Workshop Session # 4
El Embudo
Room # 201
Global Issue:
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Loss
“Colegio Bolivar”
Essential Question
How can we strengthen the identity of El Embudo as a territory of community to promote citizen culture?
Impact Statement
By May 31st we will have successfully planted 18 trees throughout the park in order to contribute to the establishment. We will have, as well, developed organic games made entirely of sustainable infrastructure that will be available to the whole population. We will also create signals for the biodiversity in order for visitors to learn more about the park while they acquire a sense of belonging with nature. Finally, support and promote the Ecofest in the city of Cali to achieve a larger audience and sensibilize the population with the project.
Film Festival:
Presentation:
Project Description
El Embudo is a project with 12 High School Students from Colegio Bolivar created in order to help, conserve and increase the consciousness of the importance of nature. Each day we have less nature, therefore, we decided to take action. We decided to divide our project in four different committees, which are: “Sowing, signage, organic games and community”; each one focusing in one specific task regarding El Embudo and its sustainability. To achieve the goals of every committee we got helped by DAGMA which is the environmental program created and fund by the townhall of Cali. We also had fundraisers in different activities in Colegio Bolivar.
This project is sustainable because we add our effort to a DAGMA, public institution in charge of protecting the forest reserve area called “El Embudo”. In this case, our activities just complemented the regular activities of the programs of DAGMA. We guarantee the sustainability of tree planting because we learn that less its better. We avoid planting massive without following the growing of trees, on the other side we plant a few trees and we take care of them.
In the presentation, the audience will learn about the biodiversity of Colombia and the special river of the city located next to our school. We are going to explain our research about the causes and effects of massive construction in rural areas. We are going to share the way that we approach this issue through learning about Embudo (Forest Reserve Area) and developing activities in 4 committees to inspire people to protect and conserve the forest in the city. https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1IiBIu5ks49WVIAwNDb8nM7YUDRP1dUC31KqAdSFdFsA/edit?usp=sharing
Hunger and Homelessness
Room # 102
Global Issue:
Hunger and Homelessness
“Catherine Cook”
Essential Question
How do hunger and homelessness affect our communities in Chicago?
Impact Statement
We have successfully educated 120 students and 12 faculty members on our topics; hunger and homelessness in Chicago. We also interviewed local restaurants, pantries, and organizations to learn more about what they’re doing in an effort to help hunger and homelessness. From there we used similar tactics with our student body to help the organizations to achieve their goals. Using what we learned, we were able to further our school’s knowledge of the severity of the issues.
Film Festival:
Presentation:
Project Description
Our group’s main goals for our project are to raise awareness within our school about our topics and to do what we can to help. We were able to successfully educate 6 classes about the effects on hunger and homelessness, volunteer at the Lakeview Food Pantry, organize a food drive, and make cards for people young homeless LGBT people staying at the Center on Halsted. Another goal we have is to raise 100 pounds of food through our food drive. One of our challenges currently is that because of our school being an independent school many fundraising and charitable efforts are prohibited. Another challenge is contacting different organizations because the majority of the time they take a long time to respond making it difficult to work with them. We need more cooperation within our school and organizations so that we can take action. Another thing we need is a larger outreach.
We have separated into 2 pairs to accomplish many goals, and to be able to work faster. It has been more efficient, so each pair can focus more and raise more awareness about their individual issue. We will raise more awareness to include more community members and encourage students by hanging up posters about the issues we are trying to convey around our school and possibly outside of school like in different buildings or stores, present PowerPoints about the issues to students in our school and faculty/staff/adults, and educate people on our issue. A way we will grow our project next year is to not only encourage other students to carry on our project but to also to continue educating people on the importance of our topic.
Waste Reduction in Schools
Room # 102
Global Issue:
Climate Change
“Catherine Cook”
Essential Question
How can reduce waste to get closer to being a carbon-neutral school?
Impact Statement
We have successfully educated around 800 people by June 2019 by creating a wide variety of bold strategies, and resourceful methods. These include a homemade tracker(which we used to educate peers about the importance of a close loop garbage solution), a zero-waste lunchroom program, and no Eco-Friendly skills elective.
Film Festival:
Presentation:
Project Description
The purpose of our project is to take action within our school community to: 1) Reduce waste 2) Improve recycling efforts 3) Replace disposal items with reusable products For our project, we engineered a GPS tracker to track where our recycling goes. We also conducted an audit of our school’s waster and recycling in order to write a set of recommendation to present to our school’s administration and board. These recommendation outline a 3-year plan for reducing waste and carbon out, moving our school closer to carbon neutrality. In order to create excitement and educate students at the same time, we taught a student-run elective about how to make eco-friendly cleaning products, bags, and reusable food storage products.
It is our hope that the School Board of Trustees will adopt some or all of our recommendations for waste reduction. By involving the adults in our school who how long-term, decision-making power and financial resources, we hope to sustain a focus on reaching carbon neutrality for many years to come.
Part 1: Background Research (5 minutes) In this part, we will share research and history about climate change, consumerism, and the importance of reducing waste. Part 2: Project Presentation (15 minutes) Next, we will share our project, how we got, started, what we did, and our next steps, including photos, a demo of our tracking device, and examples of projects from the eco-friendly skills workshops. Part 3: Active Participation (30 minutes) Our participants will get the chance to do an audit of their school and to begin compiling a set of recommendations to make to their own schools after the conference. We will give them the tools to do a self-assessment of their own school and to think about areas in which their schools could make positive changes in order to reduce waste and carbon outputs.
Leadership
Room # 203
Global Issue:
Climate Change
“Columbus”
Essential Question
Impact Statement
Film Festival:
Presentation:
Project Description
Stop It’s The C.O.P (Community Outreach Program)
Room # 103
Global Issue:
Poverty
“Kingston”
Essential Question
How can we create meaningful impact in our community through volunteering?
Impact Statement
We have successfully served 94 students and staff by April 15, 2019, using fundraising techniques and awareness campaigns to accomplish our goal of alleviating the stress placed on teachers at the Shady Grove Basic School who did not have adequate teaching equipment and students who are now able to learn in a slightly more comfortable environment.
Film Festival:
Presentation:
Project Description
2. Our C.O.P (Community Outreach Program) of Gin focuses on cultivating the communities interest into out GIN program. They work on spreading the name so we can gather new members for our team and be capable of more. They also focus on the fundraising for our projects. So when we have an idea to actually help our community they have the funds already so we can act on it faster and create a difference without the worries of having economic issues.
Our first plan on being sustainable is spreading the word, we are going to make the public aware of who we are and what we are here to do. We are going to do this by putting up posters and showing projects we have done in the past, host small events that everyone can participate in so we can personally interact with everyone and fill them in on our future plans. As leaders who want to a strong relationship with their peers we ask them to inform us of what they would like to speak out about, we then discuss and work forward into achieving our goal.
Our GIN project was not to only work within our school community but also throughout the surrounding community. We have accomplished raising awareness and fundraised for a man incorrectly diagnosed with the wrong form of cancer in which his insurance company was unwilling to cover the money he needed in order to get treatment. We also fundraised to buy teaching supplies for a neighbouring school, The Shady Grove Basic School. Our learning goals for this workshop is to start a conversation about the inequalities faced by those in nearby communities.
We care, We share
Room # 204
Global Issue:
Education for All
“OLM”
Essential Question
How can solidarity impact the largest number of people and change people’s lives?
Impact Statement
We have successfully served our community by creating a program in which high school students serve others in different ways for the exercise of solidarity. In order to accomplish the Catholic mission of our school, the Community Service Component is incorporated into the high school curriculum. The program has a great impact on two different groups: the students, who act as volunteers, and the people they interact with, who are basically underprivileged children, elders, the disabled and animals at risk. Little by little, students understand their role as responsible citizens who can positively impact the lives of their neighbors and community, as well as their own lives in terms of keeping the seeds of solidarity growing. Likewise, the people that interact with the students get not only material assistance, but also the joy of experiencing a more loving world, where people actually care about others.
Film Festival:
Presentation:
Project Description
One major goal of the community service project is to bring awareness of the importance of serving others and fighting for a fair and equal society. The project aims to extend participation to other segments of the school community. The more people immerse themselves into activities, the more the community members will develop a sense of what needs to be done so that this society becomes a reality. Over the last three years, we have seen a growing number of parents willing to serve the community and school as volunteers. This behavior may be the result of the experience that the students have in and out of school activities, especially high school students who have been sharing their experiences with their families. The major challenge is to find time and partnerships for students, parents and members of the school community, so that they can donate their time and talents. Although there are unlimited opportunities, sometimes institutions follow schedules that do not match our students’ or school members’.
As a Catholic school, with serving others incorporated into the mission of the Church, we want to put into practice the call to service. The Religion Department coordinates the community service project, which is mainly part of the high school curriculum, but not exclusive to it. In that attempt, we feel the need and challenge to involve more members of the school community. There is a need to empower community members, so that more people will be engaged. Our major goal, therefore, is to keep a growing number of people and projects without loosing the partnerships we already have. Despite the fact that a lot has been accomplished, there is still a need to find activities and projects or institutions for members of all age levels.
1- The audience will be able to interact through a puzzle in order to understand the importance of helping others and they will grasp the importance of the Community Service Project at OLM in these past 20 years and counting. 2- The audience will be able to identify who the OLM school is and its mission. 3- The audience will identify the history of the Community Service Project. 4- The audience will be able to compare the structure developed through the years with the implementation of new partnerships. 5- The audience will be able to recognize the scope of the Estenda Sua Mão Project (The apple of OLM’s eye) 6- The audience will be able to list the benefits of Community Service: altruism, social skills & health benefits. 7- The audience will be able to comprehend the steps for the implementation of the Project in their schools. LINK: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1M_2MfoQLjDO68bjnOikCiC3zqVzwMdmmvlAkWWW08O0/edit?usp=sharing
INFANCIA ALEGRE: Raising funds and awareness
Room # 106
Global Issue:
Massive Step-Up In The Fight Against Poverty
“Santo Domingo”
Essential Question
How can we help underprivileged kids with Cancer?
Impact Statement
We have successfully served over 100children with cancer by April 2019 by organizing a blood drive, which raised over 50 pints. We, did this buy creating a multimedia campaign and designing a donor commitment plan. We have also raised funds for “Amigos Contra el Cancer Infantil”, a foundation who provides treatment and recovery accommodations for them.
Film Festival:
Presentation:
Project Description
Our goal is to help underprovided children with cancer by providing much needed blood for transfusions (free of cost), as well as creating kits containing basic hygiene products and some kind of entertainment for hospitalized patients and their families in order to make their stay a little more comfortable. We have raised blood, funds and awareness for FUNDACION AMIGOS CONTRA EL CANCER INFANTIL, a foundation which provides free treatment and accommodation for underprivileged children. We have also prepared goody bags and helped out at the Christmas party they hold for the children and had a very successful fundraising strategy to gather funds for our next steps. We faced challenges convincing people to donate blood (since we are underage and cannot do so ourselves) and getting sponsorship, which we definitely need in order to make out project sustainable.
We will make the blood drive an annual event at our school, “pass the torch” to the following junior class as part of their community service, and continue raising awareness of the importance of donating blood in order to motivate other organizations to create drives of their own.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Our goal is to help underprovided children with cancer by providing much needed blood for transfusions (free of cost), as well as creating kits containing basic hygiene products and some kind of entertainment for hospitalized patients and their families in order to make their stay a little more comfortable. We have raised blood, funds and awareness for FUNDACION AMIGOS CONTRA EL CANCER INFANTIL, a foundation which provides free treatment and accommodation for underprivileged children. We have also prepared goody bags and helped out at the Christmas party they hold for the children and had a very successful fundraising strategy to gather funds for our next steps. We faced challenges convincing people to donate blood (since we are underage and cannot do so ourselves) and getting sponsorship, which we definitely need in order to make out project sustainable. LEARNING GOALS: 1) Examine the challanges underpriviled families experience when faced with cancer 2) Analyze effective advertising and marketing strategies in order to raise funds and awareness, applicable for any GIN project. LINK: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1RSEsrYLKg6c1RFngniUvlC_ysa_pTusQFcb4cYguG8w/edit?usp=sharing