4. Become aware that you are a role model and act accordingly

May 10, 2008

Regularly Attend Church

I have been an active member of my church all of my life. I have grown up with my church family, and have confirmed my faith in Jesus Christ in front of them. Every since I was a child, I have volunteered for various activities at my church. I first started working in the children's nursery. I would help the adult worker with various tasks such as reading to the children, blowing their nose, or feeding them snacks. I would then go to Sunday School where I would bond with the other children my age, and listen to a Sunday school lesson. When I hit my teen years, I would continue to help in the nursery, but I would also help with Vacation Bible School. The years when I helped with VBS were the most rewarding. I was able to meet new children from the community and teach them about the lord. I think it was also nice to be looked up too. I remember my years in VBS school and I always could not wait until I was able to be the helper.

As a got older, I started to realize that the simple act of paying attention during church was a way that I could be a role model. The younger kids looked to me to see whether they should behave. I also joined the junior choir. This meant that we meet every Wednesday night to rehearse spiritual songs that we would perform in church the following Sunday. I learned what it was like to be in front of other people, and I developed a love for singing. I got the opportunity to sing a couple of solos in front of my church family. I was sad when I hit the age when I was no longer able to be in the choir, but I looked forward to many other opportunities that becoming older brought me.

A couple of years ago, I was baptized. I took the leadership and baptism classes with my brother and sister. We all three decided that we wanted to be baptized together, and we wanted our grandpa to do it. His health had been deteriorating for some time, and we knew we needed to do it as soon as we could. He unfortunately ended up in the hospital a week before we were supposed to be baptized, and fell into a coma a couple of days after that. He ended up waking up from the coma the day of our baptism and was very adequate that he go along with the service. We ended up having the service in his hospital room, with our current pastor assisting. I'm very grateful for this opportunity. Right before my grandfather died, he looked at the three of us, and said, “whatever you choose to do in life, do it with all your heart." I will remember his words, and I will apply it in my career, as well as with my day to day encounters throughout my life.

May 11, 2008
Wear Pink in your hair to support Breast Cancer Awareness

According to wikipedia.com, breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer after lung cancer and the fifth most common cancer that causes death. It is the most common cancer for women though. As a female, it is important for me that I play a vital role in promoting breast cancer awareness, as well as showing my support to those who have it. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. The National Breast Cancer foundation has played a role in thousands of women's lives by offering free mammograms and educational programs. The foundation accepts many individual donations and donations from corporations. This year, the foundation has a new way to show support for those with breast cancer, and I knew that it was important that I take part in it.

I went to the local hair salon and decided to have a pink extension put into my hair. This would be a visible way to show my support. The extension was melted into my hair after I gave a donation to the foundation. I learned about the hair extension through my aunt who was also an avid supporter of the the Breast Cancer Foundation. She has also had a teal extension in the month before to support Ovarian Cancer Awareness. When I returned back to the college, I received many inquisitive looks. Many people came up and asked me why part of my hair was pink. I feel like the questioning was helping me to achieve my goal because I was able to inform others that it was to support breast cancer. Just that alone helped me to raise awareness.


May 15, 2008

Practice Recycling

According to Dictionary.com, Recycling is defined as:

• to treat or process (used or waste materials) so as to make suitable for reuse, or

• to use again in the original form or with minimal alteration.

I would like to think that I am pro at recycling, but even I do not do all that I can do to help the environment. When I live at home, my family is always around to make sure that I am recycling effectively. We have two bins in our garage, one for papers and one for plastics. We are fortunate enough to have a waste collection service in our town, so every Thursday we put the bins out by the curb for pick up. We always make sure that our newspapers, containers, and other products are put into the proper bin. I also make sure that the items are as condensed as possible. For example, I push pop cans down so that they take up less room.We reuse many items in our house to avoid trash build up as well. I think that grocery bags are the item that we reuse most often. We use them as trash bags, drainage systems for plant pots, bags to carry gear, and we use them to line bins. We also reuse computer paper. We use both sides of the paper when copying, and we use it as scratch paper. It is important to make sure that we always get the most use out of everything in our house.

At school, it has been much harder to keep up my recycling habits. The dorms have more recycling bins than I do at my house, but I started getting lazy about it. My roommate and I set up a system for making sure the items in our room either get recycled or reused. First off, we reuse many bottled water containers. I will cut the bottoms off and use them for storage. My paperclips, staples, and hair accessories are all stored in these containers. Every time I see them, it reminds me of the recycling values that my parents have taught me. We also use both sides of computer paper just like I do at home. I turn in assignments this way, and teachers are usually grateful that I am recycling. Another way that we recycle is by using our magazine pages as art. Instead of going out and buying wall hangings, we find pictures from magazines that we like. We usually make a pile in the room, and then one of us takes it to the recycling bins. It is important that we are trying to help save the environment.

There are also small ways that I try to help with recycling. I make use of my library card and go checkout books instead of buying them. I have recycled my old cell phones through my mobile phone retailer. I am also a big fan of EBay and Amazon.com. I sell my old textbooks, Cd's, clothes, and other items I can find around the house. There is usually someone else in the world that wants the items I have to sell, so I am helping myself recycle as well as the person who buys my stuff. I try to do the same thing as well, I buy the majority of my stuff used. When I exercise, I use a reusable container instead of bottled water. I also have recently purchased a reusable bag that I can take shopping with me. With the bag, I can avoid wasting paper and plastic bags.

5.Become active in your community

Get involved in coaching

For the past three years, I have been a swim coach for a summer program. I grew up being in active swimmer on the team and then I became a swim lesson instructor. Once I felt comfortable enough, I took on the challenge of becoming a coach. This means I have to stay up to date on first aid and pool safety training as well as meet qualifications set by the pool. I have to make sure my team competes fairly in all meets and evens. I also have to make sure to handle required details.
I have had years of training in various swim strokes, drills and body physiology. I have been able to adapt teaching methods to every swimmer. I try to lead swim team members by motivating and inspiring them to do their best. I do plan practices and drills but my main goal of the summer program is to make sure that the students have fun. We spend a lot of time in the pool, so I try to make sure that at the end of our sessions, we play a game. That is one of the times that we bond together as a team. Another bonding time that is very important to me is the time we spend together at the meets. Although it is a time to prove if our practices have paid off, it is also a time to spend getting to know each other better and cheering on each other.

Being a swim coach is a job that I plan on continuing even after I become a teacher. It is a very rewarding experience!
Participate in Celebrate Service Day

Celebrate Service Day is a tradition for Goshen College Students. It is one day out of the year that we take a break from classes and go out into the community to volunteer at local organizations. There are various service sites from working construction with Habitat for Humanity, setting up for the Michiana Relief Sale, and canoeing while picking up trash.

I have participated in many Celebrate Service days with the college, but my favorite one was going to The Depot - MCC Thrift Store. The Depot is locally owned and operated as a not-for-profit organization by the MCC Resource Center. Their mission is to support the Mennonite Central Committee, the relief, service and development agency of the Mennonite and Brethren in Christ Churches. Their spiritual motivation comes from the bible verse I John 2:17, "if anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?"

I went with a small group of students to first do warehouse work. We then had to unload boxes from a school bus. This included a lot of heavy lifting which I was not able to do. These boxes had to be taken into the workroom so that they could be sorted. There were clothes and a variety of items in these boxes. We got to see firsthand how the Depot supports families and shelters. Being able to volunteer there made me so much more grateful for what I have and the opportunities that I have been given. I have a greater commitment to service because of Celebrate Service day. I was able to see God at work at The Depot.

Volunteering at the Michiana Mennonite Relief Sale

I have grown up attending the Illinois Mennonite Relief Sale in my hometown of Bloomington. I have volunteered there for many years in the food serving line. My father would always volunteer to run a line by himself so the family would be called upon to help. Each year, eighty percent of the net proceeds from the sale are channeled through Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), which is a national relief and service agency located in Akron, Pennsylvania. There are over 1,000 volunteers working and financially supporting over 65 countries around the world.

When I came to Goshen College, I did not realize that it would mean I would miss the opportunity to volunteer. With the demands of school and the distance that I am from home, I missed several years of the sale. Freshman year, I wondered what it would be like to not be in attendance at the event that I had been to every year since I was born. I realized very quickly that there was a Michiana Mennonite Relief Sale at the Elkhart County Fair Grounds. Starting my freshman year, I got involved with the Florence Church of the Brethren Mennonite is located in Constantine, MI. I had a friend who attends that church and volunteers at the sale. I was able to volunteer at the tamale booth which is a traditional booth of the church. I usually work the Friday night sale which allows me to get up early for the pancake breakfast the next morning. Being able to volunteer your time to a great organization helps me to feel like an active member in my community.

6. Volunteer in or join an organization or get involved

May 18, 2008
Attend a Deaf Church

Last semester, I took a course at Goshen College called American Deaf Culture. I learned many things about the Deaf World. I decided that attending a Deaf church would be the perfect opportunity for me to see firsthand what I learned in class. I attended Zion Missionary Church. This church has interpreted services, and so this is a congregation that has a large Deaf population. It is located on Hively St. in Elkhart. I had passed the street many times on my way to my field experience, and I decided that I would go to this church. The service was said to start at 10:30, but the congregation was not in their seats by then.

One thing that I already knew about the Deaf Culture was that time was not really an issue. In the hearing world, it is important to be on time for appointments, but the Deaf culture feels as though time is not an issue. I definitely saw this during my experience at the church. They would take their time getting to their seats, and often still be signing on their way in. Privacy is also not stressed in their culture. I attended a Peter Cook function last semester. He is a Deaf comedian, and the majority of the audience was deaf. I noticed that before the show started, everyone was in communication with each other. It is not unlikely for someone that you do not know to be watching your conversation with someone else. I noticed this at the church. Many of the members were "eavesdropping" on other people's conversation. Normally, this would be considered rude, but not to other deaf people.

The church service was like any other service, except there was an interpreter there. It reminded me of our convocations or chapels because the same type of set up is at the Church. There is singing, announcements, and a sermon. The interpreter just interprets what they are saying to the deaf members of the congregation. The interpreter was not a distraction, and it allowed for the Deaf members to be able to understand what was going on. Often times, they exchange interpreters, but I did not see this happen. The interpreters get tired from constantly moving their hands and concentrating, so it is important to take a break and have someone else take your place.

I also learned that in the Deaf community, saying goodbye to each other is a lengthy process. It is considered impolite if you do not say goodbye to almost everyone before you leave. I noticed this after the service. When one says goodbye to someone, it often sparks more of a conversation. That is why it is not uncommon to be saying goodbye for an hour. When Deaf people get together, it is exciting for them because during the week, it is usually not common for them to be able to visit with other people that sign. That is why when they get together with other Deaf people, they have a lot to talk about. It seemed that not only is church a way to worship God, but it is also a social event for the Deaf culture.

I not only enjoyed going to another church service, I also enjoyed getting to watch another culture interact. I have had some experience with Deaf culture, but it is always nice to be able to stay in contact with it. I think that we could all take some advice from the way the Deaf people communicate. They are very close to one another, and they enjoy talking to each other even if it lasts for a while. I also think that more churches need to have interpreted services. It is important to be able to make sure that everyone possible is being included. Having an interpreter is not only easily accessible, but it allows those deaf persons that may not normally be able to attend church, the chance to go.

May 8, 2008
Study at the Goshen Public Library and Observe the Community


I went the the Goshen Public Library on South 5th St. I usually go to the college library to do my studying and research, but I decided to see what the Goshen Public Library was all about. In my home town, I go to the public library a couple of times a week. I like to check out books and find a quiet place to read. I figured that the public library in Goshen would not only be like the college library, but also like the library in my home town. I found a few similarities, and many differences.

When I first entered the library, I noticed the set up. There were, of course, many rows of books. There was also two floors, a main level and a lower level was designated for children. There was a children's program going on when I was there. It looked like a librarian was reading to toddlers. Then, there is an upper level designated for adult learning. There is also a historical center where you can look up the history of Indiana and Goshen. There is also a reference desk audiovisual area, and a small computer lab. The library was much bigger than the college library, and offered more departments. There were also more places to sit down, and the environment started off very relaxed.

I decided to find a spot where I could just people watch. I found a chair that seemed to be in the center of everything, and I watched the people come and go. There were many families that came in. They would split up into different directions and find the subject area that they wanted to read. I also noticed that over half of the visitors to the library were Hispanic. The majority of the people on the computers were Hispanic as well. Goshen College is quite diverse, but I usually would not notice that if I went to our library. I think this just shows how multicultural the town of Goshen really is. I found it fascinating just to sit and watch how everyone interacted with each other. Besides the diverse population there, there was only one instance that I found surprising. There was a Hispanic man that was trying to register to get a library card. It was clear to me what he was doing, but I also know some Spanish so I was able to pick out some key words. It took a lengthy amount of time for the librarian to figure out what he wanted. I thought that since a large amount of visitors that come to the library do speak Spanish, they would have had someone that was able to fluently speak it work there. I think it is important that everyone is able to be understood when they go to a library, especially since a lot of the time librarians do get asked a lot of questions.

I think my experience went very well at the public library. There was more cultures represented there than the college library, and there was more material centered for those people. I think next time I am looking for a place to study or do research, I will have to consider going to the public library. I liked the change in atmosphere, and I hope to go back again soon.


May 10, 2008
Attend events from the MAO on Campus

I attended the Community Dialogue meeting by Dolores Huerta on March 10, 2008. It was called “Community Activism: Remembering the past and looking towards the future,” and it was at the College Mennonite Church Fellowship Hall. She one of the co-founders of the United Farm Workers organization.

She has had many victories throughout her life. Her most recent ones include:

• Passed $4.8 Million bond to build school fences and new gymnasium to open October 2008 at Sunset Middle School

• Leveraged over $2 Million for the reconstruction of public swimming pools in California.

• Created a Boys and Girls Club in Lamont, California.

• She Signed up 720 students for tutoring program in Lamont, California.

• Gave over 13,000 food boxes in 10 months to over 2,000 farm worker families affected by the 2007 Citrus Freeze.

She spoke about many of the issues that have occurred with farm workers. She talked about how farm workers are not getting the rights that they deserve, and many of them are dying due to hate attacks on their culture. It is important to recognize these issues because farm workers are working in harsh conditions, and for the good of the community. She has helped negotiate contracts for farm workers and she also held a boycott of grapes. Her boycott eventually led to the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act of 1975.

Not only was the Dialogue meeting informative, but I was able to observe what it was like to attend a meeting that I thought had nothing to do with my culture. Upon arriving there, I was nervous about the people that would be attending. I did not know if the majority of the people would speak Spanish, and if I would have to experience what it was like to not understand my setting. Fortunately, there were many other Goshen College students and professors there. There was a large majority of Hispanic members from the community as well. When Mrs. Huerta arrived at the podium, the first question she asked was, "will everyone be able to understand English?" There were a handful of persons that did not know English, so she polled the audience for translators. There was a student from the College that said she could do it, and she went over and sat next to a few of them. Throughout the presentation, I looked over and she was translating the information from English to Spanish. They were looking at Dolores Huerta the entire time, but listening to what the student said. I found this fascinating because not only were they able to follow exactly what was being said, but they were also able to nod and really connect with the speaker. It inspired me to want to become more fluent in Spanish because I think that knowing a second language is crucial. I find it would be useful especially in situations like these.

After the lecture was over, the audience had a chance to ask questions. There was an audience member that had both comments and questions for her, and even though he knew English, he preferred to ask them in Spanish. In that moment, I learned what it was like to be the one that did not understand exactly what was going on. I was able to pick up a few words but not enough to be able to put together what was being said. At the end, Dolores translated what he was saying, but her translation did not last nearly as long as his comments did. This opened my eyes to what it must be like for those who did not speak English. Often times, they do not hear all that it being said, and they miss out on the information. This is probably how it is like in a classroom as well. They are not able to pick up on all of the information, which causes them to do poorly in school. I think it is important to make sure that everyone is getting an equal education.