Im back

Today was my first day back to Taekwondo after my foot surgery injury in July, and surgery in October. It felt great to be back, I feel like I still remember the basics of my forms, and only need to work out a few small details. My master's wife also offered to help me starting next month on Saturdays, so that I can catch up even more. My goals are first;
1. Compete at State on March 31st
2. Earn my high red in the summer or begging of the school year
3. Earn my black belt in November/December
For now I have to work my endurance back up, practice my balance, and just keep improving.
Ciara

It is scheaduled!

Today I had a meeting with the YMCA of denver, and they had an amazing space for us use, that I think we could really decorate! It just seems to perfect! The problem now is that we have to find our own girls, but still! It is going to be huge! I am so excited!
Ciara

SSS

Last weekend Carleigh and I went downtown to meet with Claire from Clairs. She agreed to sponsor us to give the girls jewelry. The only problem is that the boys and girls club has not called us back like they promised. The YMCA has called us back so we are hoping to do it with them. We also went around to many local business downtown for sponsorship, but they were either not interested or we have to contact Corporate, which we do not have time for. Hoping I can find a hair team and somewhere to donate clothes. Either way, it is going to be great. Can't wait till this happens!
Ciara

Shimmer Sparkle Shine 1st Event!!

Today I met with Carleigh who is helping me with making an event for the Shimmer Sparkle Shine project. I had a few ideas of organization that can provide girls for us to work with. My ideas were Children's Hospital, Battered Woman's Shelter, YMCA, and Boys and Girls Club. We untimely went with the Boys in Girls club of Denver. I gave them a call and they representative said that there should be no problem holding the event, and to email him with the official information for him to start to get girls for us. Our age range is 8-12, and we want 15-25 girls. The event is intended for February 25 from 10-5. In the first part of the day we really want to work on the mental part of building self esteem. All of our activities are ideas of the Dove Self Esteem campaign. We are first going to start off with the activity "Beauty All Around You". This is where Carleigh and I will introduce ourselves through a slideshow of things we find beautiful, then discuss the overall project. Then we want to have a discussion about woman we all admire for their inside and out attributes. Then lead into a discussion about what do you like about yourself, and ways to build your self esteem. Then they will make a Boost Book, where they can decorate the journal and make it a self confidence journal to help them. Then we want to have a lunch catered to us, if we can find a sponsor willing to do so. Then the after noon will be the beauty party. We want to find a hair and makeup team to come in and help the girls out to their dream look, then hopefully find a clothing cooperation to donate clothes to the girls. Then Carleigh and I will do a photo shoot. After that we will hopefully have a guest speaker to talk to them while we print their photos. Then they will walk away with their photos and a gift bag from sponsors. We are of course counting on Dove to send us their books on self esteem along with products. The Bagel Bakery is making 30 free gourmet cupcakes for the girls, and Clairs offered to help us out, a meeting is scheduled for more details. We hope to get many others sponsors to help. We are just going to wait till after the Holiday Season when companies are less busy. This is going to be great!

Shimmer Sparkle Shine; Service

Originally when I started the Shimmer Sparkle Shine I chose collaborating with others as a learning outcome. My goal then was to collaborate well with the girls I work with. It has turned into communicating with so many more people. I got Fantastic Sams to style the girls hair and that took me talking with another person to accommodate to all. Another IB student also approached me about helping me with the Shimmer Sparkle Shine project. We have a meeting this Thursday to talk more in detail, but we are on the same page. We want to do a community workshop type thing with multiple girls to raise their confidence. We are going to work out the details, so more to come! It should be interesting to work with somebody new about The Shimmer Sparkle Shine project.

Judge for Speech and Debate Reflection

It was a great service opportunity along as a learning experience. It is different being the judge rather then the competitor. I also got to judge other events that I have never tried so that was interesting as well, I judged Drama and Poetry. I wanted to try my hardest to give good helpful advice to the junior varsity forensic members. I see that as the service part because I was helping others in something the want to do, so that they can only improve themselves for the rest of the season. I also learned a lot about how hard it is to be a judge. It is difficult to follow along and give positive feedback all at the same time. I see the judges job almost as difficult as actually competing. The competitors in the room were so nervous, and I wanted to try and make them feel as comfortable as possible. I know that when I was in JV, the Varsity members and judges really intimidated me, and I tried to be as friendly as possible. It is a great extracurricular, and I wanted them to stay with it. I had a great time!

Judge for Speech and Debate; Service

Later today I am going to be a judge for speech and debate novice season. It is for people trying speech and debate out for the first time this year. Competing is one thing, but being a judge is something different entirely. With this activity I hope to increase awareness for areas of strength and growth by paying close attention to the competitors, and what they are good at compared to what they need improvement in. I also hope to undertake a new challenge of judging , and gain more appreciation for my judges I have this season.
Ciara