Writing Portfolio
This I Believe
This assignment is a personal essay we wrote. We focused on a particular belief, how/why we can to that belief, and how it has changed you. We started out with a problem we faced or have seen others face and then how this belief has changed that problem, along with stating an anecdote for the problem. It was a powerful and very reflective project.
We also created six words to describe our essays. This is my six words:
Won't find it there, I promise.
We also created six words to describe our essays. This is my six words:
Won't find it there, I promise.
Here below is my This I Believe Essay:
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If you are unable to view the document above here is the link to my This I Believe.
This I Believe Reflection:
This I Believe Reflection:
- What was the purpose of the writing assignment? I really think that it is a time for us to think about what we actually believe. We have many influences around us and all these voices and then we have what we actually believe and then we have what we actually live out. Those can all be different things. I think this was a time to be reflectively and to come back to living what we believe, though it can be a struggle in our society. This assignment was also an opportunity for us to speak out our belief(s). Many times this can be a scary and intimidating thing for us to do. This assignment created a safe place for us to be real and vulnerable with each other. Much of what we had to say we want others to hear and listen to and people need to hear what we have to say. There was this sense of encouragement in this project- having people know what does and doesn't define them, advice and corrected misconceptions. I think that everyone hearing what others had to say really benefitted everyone for the better.
- What did you write about and why? Summarize your belief. In my This I Believe, I shared my thoughts about how people find fulfillment. Society and media has shoved down our throat that the only way to find true happiness and fulfillment in life is through a romantic love with much physical affection and attention as well. I don't believe this to be true. Romantic "true love" isn't the answer, that's not all there is to life. Human love can fail you, sorry, even if you are in love. People aren't perfect. But there is a love that is true and perfect and doesn't fail: I believe that that is Jesus Christ's love that He has shown us. His love is all we need, it won't ever change. It is truly enough for us, it is the real "true love". We earn to be loved and fully accepted and to be saved by someone and for them to define our worth. Jesus does that. He has saved us by dying for us and that is how we know that He truly loves us!
- What writing skills (and ideas) did you improve during the revision process (hint: look at your comments and rubric)? I improved and learned more about how to not repeat myself and go on and on. Many times I can think that I need to draw a concept out really long and write a lot for it to have quality. I realized that my writing will have more quality if I keep it short and hold people's attention better. It definitely helps to not repeat what I am saying over and over again, I don't want people to be bored with my writing.
Changemakers
BRIEF OVERVIEW OF PROJECT:
We have embarked on a new project. As a team, we reflected on something we want to change in our world and partnered with a local nonprofit who's mission is to make that change.
PROCESS:
The Main Question:
We first asked ourselves what is something we want to change in our world today? I answered that question with this:
"I think that the right to not be judged, but to be accepted for who you are, not our past or what you've done or are doing is worth fighting for. Also, not being defined by society's standards is really important to me as well."
But I realized that there's really nonprofit with that mission, or not one that I have heard of. So I tweaked my answer a little:
"Art is a huge passion of me, my biggest hobby. Working with kids is another thing that I really enjoy doing. I wanted to combine the two passions of art and children into volunteering at places where children come to participate in doing art. I want kids to never lose their creativity or imagination that is so easy stifled and suffocated in this world today."
Find a Nonprofit:
With this idea in mind, I set out to find a nonprofit with this mission. What we would do with our nonprofit is organize an interview with a representative of the nonprofit. We would schedule a time to volunteer at the organization, if it was possible. Lastly we would brainstorm with the representative we had coordinated with about an "action plan". What this was was taking all the information we had gathered and the experiences we had at the nonprofit and gain and understanding for how we as an individual or group could help support the nonprofit. That may mean that we needed to raise awareness or have a drive for them or help them with whatever they needed.
I found several nonprofits that I could possibly work with. I started contacting them. The one I finally decided to partner with was one called "North County Lifeline". I really wanted to work with them because I really love Lifeline’s mission about helping the community. It isn’t exactly about art, really, its about building and mending relationships and strengthening individuals. I think that if I volunteer there it will be bigger than just helping a kid glue on feathers to a piece of paper. It will be creating relationships, it will be having the kids look up to you and showing the kids love. Lifeline serve all different individuals, with different needs at different ages, individuals or families. They really want to take those who are broken and give them hope.
Conduct Interview and Volunteer:
I began the process of contacting Lifeline. I had a connection through my dad with them which helped. I was able to schedule a time to interview the volunteer coordinator. I also emailed the coordinator about volunteering at Lifeline's Art Center. The coordinator, Melissa, told me that for me volunteer I would need commit for a certain amount of time, that it wouldn't just be a "one time deal." After giving it some thought and discussion, I decided that I would go for it and commit to volunteering twice a week.
The interview that I conducted with Melissa went very well. I got a lot of really helpful and useful information. She told me stories of the lives of some of the students in the after school art center program. We walked around her office building and she pointed out paintings to me of different kids' artwork. It was really incredible to see, there was so many amazing works of talented artists. We also discussed the action plan and brainstormed about the future of what we could do for it. Melissa had some ideas, including me helping with spreading awareness and raising funds (Lifeline is supported mainly by large private donations). We came up with three different ideas:
1.) Our teacher organized an opportunity to have a booth at a farmers market. Melissa and I liked that idea of having a booth with information about Lifeline and spread awareness that way. We also thought that it would be really cool to display and sell some of the work created by the students in the program.
2.) Melissa had the idea of a group of artistic students from my school share a skill they had acquired and teach the students at the center a certain skill.
3.) Melissa stated that there is currently a Parent Reading Night occurring at the center, where parents come and read with their children. Melissa had the thought that why not do that but with art, and have an exhibition of the students' work for the parents.
Action Plan:
The next step in the process was to figure out exactly what we would do for the action plan and figure out when exactly I could volunteer. I had decided that it would be best to implement ideas 1 and 3. Melissa and I continually emailed back and forth about meeting again to discuss the final action plan and what time I would volunteer. It was very difficult to find a time that worked for both of us to meet and to volunteer. Many times we got very close to figuring out a time.
Unfortunately, we were never able to meet again to discuss the action plan and I wasn't able to volunteer either. I found time in my schedule, but a personal issue came up for her and wasn't able to meet with me. We continually tried to find time but it never worked out. This was frustrating and disappointing for me that this feel through. It was hard for me to accept. My grade was also dependent on this coming through as well.
However, I did have a backup plan: I decided to create a painting symbolizing Lifeline and the art program. I created a painting depicting two actual hearts that are placed to form one heart shape. Those hearts are broken and have wounds and chains on it. This represents the lives and hearts of those youth that are apart of the Lifeline art center. There’s a lot of hard things that they are going through and have dealt with. Then on the top of the painting, art supplies and paint is flowing into the heart. The chains are being broken, the guns and knives are falling from the hearting. This is showing how the art heals and restores the youth’s hearts.
I am very pleased with how the painting turned out. I think it really expresses Lifeline well and came out how I wanted it to. I presented this painting to the Christian Club I co-lead at my school. I shared what it meant and what Lifeline does. We also got to pray for the kids involved in the program.
REFLECTION:
Unfortunately, this project did not go how I wanted or planned it to go. I had a very difficult time communicating and organizing a time with my contact to volunteer and to find time to finalize the action plan and plan everything out for it. There were some issues that came up that prevented us from meeting again and that was difficult to be flexible with. I was not able to complete any of the action plan that I had planned on. This was a good learning experience for me to deal with and to adjust to.
I did have a plan B that I came up with. I presented the painting to a Christian club that I lead at lunch. I explained the meaning to them and we prayed for the youth at the program. I think that it really did mean something to those who were are the meeting. I think that I could’ve given a longer and more in depth presentation. The time that I chose to share was not ideal, but it was something and I had to go with it. I would have loved to have been able to volunteer and present at the farmers market like I planned for the action plan.
But I had to roll with what I was given and make the best out of it. I am proud of what I have and what I did and learned from it. It will definitely impact my future and I will take all that I learned with me. And who knows, maybe a part of the plan will happen someday.
We have embarked on a new project. As a team, we reflected on something we want to change in our world and partnered with a local nonprofit who's mission is to make that change.
PROCESS:
The Main Question:
We first asked ourselves what is something we want to change in our world today? I answered that question with this:
"I think that the right to not be judged, but to be accepted for who you are, not our past or what you've done or are doing is worth fighting for. Also, not being defined by society's standards is really important to me as well."
But I realized that there's really nonprofit with that mission, or not one that I have heard of. So I tweaked my answer a little:
"Art is a huge passion of me, my biggest hobby. Working with kids is another thing that I really enjoy doing. I wanted to combine the two passions of art and children into volunteering at places where children come to participate in doing art. I want kids to never lose their creativity or imagination that is so easy stifled and suffocated in this world today."
Find a Nonprofit:
With this idea in mind, I set out to find a nonprofit with this mission. What we would do with our nonprofit is organize an interview with a representative of the nonprofit. We would schedule a time to volunteer at the organization, if it was possible. Lastly we would brainstorm with the representative we had coordinated with about an "action plan". What this was was taking all the information we had gathered and the experiences we had at the nonprofit and gain and understanding for how we as an individual or group could help support the nonprofit. That may mean that we needed to raise awareness or have a drive for them or help them with whatever they needed.
I found several nonprofits that I could possibly work with. I started contacting them. The one I finally decided to partner with was one called "North County Lifeline". I really wanted to work with them because I really love Lifeline’s mission about helping the community. It isn’t exactly about art, really, its about building and mending relationships and strengthening individuals. I think that if I volunteer there it will be bigger than just helping a kid glue on feathers to a piece of paper. It will be creating relationships, it will be having the kids look up to you and showing the kids love. Lifeline serve all different individuals, with different needs at different ages, individuals or families. They really want to take those who are broken and give them hope.
Conduct Interview and Volunteer:
I began the process of contacting Lifeline. I had a connection through my dad with them which helped. I was able to schedule a time to interview the volunteer coordinator. I also emailed the coordinator about volunteering at Lifeline's Art Center. The coordinator, Melissa, told me that for me volunteer I would need commit for a certain amount of time, that it wouldn't just be a "one time deal." After giving it some thought and discussion, I decided that I would go for it and commit to volunteering twice a week.
The interview that I conducted with Melissa went very well. I got a lot of really helpful and useful information. She told me stories of the lives of some of the students in the after school art center program. We walked around her office building and she pointed out paintings to me of different kids' artwork. It was really incredible to see, there was so many amazing works of talented artists. We also discussed the action plan and brainstormed about the future of what we could do for it. Melissa had some ideas, including me helping with spreading awareness and raising funds (Lifeline is supported mainly by large private donations). We came up with three different ideas:
1.) Our teacher organized an opportunity to have a booth at a farmers market. Melissa and I liked that idea of having a booth with information about Lifeline and spread awareness that way. We also thought that it would be really cool to display and sell some of the work created by the students in the program.
2.) Melissa had the idea of a group of artistic students from my school share a skill they had acquired and teach the students at the center a certain skill.
3.) Melissa stated that there is currently a Parent Reading Night occurring at the center, where parents come and read with their children. Melissa had the thought that why not do that but with art, and have an exhibition of the students' work for the parents.
Action Plan:
The next step in the process was to figure out exactly what we would do for the action plan and figure out when exactly I could volunteer. I had decided that it would be best to implement ideas 1 and 3. Melissa and I continually emailed back and forth about meeting again to discuss the final action plan and what time I would volunteer. It was very difficult to find a time that worked for both of us to meet and to volunteer. Many times we got very close to figuring out a time.
Unfortunately, we were never able to meet again to discuss the action plan and I wasn't able to volunteer either. I found time in my schedule, but a personal issue came up for her and wasn't able to meet with me. We continually tried to find time but it never worked out. This was frustrating and disappointing for me that this feel through. It was hard for me to accept. My grade was also dependent on this coming through as well.
However, I did have a backup plan: I decided to create a painting symbolizing Lifeline and the art program. I created a painting depicting two actual hearts that are placed to form one heart shape. Those hearts are broken and have wounds and chains on it. This represents the lives and hearts of those youth that are apart of the Lifeline art center. There’s a lot of hard things that they are going through and have dealt with. Then on the top of the painting, art supplies and paint is flowing into the heart. The chains are being broken, the guns and knives are falling from the hearting. This is showing how the art heals and restores the youth’s hearts.
I am very pleased with how the painting turned out. I think it really expresses Lifeline well and came out how I wanted it to. I presented this painting to the Christian Club I co-lead at my school. I shared what it meant and what Lifeline does. We also got to pray for the kids involved in the program.
REFLECTION:
Unfortunately, this project did not go how I wanted or planned it to go. I had a very difficult time communicating and organizing a time with my contact to volunteer and to find time to finalize the action plan and plan everything out for it. There were some issues that came up that prevented us from meeting again and that was difficult to be flexible with. I was not able to complete any of the action plan that I had planned on. This was a good learning experience for me to deal with and to adjust to.
I did have a plan B that I came up with. I presented the painting to a Christian club that I lead at lunch. I explained the meaning to them and we prayed for the youth at the program. I think that it really did mean something to those who were are the meeting. I think that I could’ve given a longer and more in depth presentation. The time that I chose to share was not ideal, but it was something and I had to go with it. I would have loved to have been able to volunteer and present at the farmers market like I planned for the action plan.
But I had to roll with what I was given and make the best out of it. I am proud of what I have and what I did and learned from it. It will definitely impact my future and I will take all that I learned with me. And who knows, maybe a part of the plan will happen someday.