Education

Submitted by acstelling on Thu, 02/09/2012 - 04:04

the problem:

Food Forward attacks issues of joblessness and nutrition-related health problems. Knowing how to cook directly affects long-term eating habits. 28% of adults do not know how to cook (Huffington Post), while US obesity will increase to 50%, 7,800,000 more people will have diabetes, and 6,800,000 more will have heart disease by 2030 (Columbia University). Additionally, USA has 8.5% unemployment, but a booming food and service industry:~8,000,000 jobs with projected increase through 2018 (USBL).

vital stats:

people impacted:

people involved:

why it's important:

Vocational. Personal. Communal. Food Forward will partner with non-profits which work with specific populations (i.e. homeless, disadvantaged youth, young adults) to develop courses which cater to needs identified by the organizations. Students will gain skills to pursue personal and professional goals both in and outside of the kitchen. The programs also include a “Pay it Forward” initiative to empower participants to positively affect the local food system and teach others how to cook.

the plan of action:

Food Forward’s courses equip students with practical cooking and food business skills as well as a working knowledge of current food system issues pertaining to justice, the local economy, health, and the environment. I myself boast no expertise in working with specific populations, but I have proven myself as an organizer and advocate. I am confident in my ability to forge partnerships with existing non-profits in order to develop programs that effectively address the specific needs and desires of each student population. Food Forward also includes an apprenticeship program, whereby local chefs and producers give students hands-on opportunities equipping them for work in restaurants and artisanal production. This collaboration also provides students a “foot in the door” of the local food industry. The “Pay it Forward” initiative will train students to start their own community cooking groups to teach others basic cooking skills and garner awareness about food system issues.

how you can get involved:

n/a

project updates:

Submitted by nayirikh27 on Thu, 02/09/2012 - 02:09

the problem:

www.bookfairydonations.com

The number of orphans worldwide increases by the second. In 2004 14 million children were orphans worldwide in 93 developing countries. These children live in orphanages with not only insufficient amounts of necessities, but no books to educate them.
The communities I help are developing countries worldwide like Armenia, Africa, Tijuana, Peru, China, Jamaica, Haiti, Russia, Trinidad, Phillippines, and India.

vital stats:

people impacted:

475

people involved:

why it's important:

Some people may argue that this issue does not impact my life directly; however it affects me as a teenager, privileged enough to have everyday necessities plus a vast amount of books to pick and choose from. It becomes my responsibility to help plant the seed of education for these children who have no family. By donating these reading books to these children we show them affection and shower them with love and a chance to improve their reading, writing, and education.

the plan of action:

In order for my project to succeed, I have begun by collecting the books. I collected books from my family, my neighbors, the organizations I volunteer for, and my school friends. I have also gotten permission from my principal and went class to class at my high school, passed out flyers, spoken about my drive, and created a competition that whichever class brings the most books gets rewarded with cookies and brownies. Also, on March 16, 2012 I am hosting a book drive at my High School, Ferrahian Holy Martyrs. Up to this date I have collected 486 books, 100 of which I have sent to an orphanage in Uganda. I have also been continuously meeting with the collector and fundraising coordinator for the Society For Orphaned Armenians Relief, so that we can do a joint fundraiser and I can ship the books with a sea container.

how you can get involved:

Others can help by donating any reading books (children's books, teens, and high school level books) they have at home. Even one book could make a difference; Imagine 1000 people donate one book each, we could change 1000 children's lives. Now imagine 1000 people donate 10 books each... the impact is incredible.
These books don't need to be new, they can even be used, as long as they are not torn or in a horrible condition.

project updates:

1 comment

Submitted by Stephd20 on Wed, 02/08/2012 - 23:30

the problem:

young adults who struggle with choosing an major for college that they feel will benefit them most in the future.

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people impacted:

people involved:

why it's important:

i'm an young adult and i know how hard it is choosing your right major and wanting to make an career out of it.

the plan of action:

i've seen more people feel comfortable in choosing their majors rather than jumping into one they will not want in the future.

how you can get involved:

n/a

project updates:

1 comment

Submitted by Janus on Wed, 02/08/2012 - 20:47

the problem:

We're trying to solve the problem of educational inequality caused by economic disparities and poor educational facilities. We hope to bridge this educational gap between rich and poor by offering free tutoring to all disadvantaged students in our community.

vital stats:

people impacted:

people involved:

why it's important:

It's important for both personal and philosophical reasons. I was unable to acquire English tutoring at an early age which prevented me from catching up with my classmates when I first moved to the US. As a result, I believe that pro bono tutoring would be crucial to address the income and educational gap here in the States.

the plan of action:

I intend on tutoring at a number of different locations throughout the city such as the public library and even at the various schools. I plan on networking with other educational institutions and organizations here in the city in order to attract more support.

how you can get involved:

Others can help by spreading the word and volunteering to tutor students if they have the necessary time and training.

project updates:

Submitted by iloveu4u on Wed, 02/08/2012 - 14:40

Check out our videos!

the problem:

The students involved in Unified for UNIFAT have made it their mission to support the children at UNIFAT School in Northern Uganda, some of which were former child soldiers and sex slaves. As a student run organization, we believe that it is of utmost importance to provide opportunities for those involved to learn as much as they can about the daily lives of the children that we support, and why we choose to be involved with this particular school in northern Uganda.

vital stats:

people impacted:

200

people involved:

240

why it's important:

Unified for UNIFAT is planning a small scale version of the Amazing Race, which is an awareness raising event around the Cincinnati area. The event will be held on March 17th and will take place at five different high schools, all of which have U4U chapters. The sole purpose of the Amazing Race is to raise awareness about our organization and teach participants about how the students of UNIFAT live on a day to day basis. There will be four stops along the race and each of these stops will challenge participants to complete a task similar to chores and activities that the children of Uganda do every day.

the plan of action:

Forty-five high schoool student leaders throughout the greater Cincinnati Area have banded together to create twelve different committees to plan and execute our Amazing Race. We have been working collectively for 5 months on the planning and have included several area businesses and high schools in the process.
Below is a list of all of the committees and their descriptions:

Registration and Check In
Before the event, this team is in charge of making sure that all chapters have access to the registrations and processing the registrations as we receive them, On the day of the event, this team will work the front tables to sign in all of our participants, give each participant and index card with their name and a classroom number on it, and make sure that everyone gets a shirt and a bandanna.

Environment Committee
We are starting and ending our event at Moeller High School, and the last time I looked, it wasn’t the most aesthetically pleasing building ever made!! We need to set the tone!! This team requires both creative people, techies, and furniture movers! No need to decorate the gym, but we need welcoming stuff at the front entrance of the school, welcoming posters/banners in the front lobby at check in, posters and pictures in the classroom hallway, and pictures and posters in the classrooms. We are going to take pictures of each team as they finish the race and we need a backdrop for these pics. Connie has tons of poster and large prints that you can use, but new ones need to be created specifically for this event. Then we also need to deck out the AC. Think iDance décor… in this space it is go big or go home… the Environment team is also responsible for making sure that all of the AV equipment is in place in the gym and in the AC, and that all necessary tables and chairs are in the AC for the mixer/concert.

Introduction and Education
Once student check in and get their t-shirts and bandannas, they will be directed to the gym. While in the gym, they will watch a video that welcomes them to the event. After that, they will head to classrooms for education. We will be using 12 classrooms with 3 AR teams in each classroom. On 12 tables in the classroom will be a blank sheet of paper and a pencil, but the participants will not be told what to do with it. Committee members will be the teachers in these rooms, educating the kids in the race about who we are (U4U), about our mission, our initiatives, how many kids we support, why the kids are in the situation they are in, and a few culture things, like language, handshakes. This is a 20 – 25 minute lesson. Over the PA everyone will be given a 5 minute warning when time is almost up. In the last 5 minutes, participants will receive an index card with their name, a color and a number and not told what it is for (this will lead them to their vehicle later) Then when 25 minutes is up, an announcement will come on over the PA telling everyone to go back to the gym.

Amazing Race Stops
Let the race begin!! At 5pm everyone heads out the door. There will be four stops on the race. Teams are to travel to each stop, perform the task up to a certain standard, and make it back to Moeller High School first to win the prize. At each stop, teams will watch a video shot and edited in Uganda that will teach them a little about the topic of the stop, how this activity affects the children that we support, and what they need to do to complete the task….all explained to them by kids in our program!!! Each stop needs 13 stations set up ready to go. Each stop should take the participants about 20 – 30 minutes to complete. Keep those two things in mind as you are planning.

Photography
These two people are exclusively at Moeller to take pix at the concert and during the educational piece. As teams cross the finish line, the photographers will stand them in front of the AR backdrop and take a team picture. They are responsible for getting their own digital pics as well as the pics that are brought in at the last minute from the AR Stops downloaded onto the computers in the AC to be projected as a rolling slide show during the mixer/concert.

Business Committee
To be on this committee, you need to have a good business sense, be comfortable working with adults and company managers, be able to write a business letter and make follow up phone calls for donations, and want to learn how to write a grant. This is the committee that will be:
• calling our insurance company and getting event insurance quotes
• Writing the Mayerson Grant, Moeller’s YPC Grant, and the Do Something grant to pay for the expenses of the event
• Talking to Skyline, Graeter’s, Dewey’s Pizza, etc to get venders/food to sell at the concert/mixer
• Talking with local gas stations to get gas cards for the drivers.
• Talking with all sorts of local fun places (movie theatres, malls, restaurants, best buy, etc) to get gift cards for the winning teams.
• Making sure that the registrations are processed, that we have signed waivers for each participant, that we have all of the information that we need on the registration forms, and sending follow up emails to participants to…
o Let them know that they are registered (this happens as registrations come in)
o Let them know that the event is coming and they need to bring… (this happens about 5 days before the event)
• collecting mailing addresses for anyone who helps with a YES! including all businesses, chaperones, and teachers.
• Meeting with our attorney to write up a waiver for the drivers, get the drivers to sign the waiver and make sure that we have all signed waivers on file.

Transportation Commmittee
This committee is in charge of recruiting our drivers (we need 36), training them, get them funding for gas, decorating their cars, making sure that the first clue, the rules, and 5 bottles of water are in each car, and making sure that the drivers receive a liability waiver so that they don’t try to sue anyone if they wreck. Regarding the route, drivers will be fully aware of what is supposed to happen, but they are not allowed to help in any way. They will be given directions, both on a map and in writing about the path from stop to stop, but if the team wants them to go somewhere that is not on the map, the driver must do that.

Branding
When putting on a city wide event, branding is super important! We need to have a logo for the event and everything we put out regarding the race must have the logo on it. That includes all of the clues, the registration, the website page, the facebook page, the tee shirts, the advertising posters, the legal paper work and waivers, and any other papers described in this monster committee description document.
- Amazing race posters are being created by a marketing class at Moeller. We may get our logo from them…
- We must have a logo AS SOON AS POSSIBLE but definitely before the end of October!!!
- Four different race routes means four different colors for the clues. This team decides on the colors of the logo as well as the colors of the 4 different races.
- T-shirts are one color combo for the participants and the reverse colors for the planning team.
- Logo and colors for the event must be designed and pick out before the end of this month.

how you can get involved:

We would love for teams to register from outside of Cincinnati! Also, we would be happy to chat with anyone who is interested in starting a chapter at their school so that u4u can grow and the students at UNIFAT School can continue to be supported!

project updates:

videos:

Submitted by T3hR3dQu33nB on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 21:51

the problem:

Create a resource that currently enrolled students of CSN can access in order to obtain a specific course's syllabus prior to course registration.

vital stats:

people impacted:

people involved:

why it's important:

Higher education involves the continued investment in ever-rising credit costs. As students who are committed to completion of a degree, we know all too well the heavy financial burden placed upon us. So why should we have to invest blindly? We deserve the right to the information contained within a prospective course's syllabus BEFORE we make a financial commitment to that course by way of registration.

the plan of action:

According to the bylaws of CSN, the administration office must collect and maintain the syllabi for available courses for the extent of one year's time. All instructors must file a syllabus for their scheduled courses and must renew their individual syllabi after one year. Through the collective efforts of the administration office, instructors, and the Free Culture Collective, we hope to allow students access to all course syllabi for the previous and concurrent semesters.

how you can get involved:

Get the word out and ask your instructors to get involved!

project updates:

Submitted by hcs12345 on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 20:49

the problem:

Lack of health in our schools

vital stats:

people impacted:

people involved:

why it's important:

that kids should get active for 60 min everyday

the plan of action:

making excersize fun

how you can get involved:

volunteer time and reasources

project updates:

Submitted by ischooladvocate on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 16:09

Check out our videos!

the problem:

A recent report by the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) ranks the United States 17th in reading, 23rd in science, and 31st in math, far behind the rest of the developed nations.

Our current education system...
-is not preparing today’s students for tomorrows world.
-is built on an outdated and antiquated model.
-uses pedagogy that has not changed since its inception.
-is devoid of brain base learning techniques.
-fails to account for the different learning styles of today’s digital natives.
-fails to answer the question “why do we need to know this”?
-has been at a snails pace far too long.
-fails to embrace technology, mobile communications and new innovative teaching methods.

Students and learners...
-cram and memorize for a test, and then forget it all the next day.
-have been built to make the A instead of learn the material.
-buy outdated textbooks, and never open them.
-carry 50 pound backpacks, even though a digital solution is available.
-are punished for failing, therefore feel they can never make mistakes.
-are expected to learn to survive in the real world, without experiencing the real world.

Finally, the most egregious of all culprits, schools are...
-bound to four walls and a desk.
-more focused on the community politics then the well being of our students.
-guilty of disregarding individuality.
-killing creativity.
-failing our students, with a high percentage of drop outs.

vital stats:

people impacted:

100,000

people involved:

why it's important:

iSchool Initiative is a student-led social enterprise dedicated to revolutionizing our education system through innovative technology. Our mission is to inspire and educate students on how to become lifelong digital learners in the Information Age. We accomplish this goal by raising awareness for the technological needs in the classroom through motivational keynotes and seminars. iSchool Initiative is interested in the relationship between people, information, and technology. We firmly believe that competence in all media of information is a prerequisite for progress in education and the advancement of America's most important asset, its human capital.

the plan of action:

We provide several services to drastically improve our education system. iSchool Initiative began by offering free services such as our YouTube videos which are shared globally to help raise awareness of the possibilities that technology brings to the classroom. However, our most sought after service consists of our keynotes and workshops. These presentations are engaging and innovative educational seminars given to students, parents, educators, school systems, corporate leaders, conferences and anyone else with an interest in mobile learning. We possess a competitive advantage in this arena because we are a uniquely positioned organization which offers a student perspective. Our members share their real life experience using the mobile devices in everyday class work, as opposed to other presenters who only talk about “what it can do.”

how you can get involved:

We understand that, just by ourselves, we cannot literally change the whole word of education as we know it. The goal is to raise awareness amongst all those who can, inspire and motivate them to support our efforts, invite them to join in our digital learning revolution, and create an enormous network to students, parents, and educators to lead this movement for change.

project updates:

videos:

Submitted by JustFiyahRedd on Tue, 02/07/2012 - 12:47

the problem:

Trying to bring the awareness to our community that this disease is out there and is bigger than we know. That it will continue it grow if we don't take action. Showing that it starts with us as a community if we want this and any other movement to be just that a movement. Also to give voices for the voiceless or those who aren't able to speak up. To support our community. There will be an area for the kids to enjoy. Guest speakers. Live DJ. Performances. Basketball tournament. Food and more.

vital stats:

people impacted:

people involved:

why it's important:

I was released from prison in July 2011. I felt so bad that I had ltbmyself end up in that kind of place for whatever reasons. I wanted to figure out a way to better my community and myself. I was in one of the release transition classes at the prison, and we had a guest from the health department in Quincy,Fl. He was speaking about HIV and Aids and the things that they had did for their community. And I had already been doing some research on it myself. I wish that I could remember his name because he really gave me that push to do it. When I came home I joined a business with and acquaintance called Desire More Ent. And got the opportunity to bring one of my dreams, goals to life so I did !! This means the world to me and I think it would be just what our community needs as a whole.

the plan of action:

Gathering ppl to register for basketball tourney so we can donate that money
Have contacted vendors to come out and supply food
Have a dJ for event
We have a venue
Have some artist but wanting more submissions should be made before next week
Have mobile unit for free testing
Have guest speakers
Contacting churches, organizations, companies, etc for sponsorship, donations to fund event or towards the cause

how you can get involved:

Set up for day of event, donations, new or gently used toys for kids prizes,

project updates:

Submitted by mtembo on Mon, 02/06/2012 - 11:49

the problem:

South Africa is currently known as the Rainbow Nation a term coined by Archbishop Desmond Tutu to describe post-apartheid South Africa, after South Africa’s first fully democratic election in 1994. As the Rainbow Nation, many cultures have come to coexist within the country, while simultaneously the country strives towards equality. Yet, despite the governmental and legislative progress that has been made in South Africa’s post apartheid era, racial and gender discrepancies still remain. With the largest number of HIV infections in the entire world, South Africa is one of the world’s most severely affected countries by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. There is an unequal distribution of disease in South Africa within race, age, and gender.

Aside from national structural impacts, local agents play a critical role in the countries health disparities. Cultural practices, and traditions that older South Africans take part in encourage the younger generations to engage in sexual relationships that increase HIV transmission within the population. Particularly, cultural attitudes on intergenerational sexual partners, concurrent sexual partners and forced sexual intercourse are factors that increase HIV transmission, particularly for women.

vital stats:

people impacted:

100

people involved:

why it's important:

As students that are part of The Human Rights' Initiative, we feel it is essential to educate the youth (especially girls) about the very real dangers of engaging in sexual activity at a young age. We also hope to use the love for soccer as engine that will encourage an interactive learning environment where the youth can feel free to discuss the health issues that affect them on a daily basis.

Educating girls in South Africa about public health will promote peace by empowering them to be in control of their bodies and make informed decisions. Girls who are aware of the dangers they face in terms of health are far more likely to address these threats in a way that protects themselves and those around them. Simple changes can have a large impact on the way they values themselves, in turn making a more confident, stronger leader. Powerful young women are key to bridging the gender gap, ending the cycle of gender-based violence and creating peace in a tumultuous society.

the plan of action:

We hope to use the cultural love of soccer to educate girls in South Africa on public health issues, which will give them more control over their bodies and greater knowledge of how to protect themselves from devastating preventable disease. Furthermore, healthy girls have a better chance of staying in school longer and breaking the cycle of discrimination based on gender. There is also increasing evidence that countries with more educated women have lower rates of gender based violence as well as higher stability and performance.

The purpose of the program is to educate one hundred girls. We will be using soccer as a vehicle to educate and empower young South African girls on issues related to their health. This 50 hours girls program will be taking place during South Africa’s school holiday break. A group of 8-10 Franklin and Marshall women will be traveling to South Africa to launch the all girls program. Prior to their arrival each American volunteer will be working directly with Medical Knowledge Institute (MKI) helping prepare the health materials. MKI is a local public health education center centrally located to the Chris Campbell Memorial field in the township of Khayelitsha. By working with MKI we will be able to specifically target direct needs for the people of Khayelitsha. By partnering with this public health organization we will develop an educational program specifically designed for the women and young girls of Khayelitsha. By training the local community leaders through MKI we will be implementing sustainable support to meet educational community needs, educational material will be taught by local leaders from MKI and Amandla Edufootball.

how you can get involved:

n/a