#37

After reading this poem, and knowing a little bit of Nelson Mandela's background, I can see how he could really relate to it. He went through so much, just for standing up for what he believed in. In the poem, it says "In the fell clutch of circumstance, I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance, my head is bloody, but unbowed." I feel that this verse really described his life. When the opportunity to stand up for what he believed in arose, he chased it, and although it resulted in him being thrown in jail, he still stood up for it. Although he went through so much emotional distress after almost 26 years in prison, he still kept strong for what he believed in, even though he could have just as easily given up to be set free.

#36

I think that this anonymous story is very fitting. It not only wraps the MetoWe book up, but it also wraps up leadership class. Leadership class has been very MetoWe oriented, and it's taught me, personally, to reach out and help whenever I can, and to become more selfless. The main things that really stuck with me in it are that everyone gets a gentle "push" when a situation arises which we can help someone in. Although I don't feel that my "big moment" has come yet, I think that after reading this book, and learning everything that I have in leadership class, I will be well equipped, not only with knowledge, but the mindset to really make a difference, and to approach it in the most effective way possible.

#35

This story was absolutely amazing. It amazed me how he could forgive the man who took his right hand from him, and shake his hand using his left hand. That amazed me. I think that Santosh's mindset was that, yeah, my hand is gone, but I have to just keep living life and make use of what I've got. The fact that he taught himself to use his left hand for everything like writing and make wooden statues, and is going back to school is amazing. I don't think most people could overcome what he has, and continue to live their life with the same positive mindset that he has.

#34

The Mr. Williams that I know is a man named Hue. I work along side of Hue at the Thamesford Recreational Centre. Hue is one of the most selfless and generous people I know. Whether it be him looking out for my safety, or bringing me a hot chocolate, or even something as simple as sharing that smile of his. I'm really blessed to work along side him, and to have developed a strong friendship with him over the past four years. He is not only like this for me, but he's the same man around everyone else; sincere, generous and selfless.

#32

After reading the first page and a half, my heart sank for Lindsay. To have to be put through her mother going through the stages of cancer, twice, was just horrible. But then as I read the rest of the story, my spirits lifted, not only because her mother was okay, but because Lindsay realized, through such a simple thing as a run, that she could pick herself up and keep going, even when times are hard, and that she realized she needs to spend time with the ones she loves because we never know when or what terrible diseases could possibly attack them. It really made me realize that I need to spend more time with my family, and the ones that mean the most to me.

#31

Victor Frankl says that life ultimately means "taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual." I agree with this statement. I feel that we can't just sit around and live our lives without trying to make an effort to find out ways to solve the problems life throws at us. After all, if we don't accept the problems that we face, and live our lives and take risks, our lives would be nothing but boring. As well, although we don't always find the solutions to the problems we face, sometimes we learn from the problems, and prevent more from happening in the future.

#33 We're a minga!

A time that I remember now, and will remember for the rest of my life when leadership class became a minga was when we took charge of Walk for Wade as a class. It was really amazing how we all came together to work to achieve a goal that we had set for ourselves. I believe that it really benefited Wade, and I feel that it also benefited our class. Not only were we helping a fellow peer, and friend, but we were also learning how to be more selfless and see how much we can achieve if we work together. It felt really good to see how much we could accomplish, and I think that we should reach out and try to become a minga as often as we can.

#30 Coach Carroll

Coach Carroll is a very participative leader. Coach Carroll goes into some of the most dangerous neighborhoods, riddled with gangs and violence. While knowing about the possible threats for violence against him, he regularly visits dangerous neighborhoods and reaches out to them by showing them a different way of life and makes them feel accepted by bringing them onto the football field to watch his team practice, and to practice with them. I think that this plays a big role in their lives, and I'm sure he's changed many lives by reaching out like this.

#29 The Last Lecture

This story really made me rethink my own personal values and how I should be spending my time. I found it amazing that this man could get on stage in front of millions of people and tell the story of his life and his personal values. I found it saddening that he wrote the lecture for his kids as his children won't grow up to know him by more than this lecture that he gave on Oprah. It really made me realize that I really do need to cherish every moment and live every day like it's my last, because we really never do know when our time is up.

#28 pg 180 one lesson from Joe Opatowski's life and death

One lesson that can be learned from Joe Opatowski's life and experiences is that everyone finds happiness in different ways. Some people find it from other people, some people find it from arts such as music and dance, some people find it by peace and tranquility. In Joe's case, he had very good people skills, and when he learned how to use them efficiently and properly, it resulted in a happiness he had never felt before. I think that if we all dig a little deeper into ourselves, we can each find a unique way that helps bring happiness to both ourselves and other people through the characteristics and skills we were either born with or have developed from life experiences. I believe that there are two types of happiness: #1) artificial happiness, and #2) true happiness. Artificial happiness comes and goes when we want it to. We look to things to bring us a sense of belonging or acceptance, even though deep down we know that its not true happiness. True happiness, on the other hand, is something that we eventually find on our own. It's not made up, and it's not fake, and it brings such a personal satisfaction when we finally find it. I believe that every single person will, or has found a unique type of true happiness, and that we should learn to harness it and reflect it into other people's lives, just like Joe Opatowski has.

#27 Oprah's Story

Personally, I am not a big fan of Oprah. I think that what her and her show does for people is amazing, but I think that the motives for her "good deeds" are wrong. I think that good deeds should be done anonymously, because good deeds should not be done to gain popularity by other people. I think that what she does on her show is mostly to keep her show on the air and to keep people watching. Although she gives a lot away, by giving a lot away, she's also making a lot of money not only from her show, but from books, etc.

#26 the cars in the Bronx , NYC (poor) and in Palo Alto, California (rich)

Like the story said, we immediately predetermine our opinions based on factors such as geography, in this case, however, it just goes to show that we can't always discriminate a group of people living in a certain area or expect them to perform certain acts. In this case, in the Bronx, the majority of the people who vandalized the car were people who were well dressed or drove cars themselves. The part about the Father, the eight-year-old son, and the Mother all working together to steal parts from the car shocked me. I believe that the over all message of the story is don't judge individual people based on where they live or things that happen in the area that they might live in, because it could be the complete opposite type of person performing the crimes.

#25 what can IDCI learn from Monarch Park Collegiate?

When I read this story, it gave me goosebumps. I think that IDCI could learn a lot from this. It just goes to show that no matter where we come from, or how little money we have, or how little cooperation we have with each other, when it boils down to helping those less fortunate then us, or someone who is in need of immediate assistance, most people feel the need to help. It amazes me that a school this diverse, and crime stricken can stand together and raise enough money to send $32,000 worth of supplies to South Asia and Africa after a tsunami. I think that even though they are less fortunate and wealthy than us, they raised this much money because Cheryl's story showed some of the students that living conditions for other kids around the world can sometimes be ten times as worse as the living conditions that some of the students have to live in. I just found this story really inspirational and amazing!

#24 safe schools

I think that the play went really good. I think that overall message being delivered was easily understood by most of the students, and I think that they enjoyed it. The only thing that I would have changed about the play itself was probably the song at the beginning. After the play, when we went and talked to the students, we had a lot of good feedback and participation. The students had a lot of good ideas on how we can help improve our views on bullying and what we can do to prevent it. There was one student in the class who really participated a lot, and I think that the play really spoke to him because he came up with a lot of good ideas and encouraged his class mates to do the same. I believe that these plays play a big role in encouraging students to stand up against bullying and that we should have a play every year for the new students at IDCI.

#23 think pink

I think that "Think Pink" was a great success this year! I think its a very crucial part of school life and building awareness to different issues that occur every day in our school. Doing big group activities, even as simple as everyone wearing a pink shirt, really does a lot to build awareness to issues like this, and it really just goes to show the power that one voice can really have, and how much of an impact we can make if we all stand together. I think that we should continue to support and participate in Think Pink in the future.

#21...lions and tigers and zebras...oh my..

I thought this was really cool! I'd never heard, or even thought of a zebra's stripes playing such a key role in their survival. But really, humans are the same way. I like to think of the zebra with the red spot on it as a target for a bully, and the lion as the bully. In a crowd, the first thing a bully usually looks for is a physical or mental characteristic, because then it's easier to attack them. But if you take that dot away, and look at what all the zebras can do if they stick together, they can overcome an attack from a lion (or a bully in our case). It just goes to show that standing up for those in need, or working together as a team, we can overcome or beat the lion, whether the lion is a bully, or a world issue such as hunger, or even something as simple as the fear to stand up against what is wrong. Together we can make a difference.

#20 Kim..Mike...and Brenda..three more me to we heroes

Personally, I find Kim's story inspiring. I love hearing about success stories based on personal experiences such as Kim who realized that a child her age was being forced into child labour in order to make the clothes that she was wearing. At such a young age of 11, it's amazing that she could attract so much media attention to the issue and collect 6000 signatures to stop child labour. I believe that her actions have truly made a large impact on child labour in other countries. With so much media attention, change is imminent. I also find it amazing that even after four years, she still had the courage and strength to continue finding signatures to end child labour. It really sparked a question in me: If she can make such a difference in the world, why can't I too?

#16 Back To The Book

Surviving Survivor

The story Surviving Survivor really made me think about "reality" TV and how it not only corrupts the viewers, but also the participants. Yeah, the show brought fame and fortune to the "Survivor friend," however the show still carried on in his life. I think its amazing that even participating on a reality show can affect your life so much. It even forced him to the point of dropping everything and moving to Ecuador for a year just to get away from the corrupt life he'd began to live. I think that the fact that he moved to Ecuador changed his whole perspective on his life and I think that it really made him rethink his personal values. It not only amazes him, but it amazes me also that in areas such as Ecuador where supplies and food and shelter are scarce, the people still have welcoming hearts and are still very generous. If we look in North America, however, we are very greedy and selfish, yet we are, for the most part, a very blessed and wealthy country. I think that if we tried to be more selfless like that of the Ecuadorian people, we would live much happier and peaceful lives.

#22 Belonging

To be completely honest, the group that I feel most connected to besides my family, is everybody in Leadership class! They've really helped open my eyes to so many things, and it's just interesting to hear everybody's story. When we sit in a circle and share different things about our lives, I learn so many new things about people I'd never known before. As well, they've really taught me to be more outgoing and to just be myself! They've really inspired me to be there for other people as they have all been there for me. Leadership class has also helped build new strong friendships with people I might never have had the chance or opportunity to meet outside of it.

#18 the blue and white overnight

I think that everything we've done so far (making posters and putting them in the cafeteria, and going into every class and presenting about the blue and white overnight) has really helped promote the Blue and White Overnight, and I have a feeling that there will be a good turn out. I think that there should be announcements every day about not just "The Blue and White Overnight" as a generalized thing, but I think that we should promote some of the activities that will be taking place as well so that people will know what to expect for this year's event. As for money making activities, I think that a raffle (sell tickets for a dollar or so each) for something could work. Also, competitions for prizes, for example a "who can throw a ball closest to the centre circle of the gym game wins", could also work. We could charge a dollar to enter, and everybody gets one throw, but they all have to throw at the same time, and whoever gets it closest to the centre circle wins.

#17 back to the book

Personally, I feel that empathy is the most important skill we possess in order to go from "me" to "we." Everybody has their own story, and sometimes people get discouraged when people try to help them because they have no common ground with that person. The person just attempts to make a difference in their life, but with no commonality, they're just doing what everyone else is capable of doing. But when somebody goes out of their way to learn about that person and their problems and achieves a common ground with them, I feel that much greater things can be done to change that person because they now feel that they can talk to or relate to that person straight up, rather than being "assigned" a generalized problem and having people try to help them using prior knowledge of that problem, whereas now they can relate to them and help them based on their own individual needs.

#15 blue and white overnight

I think a big scavenger hunt would be a lot of fun. It's easy to set up, and can be a great time filler. The scavenger hunt could be done in teams of four, but each team would only have on sheet of paper with the items on it to make it more difficult so they don't have much of a choice but to work together. The items that could be used could be anything from a metal spoon to a red sock. There is really no preparation needed, only the list of items. The items do not have to be hidden, but at a camp I help out at in the summer, it was amazing to see where some of the teams found their items. Just an idea!

#13 The Roseto Mystery

I think that the Roseto Mystery was very interesting. I think that the main reason behind the mystery is community involvement, independence, and cooperation. To begin with, all of the communities around them had bad cases of heart disease, whereas this independent group of immigrants did not. Since they only have themselves to depend on, they must work together as a community to complete a task rather then working individually. This could possibly result in their good health, because they are working more as a team, and they don't have to deal with as much stress as if they were working by themselves. They are all coming from the same past experiences, and thus they all have the same views and similar opinions, so no one's opinion is frowned upon, and everyone is looked at as equal. As well, since they have to work together, they would have to avoid fighting and arguing, and these things cause stress, and stress is very bad for the heart. Without stress, the heart does not get damaged like those of the other surrounding communities, and thus they have healthier hearts. I found this story very interesting, and it really makes me take a look at our community and wonder what we could do to change our lives and live healthier lives like the Roseto people.

#19 Pay It Forward... The Movie

I love this movie, and the concept. I thought it was very well done. I saw this movie when it first came out, and I've watched it around three times since. I think that it is such a simple concept, and completely realistic in my opinion. After all, doing three simple deeds for three complete stranger can't be that hard. The only unrealistic thing about the movie, I felt, is how every deed fell right into place perfectly, such as the homeless man, or the grandmother helping the thief. I think that if every person attempted to perform this simple yet courageous idea, the world would get just a little bit friendlier; however, expecting that everyone would at least attempt this feat would be completely unrealistic!

#14 A Spring Clean Up

I think a Spring clean up would be a win-win situation for everybody. I think it would be a great way to help the environment, and if everyone pitched in a little bit, we could all help make the world a better place to live in. As well, with the money we raise as a class, we could also raise over $500 to Me to We if we all participated. This would be a great character-building experience for us all; not to mention it would be fun, because although we're cleaning, we're cleaning with our friends, and almost anything can be fun if you're doing it with your friends!

#11 me to we pg 46

I think that it's amazing that only 10% stopped. I would have thought that a lot more would have, because at the end of the day, we're all human, and things such as making a class on time doesn't seem as important as helping someone who is in dire need of help. I think that this wouldn't be a proper study when looking at how the general population would react. I think that a lot of these students would have stopped, but they were probably preoccupied and were racing to get to class, and weren't even paying attention to their surroundings. They might not all have even seen him, although some of them had to step over them. I personally think that much more than 10% should have stopped. Maybe after hearing the lesson on "The Good Samaritan," their values may have changed, and maybe this would have affected their decision that they made earlier that day.

#6: Marc's Story

Marc's story has to reflect one of the biggest acts of selfless living I have ever heard of. He could have lived the most luxurious, stress-free, debt free life in an instant; yet he gave it all away in regards to the needs of others. Truly amazing. He got to experience, first hand, the devastation of AIDS in Thailand, when a man died, who was under Marc's care, and all Marc could do was hold his hand and watch him die. I think this was his personal turning point, and when he started to have second thoughts on what he should and shouldn't do with his life. The party that he was invited to by the boy from the Klong Toey slums also helped influence his decision, I feel. It's still amazing to me how he had the complete choice between fortune, and a less fortunate life, and he chose the less fortunate life, just to help others. Without Marc's crucial decision, and strong influence on his brother, Craig, I don't think that Me to We would have evolved into what it has today.

#8: Keith's Story

Keith's story was almost as inspiring as Craig's story! I found it amazing how when someone who was struggling themselves financially (with student loans, living expenses, etc), made an effort to reach out to those in need even under the circumstances! I can only imagine how good it must have felt when he first put Modest Needs into play by writing that cheque for the $78 car insurance bill that a mid-west United States man couldn't pay by himself. Keith said that the feeling he felt was "unlike anything he's ever experienced," and I'd really like to experience that feeling some day myself too. Also, the story about buying the boy born with Irlen's syndrome new glasses, and how he could finally see his own mother brought a smile to my face, because it's amazing how something so simple, such as a pair of glasses, can make such a difference in a family's life, all because of selfless living.

Blog #12: Stand By Me | Playing For Change | Song Around the World

Youtube Video Link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExM
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This video is so inspiring! It shows that everyone can unite and share something in common; even if they're on the other side of the world. The music unites the world as one, and for a moment in time, all of our differences and different lifestyles are thrown away. It makes us realize that at the end of the day, we really are all the same, and that we can depend on each other in our times of need. I also chose this video, because I really like the song, and I thought everyone played amazing in it. The organization, PlayingForChange, encourages world peace and understanding through music. I think that anyone who watches this video will never forget it and will feel the same way about it that I do. I was first shown this video last year in music class, and I still haven't forgot about it. It truly is a great reminder of how important equality and peace really is for all of us.

Blog #10: so this happiness thing..follow up from survey in #9

Happiness is such a broad word, and its definition differs from person to person. Personally, I have several definitions for it. Firstly, I feel that happiness is a complete decision made by a person individually. One must pursue happiness, and not wait for it to find them first, because it won't. This is crucial in order to experience and enjoy self happiness to the fullest. One would recognize it by things such as warming smiles, giving, sharing, love, selfless acts, or just an all around positive person, and encouraging person to be around. If I were given $500 right now, I would invest it, and begin saving for my future. Although this sounds selfish, I feel that if I were to save this $500, and turn it into, say, $2000 eventually, I could still have that original $500 that I saved, and have $1500 more for things such as helping the less fortunate. If I were given $5000, I would do something similar to if I were given $500, but I would probably only invest half, and donate the other half to someone less fortunate than myself. If I were given $50000, I would definitely donate a fair amount to charity, save half or more for my future, and have a little bit of fun.

A very wise man once said:

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.

Mahatma Gandhi

Blog #9: The World Values Survey

The results of the world values survey did not surprise me. I feel that since poverty stricken countries do not have the time or money for technology and pass times, they have more time for family and friends, unlike North America. In North America, we're constantly bombarded with technology and new things to distract us from our social lives and family; not to mention debt. With money comes debt, and with debt comes stress, and with stress comes unhappiness. But to even think about taking all of that away and living a simpler life seems crazy, but in poverty stricken countries, that's all they've lived and grown to know.

Blog #7: IDCI is...

a lifestyle! Every day, hundreds of students follow the same routine beginning with school at IDCI. Although some people don't like going to school, others do, and having IDCI as a school just makes the experience that much better. The spirit at this school is unbelievable! It's unlike any other school I've ever been to. There are also tons of ways to get involved such as in sports, music, spirit and the community! The teachers are also all very knowledgeable and friendly. I think that IDCI is best known for it's active participation in community events, spirit and sports. It could improve, in my opinion, by giving the students more of an opportunity to voice their opinions and give their ideas both anonymously and publicly! IDCI is a great school!

Blog #5: Kim's Story

The picture of Kim not only shocked me, but it shocked everyone else in my class. It was hard to believe that people could be that cruel to innocent people. Seeing a young girl running clotheless in pain really makes you wonder what the point of war and fighting really is. So many innocent people are hurt or killed in the act, and it's not even their fight! Although the picture is disturbing, I think that it was a "wake up" call for many people, and that it made people second guess what the point of all the fighting really was. I think that without this picture being published, the outcome of the war would have been completely different, and it might have even affected our lives today.

Blog #4: The power of half

This story was absolutely inspiring! It's something I've always thought about, but something I don't think I'd ever have the strength to do; not to mention my parents would probably laugh at the idea. I actually ended up talking to my dad about the story, and how much it affected me. He jokingly asked me if I wanted to do it, but I told him I don't think I could, as rewarding as it would be. I think it's amazing that someone who's been so blessed in life would want to give up half of what they owned to help others. I also think that it's amazing that her parent's agreed to participate as well. Although this story has inspired me, I don't think that I will end up giving half of what I own away, but I will definitely start giving more to those in need.

Blog #3

Craig is such an inspiration to us all! He really made me realize how just an average person can make such a difference in so many lives. I think it's pretty amazing how a 12 year old can read an article in the news paper and bring it up infront of his friends and join together to make a difference. Iqbal, the boy who inspired Craig, deserves just as much credit as Craig, I feel. He began the whole Child Labour Rights movement, and his death was the beginning of something so great, that it would change the lives of so many people.

blog #2

This guy was hilarious, and so right! He really made me realize how much society has grown dependent on receiving things instantaneously, and if people end up having to wait longer than expected, they complain, which is ridiculous. It's amazing how far technology has progressed in such a short period of time to make our every day lives easier. However, I feel that we can't completely blame today's society for their impatience when it comes to technology as most people have been born or raised in a time of changing technology, so really, it's all that they have grown to know. It's hard for us to compare how things used to be with how things are today.

Blog #1: Canadian Hand Print Flags

The Canadian hand print flags were fun to make. The hardest part, I think was making the maple leaf in the middle. Several people stepped up to the plate and took control which was cool to see. There were also many people who waited on someone to take control and give them a job to do. Everyone got along and worked together using their own unique ideas and skills. For example, one member of our group thought of the idea of folding a piece of paper, then tracing their hand, and then cutting out the tracing which made eight hand prints at once, instead of one. This was a great ice breaking activity!