International Coastal Cleanup

September 25, 2010 will mark the 25th Annual International Coastal Cleanup activity spearheaded by Ocean Conservancy (click on the link to find out more about this organization).

The Lighthouse Marina Resort has invited our school to take part in this global campaign to clean up our beaches and contribute to the rehabilitation of our beloved planet.

"Together with Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority and its partners, we can help represent Subic Bay as well as the Philippines in this very special event and show that we can start a sea of change and make a positive impact on the world around us." - Argee Gomez, Resident Manager of Lighthouse Marina Resort

The goal is to get at least 1000 participants to join. This will be held down at the Waterfront, stretching all the way to Moonbay Marina. Event starts at 6:00am on Saturday, September 25.

I am looking for a handful  of seniors (maximum of 5) who would like to take this on as a service activity. What will you need to do?

1. Promote the event and encourage the your peers and community members to participate.
2. Organize the group of volunteers and get them ready for the event on Sept 25.
3. Coordinate with the volunteers and the school for possible transportation needs.
4. Coordinate with Mr. Argee Gomez of The Lighthouse for further instructions and details (promotional materials, maybe invite a guest speaker for Chapel) about the event.
5. Participate in the the actual cleanup day and oversee your volunteers. 

If you are interested in taking the lead on this, please let me know right away by commenting on this post. We'll need to sit down and discuss certain details to get you started with your work. If you'd rather just participate, then read up on the goals of this activity using the links on this post and write up your proposal.

There will be Brent teachers participating as well, but this is certainly a wonderful opportunity for you to address several of the learning outcomes that you have been missing out on. 

For more information on International Coastal Cleanup, click on the image below,

(Click the image to learn more about the International Coastal Cleanup)

or watch this:

(Click this button to add this event to your Google Calendar.)

Giving Back

Has your bubble been burst yet?

Last year during a teachers' conference in Manila, I listened to a student deliver a keynote speech in front of a big theater hall full of teachers, principals, and other professional educators. To be honest, when I first saw the agenda for the day I was actually a bit surprised that a student was invited to speak. I remember saying to myself, "Wow, this kid must be really something..", but I didn't think much of it then. After all, Taylor Mali was speaking right after him. (If you're not familiar with Taylor Mali, google him and watch the videos. He's a very entertaining and inspiring teacher and slam poet. You'll understand what I mean once you've seen the videos of his poetry.)

Sam Ramos-Jones was a senior then at the host school, International School Manila (ISM). He presented his thoughts on what giving back meant to him, and how Service Learning/CAS made an impact in his life. Watch the video (in two parts below) and reflect on what he has to say. (He speaks a bit fast, so feel free to rewind the video at anytime.)

Part 1

Part 2

I can barely remember what Taylor Mali shared that morning. 

Sam's reflections and challenge, however, continue to inspire me to push CAS into our school's consciousness so we can be the change our world needs.

Sam's teacher was right: "When we listen, we can learn a lot from our students. As long as we continue to nurture their creativity, provide opportunities for their growth, and are inspired by them, we can all be the change, together."

I am listening. =)


*Sam was a 2009 EARCOS Global Citizen Award recipient for his work with PREP (Promoting Rural Education in the Philippines). Learn more about PREP here.