Here is a picture of the center of their campus. The building on the left is Jones Cottage where we worked. For legal reasons we can't show pictures of the inside with the kids or any other pictures of the kids we worked with to respect their privacy.

Here is a picture of their gym that they have on campus. We spent a lot of time here because if there's one thing that young teenage boys like it's SPORTS!!

Pedro's SMART Goal

My SMART goal is to "develop a more personal relationship with John Doe by going to Boys and Girls Town once every weekend until the end of the semester and use the established relationship through interactive actitvities to bring them to Drury for a basketball game and a quick tour of the campus." My goal is to make a difference in these children's lives, which unfortunately has been marked by tragedy in the early stages of their lives. The children's hopes and notions for their future might be bleak. I want to attempt to change this by having them come to Drury's campus and maybe be insipired by the big, impressive academic buildings and the fun environment of the basketball game.

Pedro

My SMART GOAL

My SMART goal for our Boys and Girls Town Project is to have all of the boys from Jones Cottage to come to Drury University to see a Men's Basketball game on December 1, 2011. I think this will be a great opportunity for the guy's to get away for awhile and for us to spend some time with them while enjoying the game. I hope that it will be a great afternoon for everybody and that the guy's will really enjoy it. As for accomplishing it, one of the members of our group works at the O'Reilly Family Event Center so he is working on getting us some discounted tickets for the game and we are working with our community contact, Judy Stainback, to arrange transportation for them. I think it will be a great experience for everyone and am excited for it to take place.


Jordan Mason

SMART Goal

This week we were each set the task of coming up with a SMART goal that we wish to achieve in our project for Summit.  My goal is as follows: "I am going to develop a personal relationship with John by the end of the semester by spending at least 30 minutes with him each time we visit Boys and Girls Town."  It was difficult for each member of our group to come up with unique goals considering that our primary means of helping this organization is through simply spending time with the children.  We agreed, however, that this is a legitimate goal due to the fact that these children are lacking in the department of close personal relationships.  Our group is currently planning to visit Boys and Girls Town at least once more before Thanksgiving break, as well as invite them over to Drury to enjoy a basketball game some time after the break in order to achieve the goals that we have set for ourselves.

Ryan Coleman

Hoping to Accomplish

My personal service project goal is to be able to truly connect to some of the children of Jones Cottage so that they may take my advice in important matters such as their attitude and perspective of their personal futures. Given their past, and the fact that they are still 10-12 year olds, it is very understandable  that they are not giving much thought about such things as college, entering the workforce, etc. I would like to see this changed however, because a strongly founded interest in college or higher education will empower them to strive for something better. It is strong to measure quantitative success on a goals such as this one, but there are other things that can be used as performance factors. It was very clear that the kids were suprised and excited to see us again when we went to Boys and Girls Town for the second time, I do not think they expected to see us again. Too often individuals, businesses, or non-profits will go spend time with the children for a day or weekend and then never return. For the remainder of the semester, I would like to commit to going to Boys and Girls Town every other weekend for at least 2 hours. While there, we have engaged in fun, stimulating activities such as sport games, card games, and board games. I  think that through the use of these fun activities, the children will feel more comfortable around us. By the end of the semester we would like to have the children come to Drury for a regular season Men's Basketball game at the O'Reilly Family Event Center. Before the game, I think it would be a great opportunity to give the kids a tour of the campus, show them our nice buildings and maybe get them excited about the possibility of college. I am looking forward to going back to Boys and Girls Town this weekend and hanging out with kids.
 
Pedro
 
 

My Hopes for the Future

Our project has been going really well so far. It's been exciting to get to hangout with these kids and really get a chance to know them. What I want from the rest of my time at the Boys and Girls Town is really create a strong relationship with these kids. I want to become a part of their life in a way that means something and I want to see them grow in a positive way during the time that we are there. I want to act in such a way that they see me as a role model. I hope that in the next few weeks, as the semester closes, that I have the opportunity to grow closer to these kids and create a unique bond that will last well beyond this project.

Jordan Mason

Reflecting

As the fall semester enters into its final four or five weeks, we are beginning to see how our time at Boys and Girls Town is coming together.  Only a couple more visits remain for this half  of the school year and we hope to make them good ones.  If all goes to plan, we will be bringing the boys to Drury to enjoy a basketball game before 2011 comes to its conclusion.  Who knows, we may even go out for pizza afterwards.  Another possible event that we could organize would be a ping pong tournament.  The boys have a ping pong table in their cottage, which would allow us to have a little bit of friendly competition in an environment that they are comfortable in.  It would also allow for those who aren't playing to entertain themselves in some other manner so that there aren't 15 people standing around a ping pong table waiting to play.  Regardless of what we agree to do for our final visits this year, I'm sure that we will have a great time.  I'm very glad that this isn't the end of our time with these boys.  I am excited for next semester, which is sure to be just as entertaining as this one has been.
 
Ryan Coleman

SmartMob reflection and Project progress

It was a humbling and valuable experience to go to Joplin and help out Extreme Home Makeover's effort to continue the rebuilding of a devastated city. The fierce natural disaster that hit Joplin caused much destruction, many lives, lifestyles, and much more. It was an unfortunate event that one wishes would never happen again. Though natural disasters will not simply cease to exist, hope will never be lost when human spirit and unity triumphs over a hurt society. We were only a few dozen college students, they are only a TV show, but together we had the potential to really make a difference, and I like to think that we did. We got our hands and our pants dirty, we worked for a few hours for a cause greater than ourselves. We did not know the people that would directly benefit from our work, and yet we did it with the same effort and intensity as if we had been doing it for our closest friend. It was amazing to see everyone so focused, so willing to work hard and continue to do so until we accomplished our goal.

 

So far we have met twice with the boys of Jones Cottage in Boys and Girls Town, and both times we have bonded over a couple of friendly games. The first time we played a game of touch football that ended up lasting at least a couple of hours, where competitiveness and tenacity also gave way to hard work and companionship. On our second visit, we had a half-court game of Basketball where the lack of skill of three of us was thoroughly displayed (Jordan played pretty well, he carried the team). Later, we went inside and talked for a bit while playing a few card games and watching Sunday Football. The boys seemed pretty excited to see us when we got there the second time. Too often they are visited only once by a group of individuals whom they never see again. I really think we have laid a solid foundation with these kids, and I look forward to continue working on my relationship with them. Getting pretty excited about having them come to Drury to have a little tour and then watch a regular season basketball game!

 

Pedro Rivera

We have finally had the opportunity to visit the Boys and Girls Town twice this semester after such a slow start. So far, it has been a blast getting to know the guys in Jones Cottage! For the first visit, we brought snacks for the kids, which went over quite well. After a good snack and some introductions, the four of us and the guys from Jones Cottage went out and played a friendly game of football. It was a long and exciting game in which both teams found enjoyable. This was a good opportunity for us to learn the names of the boys we will be helping for the rest of the year, and to show off our football skills! The second visit was very similar to the first, except that in stead of sharing our hidden football talents, we were forced to reveal our weakness in basketball. We met a few new residents and new staff since our first visit, and they showed us a thing or two about basketball. Regardless of our lack of talent, we still had a good time. It was cool to see these kids just being themselves in a comfortable setting. The kids enjoyed playing basketball because it gave them a chance to show their strengths, which I believe is important for them in order to grow as a more confident individual. After basketball, we went back to Jones Cottage and played games like cards and ping pong. We are planning to bring the kids from Jones Cottage to a Drury basketball game in the near future so they can check out the Drury campus. It should be fun! The Smart mob was an excellent opportunity to help the city of Joplin from such a devastating tornado. It was shocking to see Joplin in such disrepair, but on the other hand, it was cool to see the beginnings of a rebirth. To me, this shows the strength of humanity; the ability for mankind to overcome obstacles in the face of danger when seemingly little hope remains for those directly affected. The goodwill of their neighbors prevails and new hope is on its way. This realization is what made the Smart Mob such a meaningful experience.

Will Stone

SMART Mob at Joplin

Going with the Drury Smart Mob was the first time I had been to Joplin since the deadly and devastating May tornado. Needless to say the devestation was overwhelming. You could feel the hush come over our bus as we drove farther into the town. When we got to the work site it was great to see all the work that all of the volunteers had done throughout the previous week. Having seen so much destruction during our trip there, it made me glad to know that our group was helping to bring back some beauty to Joplin. I really enjoyed the time that I got to spend there that day and hope to be able to return to help again in the future.
At the Boys and Girls Town everything is still going really well. We went and hung out with them last weekend and just continued to develop relationships with them. It's exciting to see the personalities of the kids shine the more time we spend with them. In the next week or two we are planning on bringing them to campus, giving them a tour, and then a Drury basketball game. Hopefully they'll really enjoy this and it can be an opportunity for these kids to start thinking about and experiencing college.

Jordan Mason

Reflecting on Joplin

   After the day we spent in Joplin, I now hold a new respect for what nature is really capable of.  It was baffling to see parts of the city completely eradicated when barely a mile away some buildings seemed unaffected by the tornado at all.  The biggest eye-opener was the hospital that was across the street from our worksite.  With all of its windows blown out and the roof looking like it could collapse at any moment, it was quite a sight to see.  After laying plenty of sod and raking some rocks, we all had gotten ourselves quite dirty, making us look good for the cameras once they arrived.  At the end of the day we had a lot of progress to be proud of, and I am glad that I could be a part of it.

   As for our project regarding Boys and Girls' Town, we are starting to truly settle in now.  Names are starting to put themselves with faces and we are getting to see some deeper sides of the boys' personalities.  Football seems to be the universal topic in the house right now, as the NFL season is in full swing.  Whether we are watching or playing the game, everyone is enjoying it.  I've been having a wonderful time and I hope that we get to play football at least once more before the weather gets too cold.

 

-Ryan Coleman

Leadership Quote

Absolute identity with one's cause is the first and great condition of successful leadership.
-Woodrow Wilson

Will Stone

Leadership Quote

"Be the change you want to see in the world"

                                                           - Mahatma Gandhi



Pedro Rivera

Leadership Quote

"A leader's responsibility to his team is paramount. It overshadows even his own personal feelings at any given time."

Mike Krzyzewski

Jordan Mason

Leadership Quote

Leadership is getting someone to do what they don't want to do, to achieve what they want to achieve.
-Tom Landry

Ryan Coleman

First Impressions

     On Saturday, October 1st, our group met with the Community Coordinator from Boys and Girls Town.  We spent about thirty minutes or so going over some of the formalities and taking pictures for our identification cards that we will be using while on the Boys and Girls Town campus.  Judy, the coordinator, explained to us that one of the houses on campus currently had no organizations or sponsors working with them.  The house in question is the Jones Cottage, composed primarily of boys age 13 to 16.
     One week after orientation we spent our first day with the boys that we would be spending the rest of the year with.  While there were some minor behavioral problems, it was nothing out of the ordinary for  even exceptionally well-behaved adolescents on an off day.  We enjoyed an afternoon of two-hand-touch football with the cottage supervisor and the Jones boys. I'm afraid to say that my team lost, but I look forward to a rematch in the near future.

-Ryan Coleman

Orientation

Last Saturday our group was finally able to start and went through orientation to prepare us to work with the kids at Boys and Girls Town. We changed our cottage to Jones Cottage which has boys aged around 13-15 years old. We changed because a business had adopted the cottage we were going to work with over the summer and rather than them have two sponsor groups we decided to change to cottage that didn't have one. An interesting point that came out during the orientation was when Judy, the Boys and Girls Town Community Coordinator, talked to us about the importance of groups like ours volunteering there. She had mentioned the grants that she had recently written and how important it is, when requesting for federal aid, to show that the community cares about your organization. So in a way, even though us by ourselves are simply offering our time and efforts, we can become apart of something that can lead to the Boys and Girls Town receiving more money that can help them long after we are gone. It just served to remind me how important it is that everyone in the community take at least some time to devote to the non-profit organizations in our area because not only do they need our help but they also need the help of the government. And sometimes we are the best way for them to get it.

Jordan Mason

Looking like a Great Start

The Semester is flying by with so many fun opportunities to participate in here at Drury.  Summit is going well, and our project is off to a respectable start.  We have finished our background checks and other paperwork necessary for us to begin working. Now that the hard part is over, is all fun from here on out! We are planning on meeting the kids at Boys and Girls town this weekend, which will be exciting.  As of now, we are scheduled to work with the 13-16 year olds in Jones cottage. This weekend will be more of a "get to know you" session where we can interact with the kids that we will be spending the rest of the school year with.  I am glad that I have the opportunity through the Summit Leadership program to give back to my community, which is precisely why I chose to apply for the program. Looking forward to this weekend!

-Will Stone

Off to a good start!

Last week all four of us met with a representative from Boys and Girls Town, and we expect to receive the "all clear" from them sometime later this week. The meeting went very well, as we discussed some very exciting opportunities. Important to mention would be that though we have been thinking and preparing to mostly interact with the the kids in the 8-12 year old group, or Musgrove Cottage, we will probably be switching to the 13-16 year old group, or Jones Cottage, at the suggestion of the representative. This is not set in stone, but it was mentioned that the kids in Jones Cottage do not normally receive as much attention as the younger kids in Musgrove Cottage, which does make us lean towards wanting to work with Jones Cottage kids. An exciting opportunity that was mentioned in the meeting was to bring the kids on a field trip to Drury and attend a regular season Basketball Game! We will definitely be in contact with the O'Reilly Family Event Center in the near future to discuss the possibility of getting some tickets for the children. Getting pretty excited about receiving the green light to begin working with the kids! I expect to continue gaining experience in activities relating to community service, which I enjoy doing back home in Guatemala, but have never done abroad. My sister lived in Summit Park last year and seeing how nice each house is and hearing about the service-learning projects, I felt as if this was an experience that I would like to have in my second year at Drury. 

- Pedro Rivera

Looking Ahead

     After our first month and a half in Summit Park, the school year is well under way.  We have had time to settle in and grow accustomed to college life once again.  While the houses themselves are very comfortable to live in, that is not the main purpose of the Summit Park program, nor is it our main priority as Summit residents.  We have recently arranged our first meeting of the year with our contact at Boys and Girls Town and will be taking care of background checks as well as determining our plans for the future.  As of right now, we know that we will be working with young boys from ages eight to twelve years.  The actual interactions that will be occurring between us and these boys have yet to be defined, but we are all looking forward to the opportunity to better both ourselves and our community through this wonderful organization.  Our excitement mounds as we approach our first experiences with the children and our chance to make a difference grows ever closer.  I can't wait to earn my place among the Summit residents!

-Ryan Coleman

Getting Started

Well we have finally got the ball rolling with the Boys and Girls Town. It took awhile for us to get everything prepared in terms of background checks and other things but now we are meeting this weekend to begin our training for the different jobs we'll each have. We chose Boys and Girls Town and Summit Park because each of the members of our group wanted to be apart of something in the community that was dedicated to helping others. We wanted to know that we didn't just spend our time here at Drury to better ourselves through education, but to also better the community that we were now apart of by going out and serving. From all the indications we have had so far from being at the Boys and Girls Town, each of us are really excited to get started helping these kids. Right now, the plan for us is for some or possibly all of us to work with a group of 8-12 year old boys who are in need of positive influences in their life. We think this is a great opportunity for us because we can use our past experiences to help these kids in all the different aspects of their lives as they continue to grow up in a very difficult situation. We'll post again after our meeting this weekend and share all the different stuff we'll be doing this semester, I think it's going to be awesome!!

Jordan Mason