Reflecting

What I enjoyed most of from our last Summit class was the "Cross the line" activity and the one-on-one conversations we had with a member of our own group, and with a member of another group. The interactive activity helped me remember that we are presently a product of our past. Losing a parent, coming from certain socioeconomic class, being raised in Republican/Democrat household...these socializing agents shape the framework with which you and your mind confront challenges and obstacles that will arise. In an increasingly "fast" and "digitalized" world, we like to have sound bytes and short term solutions for a problem that merits more time. If anyone is having a problem on a given day, we quickly search for a reason or distraction to entertain them with, rather than hear them out and try to be there, completely, for them. I think this reminder of the importance of having real, genuine conversations will help me in our community service project with some of the kids at Jones Cottage, because I suspect many of them have never truly been heard by someone, and they deserve to. After the activity, it was refreshing to get a conversation going with one of the members of my own group, with whom a genuine friendship has flourished, where we could talk about what we had just witnessed. 

Pedro

New Insights

Our first Summit class of the spring semester really got things started off in a unique way. In learning about diversity, I think each one of us learned something new about each other, even the people that we live with. I think the activities that we did really brought to light how diverse even just our class did. I think it helped make me a better leader because it reminded me to never assume that people always share the same opinions that I do. It's our experiences in life that make us who we are and it's very important to respect that as we grow in our relationships with others. I also think that it will help our Summit group be able to connect with the kids at Boys and Girls Town more as long as we stay patient and let the kids develop and be who they are.

The link to the Boys and Girls Town is http://www.bgtm.org/index.htm and their mission statement is:
"To reshape vulnerable lives through a community of partners, teachers and leaders, giving children and families the confidence to create bright futures."

If you want to get involved with this great organization and meet some of these great kids we really encourage you to visit: http://www.bgtm.org/donate/waystogive.htm
These kids really can benefit from anything you are willing to give and we all believe it will make a positive difference in their lives.  

Jordan Mason

First Summit Class

The first Summit class of the semester got things started quite well.  I'm sure we all left the class with new insight on both how we treat others as well as how we've been treated throughout life ourselves.  The speaker did a wonderful job of making us feel comfortable and open with each other before lining us up for an activity called "Cross the Line."  This activity was not nearly as light-hearted as I was expecting going into it.  Things got very personal very quickly, and sometimes forced people to step out of their comfort zone when it came to matters very close to their heart.  Although it was not necessarily a pleasant experience, the point of the activity came across quite clearly.  We are all much more similar than may be obvious in day-to-day life.  Every one of us has felt pain, just as every one of us has felt triumph.  Walking away from the presentation, I feel as though it is much easier for me to understand that people's actions are based on too many internal factors for one to judge outright.  We are all human.  We all make mistakes, we all feel pain, and we all have brought someone down when we could have lifted them up.  It's about time we start rethinking how we look at ourselves and others.

Ryan Coleman