English in a rural village in Southern Uganda. By far this was the most amazing experience I have ever done! Let me say this now, Africa is not for the faint of heart. Where I was there was no Facebook, no television and no texting. But all of that did not matter, the people I met, the experiences I had, made every day in Uganda one of the best in my life. The stories I came back with, I share with my students, friends and anyone who will listen. I feel that opportunities such as these are once in a life time and should always be taken.
I would like to end this blog by saying that no matter the cost traveling abroad is the best decision one can make. I constantly encourage my students to travel abroad, it does not matter where you go or who you go with, just go. You will come back a better person and a better understanding of the world, so what are you waiting for? GO!
For those of you who are interested here are some links of sites that offer work or volunteer work abroad.
http://www.idealist.org/
http://www.i-to-i.com/
http://www.worldwidehelpers.org/
I would like to take a chance to talk to everyone about traveling abroad and impact it can make on yourself and in the country you are visiting. As for myself, I travel as often as I can. I personally have traveled all over Europe and have taught English in Uganda. Peru should be marked off the list this summer!
Now I know most people will say traveling is expensive, while this may be true there are several ways to lower the cost, while maximizing your experience abroad. I am a big supporter of volunteering or working in another country. First you are able to truly dig into the culture and get to understand life within the country you are visiting. Second you get to meet people and experience new things, which is what traveling is all about. Thirdly and most importantly you will be helping more then likely the country your visiting while growing yourself.
My time in Africa was spent teaching English in a rural village in Southern Uganda. By far this was the most amazing experience I have ever done! Let me say this now, Africa is not for the faint of heart. Where I was there was no Facebook, no television and no texting. But all of that did not matter, the people I met, the experiences I had, made every day in Uganda one of the best in my life. The stories I came back with, I share with my students, friends and anyone who will listen. I feel that opportunities such as these are once in a life time and should always be taken.
I would like to end this blog by saying that no matter the cost traveling abroad is the best decision one can make. I constantly encourage my students to travel abroad, it does not matter where you go or who you go with, just go. You will come back a better person and a better understanding of the world, so what are you waiting for? GO!
For those of you who are interested here are some links of sites that offer work or volunteer work abroad.
http://www.idealist.org/
http://www.i-to-i.com/
http://www.worldwidehelpers.org/
Monday, May 2, 2011
The May First Madness
Hello everyone,
As all of you know yesterday was Sunday, May 1rst. Yesterday marked several very important events, first and foremost the killing of Osama Bin Laden. For those of you who may be to young to remember Osama Bin Laden was the mastermind behind the September 11th attacks that struck the United States in 2001. While many people have different opinions on whether on not it will impact the world with him being gone. One thing is for sure, the world is without a man who killed more then just Americans. He claimed to represent Islam, yet he killed more Muslims through his terror tactics then those of all attacks he did on America. Yesterday also marked 66 years after Adolf Hitler was announced dead. The world seems to get a bit better on May 1rst.
Also yesterday marked a very important day in my own life! Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of my girlfriend and I. It was a great day that we spent at the Museum of Tolerance which truly is an amazing museum. For those of you who have not been I truly recommend it. One of the key things that stood out on this day was a presentation called "From Hate to Hope." What it involved was a former White Supremacist and a gay man who he had attacked long ago. The presentation was amazing and showed the power of redemption and the power of the human spirit. The even more amazing thing was that they said the do presentations at schools. This is huge, being a teacher myself and always looking for ways to get students to learn in new and exciting ways, this seems like a perfect opportunity. By having the presentation at a school you are showing students how it is never to late to change or better oneself, but also showing how certain choices can lead you to a life full of hate and anger. Ultimately experiences like this can do so much for our youth. I encourage everyone to take the opportunity to share your life experiences and get others to share theirs.
Thank you,
Students Worldwide
As all of you know yesterday was Sunday, May 1rst. Yesterday marked several very important events, first and foremost the killing of Osama Bin Laden. For those of you who may be to young to remember Osama Bin Laden was the mastermind behind the September 11th attacks that struck the United States in 2001. While many people have different opinions on whether on not it will impact the world with him being gone. One thing is for sure, the world is without a man who killed more then just Americans. He claimed to represent Islam, yet he killed more Muslims through his terror tactics then those of all attacks he did on America. Yesterday also marked 66 years after Adolf Hitler was announced dead. The world seems to get a bit better on May 1rst.
Also yesterday marked a very important day in my own life! Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of my girlfriend and I. It was a great day that we spent at the Museum of Tolerance which truly is an amazing museum. For those of you who have not been I truly recommend it. One of the key things that stood out on this day was a presentation called "From Hate to Hope." What it involved was a former White Supremacist and a gay man who he had attacked long ago. The presentation was amazing and showed the power of redemption and the power of the human spirit. The even more amazing thing was that they said the do presentations at schools. This is huge, being a teacher myself and always looking for ways to get students to learn in new and exciting ways, this seems like a perfect opportunity. By having the presentation at a school you are showing students how it is never to late to change or better oneself, but also showing how certain choices can lead you to a life full of hate and anger. Ultimately experiences like this can do so much for our youth. I encourage everyone to take the opportunity to share your life experiences and get others to share theirs.
Thank you,
Students Worldwide
Saturday, April 30, 2011
The need for help at home and abroad! Plus more!
Hello everyone,
I know I have not posted the last few days, and I regret it as I have had a lot on my mind. First off I want to talk about the horrible tornadoes that are occurring right now in the Southern part of the United States. Over 250 people have been killed and it is likely the death toll will raise. As some of you may or may not know, depending on how much news you read, the US and world has been hit with large disasters lately. We are all citizens of the world and need to put forth effort to help one another. There are several ways to do this, whether through a local charity or the Red Cross. I encourage all of you to give what you can, be it time or money or something else that will benefit those in need. More info on the tornadoes can be found below.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/04/30/severe.weather/index.html?hpt=T2
Now, not only has the US been hit hard lately, but so has many parts of the world. There are so many things that are going on in this world that we can all make a small difference. About a month and a half ago I went to the LA Travel and Adventure show, and one of the exhibits there was all about helping Japan. Now, you did not have to give money, although I did end up giving some. Their idea was to have you write in Japanese, "we love you." Following that they would take a picture of you holding your sign and then it would be sent pack to Japan and printed in papers, put on TV or posted in public places. I thought this was such a cool idea and a way to help others in a way that money can not express. If you have cool ideas like this I would love to hear them.
Finally, I want to talk about how we can make a difference in out community, right here in our home! We need to be doing more for our youth, for our schools and most importantly for ourselves! So many people today are suffering from all forms of hardships including: low income, no education, no family, depression, sickness and abandonment. I truly believe that we need to start doing more in the community especially for our youth. While there are local sports and even some after school programs, I do not think they are going far enough to truly inspire our kids. I propose that we establish after school programs that will have locals come in and teach kids and also allow more sports and community service opportunities, geared towards high school students. Well that is all for today! Let me know what you think.
Thank you,
Students Worldwide
I know I have not posted the last few days, and I regret it as I have had a lot on my mind. First off I want to talk about the horrible tornadoes that are occurring right now in the Southern part of the United States. Over 250 people have been killed and it is likely the death toll will raise. As some of you may or may not know, depending on how much news you read, the US and world has been hit with large disasters lately. We are all citizens of the world and need to put forth effort to help one another. There are several ways to do this, whether through a local charity or the Red Cross. I encourage all of you to give what you can, be it time or money or something else that will benefit those in need. More info on the tornadoes can be found below.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/04/30/severe.weather/index.html?hpt=T2
Now, not only has the US been hit hard lately, but so has many parts of the world. There are so many things that are going on in this world that we can all make a small difference. About a month and a half ago I went to the LA Travel and Adventure show, and one of the exhibits there was all about helping Japan. Now, you did not have to give money, although I did end up giving some. Their idea was to have you write in Japanese, "we love you." Following that they would take a picture of you holding your sign and then it would be sent pack to Japan and printed in papers, put on TV or posted in public places. I thought this was such a cool idea and a way to help others in a way that money can not express. If you have cool ideas like this I would love to hear them.
Finally, I want to talk about how we can make a difference in out community, right here in our home! We need to be doing more for our youth, for our schools and most importantly for ourselves! So many people today are suffering from all forms of hardships including: low income, no education, no family, depression, sickness and abandonment. I truly believe that we need to start doing more in the community especially for our youth. While there are local sports and even some after school programs, I do not think they are going far enough to truly inspire our kids. I propose that we establish after school programs that will have locals come in and teach kids and also allow more sports and community service opportunities, geared towards high school students. Well that is all for today! Let me know what you think.
Thank you,
Students Worldwide
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Family support and why it is important
Hello everyone,
For those of you who do not know or may not know, I am currently a high school teacher working at an alternative education high school. Now the reason I bring this up is because today I was having a discussion with my kids and the role that family plays within this. One thing that I found most interesting is that a overwhelming majority of my students said they had parents that were uninvolved and was often the reason they got in trouble. The reason I find this so interesting is because I have never experienced uninvolved parents or family for that matter. Both my parents have been active in my life, as well as my brothers. As a result we both have grown into young responsible adults.
What shocked me while discussing this subject with my kids is how they said they wished their parents would of been more active. Whether it was signing them up for AYSO or talking to them about their day. Ultimately it came down to having someone care about them and show it, not simply say it. As I look at my students and saw sincere sadness, I stopped and thought what I as a teacher, concerned community member and fellow human being could do for them.
Why don't we as a society try to catch these kids when we still have a chance at making an impact in their lives. Why is money squandered and wasted where programs could be established to get these kids excited about school, life, and their future. Several students have expressed no interest in going to college rather just get a job. Why is it that in America where opportunity is endless and the possibility to better ones life is much greater then other parts of the world are we not inspiring our youth?
When I was in Uganda, every student I worked with was excited about school and had a hopeful outlook even given the circumstances that they lived in. I truly feel that we need to try to inspire the youth and give them opportunities to show their talent or chase their dreams. As sad as it may sound, I feel that some kids not the majority but still they are kids, are simply being left behind. It is sad to see someone at age 16 not seeing anything out there to make their lives better.
It comes down to this question: What do we want our future generations to be like? Do we want them to simply be drones or do we want to revitalize that passion for education and a hope for a better tomorrow that I have seen in my travels. Let me know what you think!
Thank you,
Students Worldwide
For those of you who do not know or may not know, I am currently a high school teacher working at an alternative education high school. Now the reason I bring this up is because today I was having a discussion with my kids and the role that family plays within this. One thing that I found most interesting is that a overwhelming majority of my students said they had parents that were uninvolved and was often the reason they got in trouble. The reason I find this so interesting is because I have never experienced uninvolved parents or family for that matter. Both my parents have been active in my life, as well as my brothers. As a result we both have grown into young responsible adults.
What shocked me while discussing this subject with my kids is how they said they wished their parents would of been more active. Whether it was signing them up for AYSO or talking to them about their day. Ultimately it came down to having someone care about them and show it, not simply say it. As I look at my students and saw sincere sadness, I stopped and thought what I as a teacher, concerned community member and fellow human being could do for them.
Why don't we as a society try to catch these kids when we still have a chance at making an impact in their lives. Why is money squandered and wasted where programs could be established to get these kids excited about school, life, and their future. Several students have expressed no interest in going to college rather just get a job. Why is it that in America where opportunity is endless and the possibility to better ones life is much greater then other parts of the world are we not inspiring our youth?
When I was in Uganda, every student I worked with was excited about school and had a hopeful outlook even given the circumstances that they lived in. I truly feel that we need to try to inspire the youth and give them opportunities to show their talent or chase their dreams. As sad as it may sound, I feel that some kids not the majority but still they are kids, are simply being left behind. It is sad to see someone at age 16 not seeing anything out there to make their lives better.
It comes down to this question: What do we want our future generations to be like? Do we want them to simply be drones or do we want to revitalize that passion for education and a hope for a better tomorrow that I have seen in my travels. Let me know what you think!
Thank you,
Students Worldwide
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
World Peace Game
Hello,
Today I stumbled on something that truly represents teaching and what education should be about. That of course is making children and young adults use critical thinking skills to examine the real world. The link below shows a great game created by a teacher named John Hunter. Mr. Hunter created a game that allowed students to examine all of the worlds issues on a simple peace of plywood. Now over time this has involved into much more. Students examine global warming, wars, famine, diplomacy and more all through this game. It is something that I think all teachers should implement into their classroom. It is deffenityly a first step at improving the world.
Thanks and let me know your opinion,
Students Worldwide
Game
http://theworldpeacegame.com/
Presentation
http://www.ted.com/talks/john_hunter_on_the_world_peace_game.html?utm_source=newsletter_weekly_2011-04-26&utm_campaign=newsletter_weekly&utm_medium=email
Today I stumbled on something that truly represents teaching and what education should be about. That of course is making children and young adults use critical thinking skills to examine the real world. The link below shows a great game created by a teacher named John Hunter. Mr. Hunter created a game that allowed students to examine all of the worlds issues on a simple peace of plywood. Now over time this has involved into much more. Students examine global warming, wars, famine, diplomacy and more all through this game. It is something that I think all teachers should implement into their classroom. It is deffenityly a first step at improving the world.
Thanks and let me know your opinion,
Students Worldwide
Game
http://theworldpeacegame.com/
Presentation
http://www.ted.com/talks/john_hunter_on_the_world_peace_game.html?utm_source=newsletter_weekly_2011-04-26&utm_campaign=newsletter_weekly&utm_medium=email
Monday, April 25, 2011
Chernobyl anniversary and more!
Hello everyone,
I know the website is not up yet and this blog may seem more personal then for a charity. However, right now I would like to talk about something that had a huge impact on many people, that being Chernobyl. For those of you who do not know Chernobyl was a nuclear facility in Ukraine that melted and caused wide spread radiation damage. Like the reactors in Japan that are causing a great of problems so did those of Chernobyl. The lasting problems from the radiation stay long after the reactor has been shutdown. For those of you who are interested in seeing some pictures on this I will provide a link that I found to be very informative. Why is it that so many had to suffer as a result of this and why is it that even today as a similar situation is developing in Japan we are not looking at our world history and learning from it. Many children were affected by this horrible event and the present mimics the past.
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/04/chernobyl_disaster_25th_annive.html
Now onto something else that has been bothering me. Why is it that so many people today feel that they are entitled to everything. We as a country and a world need to have attitude that does not focus on entitlement but rather puts the emphasis on working hard and achieving your goals through legitimate work. Now of course not everyone is this way, nor will no one ever be this way. We will always live in a society where people feel entitlement for whatever reason. However, lets challenge ourselves and those we love to be better and and have more empathy for the have nots.
Finally, the other day in church I got upset when the priest told a story about a family in need and that he would pray for them. I myself am a religious man who often prays, however I believe it is much better to be proactive. I felt like the priest should not of simply offered prayers, but rather offer food or shelter until the family gets back on their feet. Remember you may think that you will never need help and it is their fault for being in need, but life sometimes throws curve balls and it is important we help those in need. Think its easy? Check out this game http://playspent.org/
Thanks for listening and always leave you comments!
Students Worldwide
I know the website is not up yet and this blog may seem more personal then for a charity. However, right now I would like to talk about something that had a huge impact on many people, that being Chernobyl. For those of you who do not know Chernobyl was a nuclear facility in Ukraine that melted and caused wide spread radiation damage. Like the reactors in Japan that are causing a great of problems so did those of Chernobyl. The lasting problems from the radiation stay long after the reactor has been shutdown. For those of you who are interested in seeing some pictures on this I will provide a link that I found to be very informative. Why is it that so many had to suffer as a result of this and why is it that even today as a similar situation is developing in Japan we are not looking at our world history and learning from it. Many children were affected by this horrible event and the present mimics the past.
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/04/chernobyl_disaster_25th_annive.html
Now onto something else that has been bothering me. Why is it that so many people today feel that they are entitled to everything. We as a country and a world need to have attitude that does not focus on entitlement but rather puts the emphasis on working hard and achieving your goals through legitimate work. Now of course not everyone is this way, nor will no one ever be this way. We will always live in a society where people feel entitlement for whatever reason. However, lets challenge ourselves and those we love to be better and and have more empathy for the have nots.
Finally, the other day in church I got upset when the priest told a story about a family in need and that he would pray for them. I myself am a religious man who often prays, however I believe it is much better to be proactive. I felt like the priest should not of simply offered prayers, but rather offer food or shelter until the family gets back on their feet. Remember you may think that you will never need help and it is their fault for being in need, but life sometimes throws curve balls and it is important we help those in need. Think its easy? Check out this game http://playspent.org/
Thanks for listening and always leave you comments!
Students Worldwide
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Happy Easter
Hello everyone!
Just wanted to wish you all a Happy Easter today! Whether you celebrate it or not, I hope you had a great day and got to spend time with those you love.
Only think I want you to think about is whether or not we as a society do enough for those with nothing. Leave me a comment if you would like, I would love to hear from you!
Just wanted to wish you all a Happy Easter today! Whether you celebrate it or not, I hope you had a great day and got to spend time with those you love.
Only think I want you to think about is whether or not we as a society do enough for those with nothing. Leave me a comment if you would like, I would love to hear from you!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Life, Money and Love
Hello again!
The other night something very sad happened, which resulted in the loss of my girlfriends dog. The reason I bring this up is because life is something that is meant to be cherished and should be respected at all cost. Flower was an older dog who had lived a good life, but yesterday she took a turn for the worse and began to bleed from the eye. Thus the decision was made to end its suffering by putting it to sleep which is a difficult task in itself! While Flower is at peace now it is important to realize that life is about quality and not so much about the quantity(length). I say this because surely we could of kept Flower alive for a few more days but would she be living a good life? I think not.
Which brings me to love, love is a essential part of life and is seen everywhere. Often times we forget how important someone is to us or something. I find it odd that in the age of social media where the ability to communicate with those you love is at a all time high, that we do it so little. I encourage everyone to try to do this more and not just some mass text or email. It needs to come from the heart and be sincere. As we know we never know when life will be cut short or when some life changing event can take place.
Finally, money which is of course often seen as equaling happiness but it is not. The reason I am bringing up money is not out of greed, rather a friendlier reminder for everyone to keep planing for your future. The us debt is almost at 14.3 trillion which is slightly below what it is allowed to be at. While, I do not think that immediate collapse or collapse in the US will occur, I still think it is important to plan for the future. Whether it is through retirement or putting a little bit extra away in a separate account each month. I would like to leave you guys with this website that my girlfriend sent to me about making a difference through protecting rain-forest. I know Earth day was the other day but we can still do our part for as little as 2 dollars!
http://www.coolearth.org/
Thanks for reading!
The other night something very sad happened, which resulted in the loss of my girlfriends dog. The reason I bring this up is because life is something that is meant to be cherished and should be respected at all cost. Flower was an older dog who had lived a good life, but yesterday she took a turn for the worse and began to bleed from the eye. Thus the decision was made to end its suffering by putting it to sleep which is a difficult task in itself! While Flower is at peace now it is important to realize that life is about quality and not so much about the quantity(length). I say this because surely we could of kept Flower alive for a few more days but would she be living a good life? I think not.
Which brings me to love, love is a essential part of life and is seen everywhere. Often times we forget how important someone is to us or something. I find it odd that in the age of social media where the ability to communicate with those you love is at a all time high, that we do it so little. I encourage everyone to try to do this more and not just some mass text or email. It needs to come from the heart and be sincere. As we know we never know when life will be cut short or when some life changing event can take place.
Finally, money which is of course often seen as equaling happiness but it is not. The reason I am bringing up money is not out of greed, rather a friendlier reminder for everyone to keep planing for your future. The us debt is almost at 14.3 trillion which is slightly below what it is allowed to be at. While, I do not think that immediate collapse or collapse in the US will occur, I still think it is important to plan for the future. Whether it is through retirement or putting a little bit extra away in a separate account each month. I would like to leave you guys with this website that my girlfriend sent to me about making a difference through protecting rain-forest. I know Earth day was the other day but we can still do our part for as little as 2 dollars!
http://www.coolearth.org/
Thanks for reading!
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Welcome
Hello everyone,
For those of you who do not know this blog is going to focus on a charity which I started. The charity that I am referring to is Students Worldwide. You can access this site, though it is under construction at studentsworldwide.org The goal of this charity is going to be to have students help students. It is a simple concept that I hope will grow into something much larger.
For those of you who do not know me... I am a high school history teacher, who loves soccer and traveling. I also am a true believer in making the world a better place and being actively involved in the community! I spent some time in Africa teaching underprivileged children and out of that I have grown to believe we can make a difference.
I will also include articles,pictures and whatever else is on my mind.
Thank you,
Student Worldwide :)
For those of you who do not know this blog is going to focus on a charity which I started. The charity that I am referring to is Students Worldwide. You can access this site, though it is under construction at studentsworldwide.org The goal of this charity is going to be to have students help students. It is a simple concept that I hope will grow into something much larger.
For those of you who do not know me... I am a high school history teacher, who loves soccer and traveling. I also am a true believer in making the world a better place and being actively involved in the community! I spent some time in Africa teaching underprivileged children and out of that I have grown to believe we can make a difference.
I will also include articles,pictures and whatever else is on my mind.
Thank you,
Student Worldwide :)
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)