The End of the Beginning

The anonymous story at the end- That person- I want that person to be me! as well as everyone else. The story at the end is a good wrap up of the book and shows what you can be like and what life can be like if you make the movement from Me to We. It also ties everything together that was mentioned in the book. If you move from Me to We that person can be You and just reading it seems very appealing to be that person. And to pass on this book so that it affects someone elses life for the better and slowly as the word gets out hopefully the world all moves from a Me mentality to We, which is a huge dream but i dont think its out of reach, it is possible. What will i take from it? a new perspective on life, thats for sure, reading this book over this semester has honestly changed my life for the better for sure. Its so much to talk about, i could go on for hours, it will change my outlook on life and how i go about my life. I have now wanted to get more involved with Me to We and have joined the school commitee and plan on going to see the effects we can make by going to Kenya through me to we. I am so happy i read this book and even more happy i did at this age when i am still maturing and deciding what to do with my life. What an amazing story.....Me to We...We are the generation and i do plan on being the change.

The Left hand Handshake

When i read this part in the book no joke my mouth literally dropped and i was shocked. This boy in middle school extends his left arm to shake the hands with the man who caused do much devastation to his community and the country and who cut off his right arm! I was amazed this middle school aged child extending his hand to show peace to the man that caused the devastation! WOW how powerful, i was shocked. I'm sure that man, at least I'm hoping he felt guilt for what he had done and was moved by this child's gesture and realizes what he has done. That was crazy for this young boy to do such a thing and in a way forgive him for what he has caused and to move forward with peace. I was shocked i honestly believe i would not even think about doing such a thing, Santosh is amazing. I do believe though that in order to move forward you do have to forgive and maybe that is why Santosh did this in order to move forward in peace. I was just shocked at such a young age he could do that. He is on brave and courageous boy.

Mr. Williams

I have met a Mr. Williams and he reminds me of him so much. My Mr. Williams is my minister Dr. Lonnie. He is an amazing man who is always willing to lone a helping hand to anyone. He is very active in our community and would never even think twice about helping out someone in need. He has supported me in all my decisions and is always willing to help if needed. He is a very approachable man and is always good to go to when you need some help. He would do what Mr. Williams did any day to help out someone. He always tells us that his door is always open and he is always willing to talk and help. He truly is a Mr. Williams

Water Festival

I went to the water festival on Tuesday and despite the wind and dampness it was fun. I enjoyed running and giving presentations on our station. I thought it was neat, we did have a cool station, about Wet lands. I enjoyed it but the lunch was little awkward with Wieners and Beans. There were lots of kids and I think the festival is great and had tons to do for the kids.

We're A Minga!

We can always use minga's in our community and they bring everyone together. Minga's are great and we should have more of them in our community. I remember once when a person in my youth group told us a story about his mom having MS and him raising money each year for the walk. Our youth group felt we should support him and that year all member of our group raised money for the Walk for MS and together as a group we went and did the walk along side the member of our group in support of his Mom. It was very uplifting and it went really well. We all came together to help fight for a cause that had affected a family member of one of our members. It was a great experience.

Lindsay Avner and Race for the Cure

Lindsay reacted much the same as most people would in her situation with anger and bitterness towards people. But once surrounded by others who have gone through similar situations she doesn't feel so alone and has people who feel her pain. I think it would be normal for someone to react as Lindsay did. I personally have had a few people close to me be overcome by cancer, sadly know one has survived it close to me. I have always supported Terry Fox run and other cancer research fundraisers. And after many years of debating I hope to be in the Relay for Life this year. I have always wanted to do this but have always held back, this year is the year.

Viktor Frankl

"Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual."

I do agree with Viktor, life is what you make it. Its your job to to do the right thing by sticking to your values and beliefs to solve its problems and your job to overcome tasks set before you. Never give up and constanly overcome the tasks set before you and stick with your values to overcome problems. This is all up to the individual, so no one but them can acomplish this, therefor can not blame anything on anyone else. This is a great quote from Viktor Frankl.

Joe Opatowski

One big thing to take from Joe's story is that anyone can change and become a better person, no one is hopeless in changing their ways. Joe came from a tough struggling background but was changed with the Me to We philosophy. It changed his life. Joe could have been anyone. Never give up on anyone because you never know what they are truly capable of and that they can be changed for the better. Joe gave back to what was given to him, Me to We changed his life and through Me to We he changed/affected so many other people's lives like it did to him. He gave back what Me to We gave him. Anyone can be changed and never give up on anyone or feel like their hopeless because there not. Joe gave back and affected so many people, sad to know he is no longer with us. He left a lasting legacy.

Oprah' Story

I personally yes i will admit it am a fan of Oprah and yes i do watch her show almost daily at 4o'clock...only when there the good shows, I dont like her fashion shows that she has but she does do really good meaningful shows, which i do watch. I think her big heart does help in her great success of her show but not the whole reason. I think she is very opinionated and people watch to see what she may say or talk about on her show. She is a great success story because of what she did with the background she came from. Dont get me wrong she does have a big heart and has helped out many people but i dont believe that is what has totally helped her in her success with the show.

Cars in Bronx and Palo Alto

IDCI can learn from this study done. Our school needs to become more socially bonded. This can be done as shown in the study is just to get to know people in the halls, say Hey to people you walk by that you may not normally. It make people feel welcome and recognized. When you do this these people feel better and will look out for you because they see you are taking the time to say Hey rather than ignoring them. If you get this going through the whole school everyone feels socially connected and they all look out for eachother and will have each others backs. This can help make IDCI safer first of all because people are more likely to fess up or their friends may. It will also make it more of a welcoming and happy place to be where everyone says Hey and doesn't ignore people and make them feel worse. It always cheers you up when you see people and they say hey it shows they care. This can help IDCI if this mentality was to get into place. Everyone would look out for eachother and make them feel happy. Safer and happier. Cant get much better!

Monarch Park Collegiate

IDCI can take one big thing from the story of Monarch Park Collegiate, anything can be done when people come together for a cause no matter what group, religion, race, sexuality or background you come from. People come together when their is a cause to fight for. In IDCI we are not near as diverse as they are but we are diverse in other ways. We have many different groups, cliques and clans. This shows never to underestimate anyone and most people when for a cause do truly have a caring heart which sometimes can break a stereotype that some people have of different groups. When fighting for a cause you'd be surprised of the people who step up and make a difference and care. It brings all these diverse groups into one big group fighting for a cause to help others out. It could bring all of the different grades and groups of IDCI together because they now have something in common with each other

Belonging

I feel most connected to my lacrosse team. Lacrosse means alot to me and it has played a huge role in my life. Lacrosse is in my blood, all my family has or still is playing it, and my grandpa is inducted into the Ontario lacrosse hall of fame. I love the sport and my team and it is a huge passion for me. Lacrosse keeps me active and part of a team and it gives me a bunch of new friends from all over this area that share the same passion as me. In the future i plan to get my children involved in lacrosse to keep the tradition going. Lacrosse keeps you active and challenges you and I am always up for a challenge and keep trying to get better and better. I love playing and its a great sport...Canada's national sport actually ahaha.

Grade 8

I only did one day of touring because i had to write a Biology contest the other day, but i think the one day was enough and i learned alot. It went alright for me, it was different because i thought they would all be shy and scared about the big transition but i was taken by surprise when some of them started getting sassy with me and thinking they knew everything and ran the school. I did the tour alright and got them around okay, it was also a scavenger for me a little because some of the questions they had to answer i didn't know and the room numbers had me on my toes. I think the scavenger hunt was well done and it got all of them thinking and took us everywhere around the school. I know its mean but the grade 8 need to know their place in the school when they come here for grade 9, they cant think they run the place like some of them thought as grade 8's. We needed a microphone in the gym when students and teachers were talking in order for everyone to hear and for them to be quite, it would make it alot more organized cause everyone would be able to hear you. Also, if you could go into a few classes and they could see how they work then that may help them see what a classroom looks like and what it will be like for them. And if they could even talk to some grade 9's who made the transition last year then that gives them a sense of what they may go through. But all in all grade 8's have changed and i hope them well in their transition.

Lions, Tigers and Zebras

'One zebra is weak, many are powerful', 'No one can live alone; it is not possible', 'When we come together we are powerful'
These are all statements made in the story about the zebra and i think these are very true and can be related to our own lives. When people want to make a difference they are not heard as much when they try by themselves. They need to get the support from others because people here, when many people speak. Government don't tend to listen to just one person but when you have numbers you are powerful and the government listens. Everyone needs someone in their life, no one can live alone. There are always times when you want someone by your side helping you through hard times. Everyone needs someone who they can turn to and trust. When our community comes together we are powerful, and it also lifts up others around us. Changes can be made when communities and people come together. When we are together then we can live a great life but when we are divided or split up then things will not go so well because no one can get along.

Kim, Mike and Brenda

I admire Kim's story the most because she was just a young girl wanting to make a difference in her world. She was just a normal child who decided to fight for something she felt strongly about. She made a petition against child labour and approached everyone to sign it, she went out and actually did something to fight against it rather than just realizing its happening she actually did something about it. She received 6 thousand signatures and it got recognized by the government. She created more awareness to others and hopefully they took action as well. This story i admired the most and it inspired me, if she can make a difference then i can to, and i shall hope to.

8 Secrets of Success

The 8 secrets to success described were: Serve, Passion, Work, Focus, Persist, Ideas, Good, Push. I after watching this clip really do believe these 8 things can help lead you to success. But success is what you make it. Success is more of a personal thing and for me i would say following these 8 secrets will help me to be successful. You got do all of these things in order to accomplish goals in life and to do what you want to do in your life. I do agree with this man and i think he has done a great job in doing this over a span of 7 years and 500 interviews, he has done some amazing work and has given people a guide to follow in order to be successful.

4 basic skills to become "more we"

Out of the four basic skills that can help us go from a me mentality to more of a we mentality, the one that to me is the most important in doing this is gratitude. Our society is so big on what we have or do is never good enough, we need more more more. This is the me mentality getting more for yourself because you can ad never feel you have enough. You need to take a step back and see what you really do have and how lucky you are than most people. You need to appreciate what you do have and see how much you have to offer. Then if you can have gratitude then maybe next time before you think of buying the newest version Ipod you can think and use that money somewhere else and help out others instead of yourself. This helps you go to more of a we mentality. Instead of buying something you may not need rather take that money and give it to others who can buy necessities of life. People must learn to appreciate what they have and are blessed with and be grateful for that.

Spring Clean Up

I unfourtunatly was unable to do spring clean up because I had volenteered to help out at Oxford's CLeW (some HOBY thing again). It enjoyed the day and i was a leader of one of the groups and i had alot of fun doing it.

Erin Gruwell

Erin teaches us so much in the movie Freedom Writers. Anyone can achieve anything if they have someone who cares for them and recognizes them and their potential. Just because someone comes from a rough life doesn't mean they are not going anywhere in life and have no potential. Usually the most of these people are in these situations because of the family they have grown up in, all they need is for someone to care for them and treat them with dignity and care for them and listen to their story. This is what Erin Gruwell did in this film. She went in to a class room of students who the school system has given up on and left to suffer. She went in and actually cared for these people and did not give up on them. Because of this she recognized their potential and in doing so the students themselves recognized their own potential. Erin was someone who they could turn to and talk to and not be afraid to approach. She gave hope to the students who everyone has labelled hopeless. Its a great example of someone who gave people who were down and out a chance and they took it and made good of it publishing a book. Amazing story of courage hope and respect

The Last Lecture

This speech is amazing and was very uplifting and inspiring to me. I cant believe his emotional well being knowing he only has a few months to live he is so inspiring seeing how happy he and what he is doing under his circumstances. His speech of life is amazing and all his points are very good and truly are a way to live by. It is amazing that he did not just pack up and wait for the day and be all depressed he went out and did an amazing thing with his last lecture and inspired so many people. Instead of just being down on himself he went out and inspired others and he probably didn't even know it. It was also very uplifting when he said he did this for his three children who will see it when they are older.. it was almost like his good bye to them and how he would want them to live their life to make him proud. I will make sure i watch the longer version of his last lecture. Very sad to see someone like this pass on.. he left a great message that has inspired many people on how to live their life. Follow your dreams anything is possible.

Mid Term

I feel i should get an 87 on midterm. I have done many leadership things so far. I have got involved with Me to We and mc'd the first ever IDCI Me to We assembly. I also did the Vow of Silence, and stayed silent for 24 whole hours...yes i did it! I have also signed up to start to tutor kids at our school. I have been involved in Me to We and Athletic council. I have gone through the process of choosing a HOBY leader and now am picking the CLeW people. I have also done the homework and blogs and other handout sheets

Mentor

One person who i think has really influenced me and my character development is my Uncle. He is an amazing guy and i love talking to him because he has so much advice and opinions and its great to hear him speak. He has always been there for me and i turn to him with some of my problems and he just has this way of making you feel better and helping you out of the problem. He's a miracle man. This has really influenced me and i want to be like him when i'm older and so tthat i can help out others and people can not be afraid to come to me and i can help them out. He has given advice and i listen to his advice and so because of that i feel he has helped my character and help get me to where i am now. He's a great guy.

Mingas

Mingas are like huge community gatherings where all members of the community get together to help out someone do something. These are where people put down everything for themselves and work together for the benefit of the community rather than tthemselves. I think these are great and it keeps a tight knit community where they do great things together. I think mingas are great and we as a small community i think it could be possible. I think many people would be very glad to help out in their community. Mingas would be a great idea for our small community and could really benefit our community and the people in it. It is possible to be done and would be great to see. One problem would be finding stuff for them to do. I think in a way we do have Mingas here in our town. When their is the garbage clean up day many people from our community come and pick up garbage along the Thames which is like a minga where people are helping out their community. So in a way we do have mingas but more is always better for our community.

Community Adventure

I felt that the community adventure I went on went very well. Many of the businesses seemed interested in the concept and wanted to help out. We didn't have many stores who didn't seem interested at all and i was glad because then their was no awkward silences. I felt it helped to get the word out in our community about what were doing and see if they can help us in any way to raise the remaining amount of money. I recieved money right up front from one of the businesses downtown which was suprising. I also have been informed another one of our businesses donated a large amount of money. I think this shows that the community is happy to help us out on our school project. I also hope some businesses will donate raffle prizes to help out at our overnight saving us some costs. I think this is great we are going outside our school to ask for help in any way. Its good relations with our school and our businesses. I think it went well and am sure to business will gladly open up and help out.

Me 2 We assembly

A-M-A-Z-I-N-G that's what i have to say about the Me to We assembly. I could go on for a very long time about the assembly and how well it went and how much it touched me and how it made me feel but i won't. I talked about it in the classroom and so i will just say a few things here. I think the speakers were amazing and made the assembly. They were not corny speakers they had a message and a point that they got across and i think it affected a lot of people because the gym was absolutely silent. They were awesome speakers and showed that we CAN make a difference and CAN help out these people. I was very touched by both the speakers and really wished they could have talked forever and not given them a time limit, because everyone was so interested and touched by there speech so why stop them. It was a very well done first Me to We assembly and i think our school is now up for the challenge of $10,000 after the speakers have talked. i think this assembly affected many people.

Suicide Awareness Play

The suicide awareness play was very well done. It was not a corny play i think they made it as real as they could as to real life. This helped the audience in seeing the signs of suicide and seeing what they may do differently if they saw a peer showing the signs. I liked the forum theatre play because it got you thinking what u may do differently than the way they treated Tristan in the first run through. It got me thinking and sometimes the signs are so sudle and well i really had troubles of what i may do differently its hard when the signs are so sudle. Its hard to see some of the signs, because unlike the audience we cannot see everything and all their relationships, which makes it hard to see that someone is suicidal, you only see yours and their relationship. This was a very well done, real life play that helped me see some of the signs if someone you know may be suicidal and some things that you can do to help. It also changed the stereotypes that some people have of suicidal people which helped show that anyone can be suicidal even if they have everything going for them, you have to be able to detect the signs.

Tim's Story

This story shows that it is possible for almost anyone to change. Tim was very selfish and only thought about himself but by the end with one little gesture to go show his art, it changed his life. He enjoyed all the freedom he had and didn't like when he saw the quadriplegic's who were limited in their freedom. He helped that out and for once put others before himself. He gave them a sense of freedom that they had never felt before. In the end he gets his own disability and learns the struggles and the quadriplegic's start helping him. He helped them so they helped him. Anyone can change their me mentality to a we mentality, sometimes it just takes a moment or event as in Tim's case. He would have no idea how good the quadriplegic's felt when they had that sense of freedom he gave them, but he saw it in them how much it affected them, for the better.

World Values Survey and happiness

I think this is very interesting that the top four countries that were the happiest, were not a developed country. This clearly shows that money can't buy happines. These people in these countries have very little and not many of the luxuries that we do but yet they are still happier than the developed countries who have a lot more. I think this is a very powerful survey that shows we clearly take what we have for granted and don't realize how lucky we are and how happy we should be of the life we live. It shows that you don't have to have all the newest and best things in order to be happy, you can be happy with very little. We get sad when the littlest things go wrong for us (laid off, economy, relatiochips, debt) but we don't take time to realize the life we live and what we have. The top four countries don't have all these luxeries but yet they are still happy...very powerful message. Money cannot but happiness. Interesting and powerful survey

Me Mentality

I feel this is very significant how only 10 percent stopped to help the poor man. It shows that in our society which keeps us constantly busy we tend to take the 'Me' mentality and only think of ourselves. We turned a blind eye to the people suffering and only think of the benefits for ourselves. We are so rushed and don't stop to take a minute out of our life to help someone who is less fortunate than us. I think it is very interesting that only 10 percent stopped considering the speech they were giving. These people are suppose to be leading by example to support their speech. It defeats the purpose of giving the speech and not backing it up with actions. It also shows that the 'me' mentality is shown by everyone and not just the slefish people. Very interesting and i give credit to those 10 percent who were willing to be even more late in order to help someone.

Leadership Quote

Real leaders are ordinary people, with extraordinary determinations”
- John Seaman Garns

I think this quote is for me because it says that leaders are just ordinary people but they have big determinations and goals and because they are more determined than others they are the leaders because they get it done. I am just an ordinary guy whi lives a life like many other people but i have huge dreams and am very determined to accomplish them. Some people will wish of these things but i plan to actually do them and accomplish my goals myself instead of just wishing. Theirs a difference between wishing and actually doing.
These ordinary people who have extraordinary determination are the ones who actually do it and are the leaders because they are not scared to do it. I feel this is me because i'm an ordinary boy but who has huge determinations to do big things for the betterment of our world.

Keith's Story

This was a pretty neat story. I think it is great how he sacrificed his own things when he himself barely had anything in order to help others. Me to We for sure. I think its great that he followed his dreams and had accomplished all three of them in the end. I couldn't imagine the satisfaction he gets now every time he helps someone out because he knows exactly how they feel and how much it means to them. with the situation they are in. Its great to see him putting others in front of himself. Very good story.. Me to We clearly shown for sure

What Kind of Legacy do I Want to Leave?

Hmmm.. I really want to leave a big legacy behind me because I have big dreams for myself and hope to do big things in my life. I wish to be known by the world for my courage and desire to make this world a better place for everyone. I want people to know me in the future when everyone is treated equally, that i was the one who fought hard for equality in our world. I want to show people anything is possible and you can achieve anything you set your mind to. Most of all, i want to show hope, passion, and strength can take you a long way.

Best Thing about IDCI

I think the best thing about IDCI are the events and activities that go on throughout the year. Not many schools still have the amount of dances we do and other fun activities we do such as Idols, Car-B-Que, Outdoor Assembly etc. I enjoy these activities and look forward to them each year. I think this brings life to our school and allows the students to get away from school work for a bit. These activities are fun and enjoyable and I hope they continue because they are what makes IDCI, IDCI.

Marc's Story

I found his story to be very interesting. He has lived a crazy life and has done many neat things with his life. I though it was cool he was a page in the House of Commons and got to go to Thailand to help the people there. I think he raises a good point about we are really only truly affected when we witness it ourselves, and when we do it is what changes us and really makes us think of what we got and the life we live. I also think it was truly brave and passionate of Marc to turn down a high paying job right out of university and to purse something that was his passionate about. I think this shows how great of a person he is. He is a great guy who has lived a interesting life and has turned it into something so successful and is following his passion of helping others. I wish i was able to meet Marc.

Whale Rider

I thought that the movie 'whale rider' was very well put together movie. The movie started off very slow but the ending is really well done. I think this movie was very interesting and had strong messages behind it. I think they did a good job at having a movie on another culture that has a different culture and believes than we do and i think they did a good job at it without putting down or making fun of the culture. I think it was a great movie for women's rights. It showed women are cable of things that only men originally did. It shows women should be treated as equally as men are and they can accomplish the same tasks. It also shows determination, to never give up on your dreams no matter what obstacles you face. if you face the obstacles and overcome them anything is possible. I felt the characters were interesting and i really enjoyed the movie

Oak Island Theory!

Oak island has many different mysteries of what is at the bottom of the money pit. Some opinions are crazy others have been supported well with evidence and theories. But what do I think is at the bottom of this trap filled pit you ask.
After reading the article I lead to believe that whatever it is at the bottom of the pit is very important and I think it will change and affect all of us, an Apocalypse. Now what could it be that could change everything? Well, I have narrowed all the possibilities in my mind down to one of three possibilities into what is at the bottom of the pit.
First, there may be a large lump sum of money that will make the finder of it very very wealthy. It may be hidden in chests by pirates who didn't want anyone to find it. I believe it is a large sum because pirates are known to be lazy so for them to go through all this effort and ingenuity would make me believe that it was a large sum they didn't want anyone to find.
Secondly, It could be The Holy Grail that was hidden and was not inteded on beig found. This would be an asstonishing discovery and would affect a lot of people.
Lastly, it could be the proof that Shakespeare did not write all the plays that he took credit for. This would change everything and shock the world and english teachers and education would never be the same again. This proof is very important and would be worth going through the time and efforts in order to hide it so well.

Nelson Mandela

1st- He showed great determination and overcame so many obstacles that were put in front of him. He overcame them all and never gave up. He showed that it may take a while for your dream to come true. Its a journey and he overcame all the obstacles that were intended to stop his dream. True leaders have determination and once started they must finish it.

2nd- True leaders have a dream and they fight for that dream. Nelson Mandela had a huge dream and he fought for that dream with his life because he believed and never gave up. He didn't let others discourage him. He had a dream in mind of his country and people being free, and he gave everything up just to achieve that dream. Because of this he has changed the world and shown you can achieve your goals.

3rd- He was honest and true to himself. He didn't care what others thought and didn't let their beliefs discourage his. He was put in jail for his beliefs but a true leader who truly beliefs in their goals stays true to themselves and he didn't change his outlook and got out of jail and became the President of South Africa and made his dream come true.

4th- He also showed that one person really can make a difference in our world and that anything is possible. Many people think that you have to be a big group to actually change something but Mandela showed all it takes is one person and a dream they truly believe in. That gives us as leaders inspiration. At least it does to me. One person really can make a difference.

5th- Finally, Nelson Mandela showed us passion, strength and hope. He dreamed of change and went through so much because he believed so strongly. These are three very important things that leaders must have.

Nelson Mandela is a true leader who has inspired so many people by his dream and story. And he has definatly impacted my life.

Spring Clean-up Day

I think the Spring Clean-Up day would be a great activity for the leadership class. I think it would be fun and would be a great way to raise proceeds towards Me to We. I feel that people will be open to this idea and would be willing to do the work. I think I could find some people who could need some help and I would love to give them help. This is a great idea and should be an activity we do this semester. Its a great way to get involved in our community.

Me and Leadership

I took this leadership course because well I plan to lead. I really want to have an impact on this school and help out at different activities and think of new ideas and help others. I want to lead so that others will be inspired and will want to lead also. Think if he can do it then why can't I.
I plan to peer tutor students at our school in math and science since those are the courses I am strong in. I think not only will the student get something out of it so will I knowing i helped this student out and helped them pass the course and get a credit. I will be helping others (Me to We).
I also, since IDCidols got cancelled i plan to MC other assemblies that we may have in the remainder of the year. This will help me with public speaking as well with coming out of my shell even more and helping me talk in front of big crowds. I also have a lot of fun doing it.
I really would like to help out with activities involving Me to We. This will be fun and also meaningful and i feel i would get a lot of of Me to We. I think its a great cause and would love to be apart of it.
I think a school wide Easter egg hunt would be a fun activity which could appeal to everyone in the school not just a specific group. This would be fun and i would love to be the one who organizes it.

The Roseto Mystery

I think the Roseto mystery is a big mystery indeed. I felt this was a very interesting story and made me really think of our community. I think there is a good point and interesting message behind this mystery. The fact of a tight knit community adding approximately 30 years to your life is pretty amazing. This can be explained because of the co-operation in the community. To get one task done they all work together as a unit and are much more efficient than others who work as individuals. This can give them better health because they are doing less by themselves and not stressing out or doing something they should be by themselves.
As well, their feelings are probably a lot more positive and happier than most others are in the world. This is because the are apart of a group and no one is an outsider. Also, i would assume that there is no arguing or fighting within the community. I think this because that would bring more stress. Stress is bad for your health and won't help them live longer. That's why i feel these people are much more happier, and being apart of a 'group' can make anyone happy. Happiness is good for you health (actually proven) and may be a factor in why they live much longer.
When they took people out of the community and put them in another culture they say over generations the life span slowly deflated. This is very interesting and adds to the fact of the community. What I would think would be neat to see would be to add a family into the community from another culture and see if over generations the life span grew.
I think this shows how much we lack in a tight knit community. Nobody is very close to others anymore. Its almost like we lack in trust in the people around us. Our cultures can't always get along with each other and fight and we are always rocked with devastating news so we are scared to get to know anyone anymore like we're scared of what may happen. We always here bad news and it is what rules our media. All the bad things that have happened in our world (murders, economy, wars). We are all so unstable now and don't know what will happen next. This has affected our communities and people act a lot different and are a lot more cautious. This adds stress and we are on average less happier.
Now the reasoning of how this increases or decreases our life expectancy is truly a mystery. Very interesting concept.

Leadership Activity

This week we have done many weird, fun and awkward activities. I feel that the best activity we did this week was the Canadian Flag activity with our hands. This was a great activity to do and it brought a group of different people coming from different groups combined into one to work as a team and build a Canadian Flag out of hands. This was neat to see because with my group there was no real distinct leader we all cooperated and really gave our self tasks to do, no one was sitting around doing nothing and no one was giving orders. It worked quite well, some people were tracing hands, others were cutting and others were taping. It was very neat to see and I felt really comfortable in this situation and I found it to go very smoothly. We were all giving ideas and they were all accepted by others none ones idea was shot down. This activity I thought got me out of my shell in this class and a little more comfortable. This activity was a great show of leadership and cooperation between a bunch of individuals into one group. And the the end product I must say was pretty sweet.

IDC

I agree with Ken Robinson's point where schools are taking creativity out of students. Teachers focus so much on textbook work and the knowledge part and everything is so structured in our system. When students get projects they are given an outline of what to do, this puts limits and restrictions on the project which the students must follow to get a good grade which takes away from any creativity. Students can't be creative when they are given an outline they must follow. Not all students are able to strive in this type of system and because they can't strive they are labelled as having a 'learning disability', but its not their disability in a way its the system that doesn't have the proper system for these students to strive in. Not everyone is all for the textbook work and they struggle and learn in different ways and if these needs aren't met then they struggle. I feel the thing that made me think the most about the talk he gave was that we are all born creative and we are grown out of it. I think that is a very strong statement and he backed it up with the examples of little kids being creative and not afraid to be wrong. When these kids go through the school system there creativity is taken away by outlines and structed textbook work. This takes away there creativity which they once had. I think this is a good argument that needs to be looked at seriously and changes need to be made in our system to allow creativity in our students.

Blogs

See leadership blog

GPP

This semester, in this leadership class I would like to get involved and help out with Me to We. I think it is a great thing to do in our school and its a great way to help out people that are less fortunate than us and it gets the students in a giving/helping mood. I would like to help out at different activities around the school to fund raise for Me to We. Personally I feel Me to We is exactly for me because I have always wanted to make a difference and help out the people in a third world country. I am currently raising money to go on a trip to Africa the summer after I am done school next year. I along with the help from friends and neighbours raise money from pop cans to fund raise to be able to have enough money to build a well in the area I visit. This is why I feel Me to We is the right thing for me and it is what i have always wanted to do. So my goal for this semester is to get more involved and help out with Me to We.

Blogs

I have never blogged before... I have heard of them and I know some people who have them but it has never interested me into blogging. Now i will start!