Sasha stated on board of plane her personal reflection of this retreat in three words:
Passion + Progress = Peace. The phrase that says it all for Carmen is Trust in Peace at the Heart of Service.
We did not have time to blog because we had such full days, sleep came quickly. We also did not have free Internet connection in our rooms. It was nice to concentrate on person to person talking and building community with each other and the retreat participants.
The group did a lot of informal sharing, reflecting, and planning on board of planes, vans, and during our last dinner together at the Embassy Suites Hotel overlooking the bay. For next near, I will strongly consider staying a day after the retreat at the Embassy Suites. If a special educator's rate is available, 3 people can stay in each room. I will ask for all meals to be included in the price of the stay. This hotel has a beautiful view and a walking or running track next to the ocean.
Sharing ideas on board of plane to San Francisco: (Dr. Nanda's notes) Updates in Italics
Build Relationship with Faculty through kindness
-Birthday list, Giant Faculty card delivered on b-days, signed by all faculty with best wishes. Maybe a b-day cake and punch every other month. Dr Nanda is taking care of this.
-Once a month informal meetings for faculty to share, by departments maybe, at a private home. Dr. Nanda is considering leading this effort. The 6bptp group will meet once at least to cook egg rolls and have a check-in. We hope to have a reflective time with administrators shortly after school begins. Part of the team should have a chapel presentation before Haru comes on September 21. Update: We met once during the Xmas break, but just the teachers. Josh and Sasha 's personal challenges took them away from YAC. Sarah went to college and seems to be adjusting well.
-Imagination House ?? It was in Dr. Nanda's notes, but I was not part of this conversation.
Building Community at our School-On board of plane conversation
-What do I owe my community? Chapel talks, Random Acts of Kindness, attend theatre performances, Hope Trunks, Memorial speakers. Carmen brought the HOPE Trunks from the OKC Memorial Musem to focus on kindess over violence for the first two weeks of school. She will try to bring as many PEACE ONE DAY series http://www.peaceoneday.org/en/welcome at chapel. Their 1-2 minute videos are inspiring. Longer documentaries to share with parents could be part of a film series. Time is the challenge! Update: Hope trunks were just introduced this year. Next year I hope to have a teacher retreat at the Memorial before school starts funding provided. Mrs. Crossno took the 6bptp and hope trunk to greatness in her advisories. The Memorial Museum is planning to have a retreat for administrators this summer. I hope Casady administrators will attend.
-Headmaster speeches- Once a Week, Leadership in describing what is he Casady community. Dr. Nanda and Mr. Bright had a conversation regarding this area. Dr. Nanda recommended administrative attendance to the retreat next year. Update: The administrative chapel speeches are about creativity and daily challenges.
-Middle School and Lower School: Senior Speeches Carmen will speak to Father Blizzard about a greater intentionality on this area. The challenge is that the seniors will be missing class time, maybe speeches could be taken to chapels during the week the seniors call "death week." Update: No chapel speeches yet
-Faculty encourage to speak...Father Blizzard encouraged, "Tell Your Story...In the Beginning" at first chapel. Some of the stories have been inspiring!
-Chapel speeches about the history of the school - Mr. and Mrs. Gill could be a great resource, maybe we should take their story as part of NPR Story Corps. Nothing has been done in this area yet. I will talk to the Gills about this for National Volunteer Week!
-Lower Division coming to Middle Division and Upper Division Pinwheels for Peace example, 4th grade project! 5 years running. UPDATE: Primary, LD, MD will make pinwheels. In the Upper Division, some of the art and foreign language classes will make pinwheels. YAC will make a giant pinwheel in collaboration with the stage craft and art club. GALES will make pinwheels. T-shirts for all pinwheel makers and perhaps for the whole school possible. Update: We needed to have used this to get the UD kids excited about making pinhweels. Maybe next year, if administrators allows PW in UD.
-Marketing Casady: Strenghts: Pre-K to 12th, Music Program Marketing musical performers through service to community events, example Casady Pinwheels at UCO, Casady Performers at UCO, International Day of Peace Celebration. Update: Marketing had a recuitment of new students agenda this year. They did a great job with the weekly video.
- Build Connections with Blake School, connect to other 6bptp resources after the retreat: Youth2Youth, Unity (Blayne Roundtree), connect to 21st Centuty Skills. Sarah has not responded to e-mail communication. We have to set a date to connect to Unity: YAC and the Multicultural Club. Have not contacted Y2Y. Update: Sarah's fee is $2,000+ expenses and travel. Communicated with UNITY, but will contact them again for Multicultural Week.
-Bring Hiroshima Peace Concept, Pearl Harbor Day Remembered; Bring Clydia as a guest speaker. Sing children Peace song in Chapel. We will have a Manga Origami Peace Matinee, September 12: Family Volunteering. We will make the first of 1,000 paper cranes that we hope Clydia will take to Hiroshima as our ORIGAMI HOPE FOR PEACE. Update: the matinee had 60 participants. We will do it again next year. We made 250 cranes and the International Club in MD is considering making the rest
Reflection on board of van, return trip to San Francisco:
Why 6bptp for Casady? How 6bptp at Casady?
Why?
-It is natural. It is authentic. It is the ideal model. It makes sense. Illuminates the smalles and greatest acts. It focuses on small genuine connections.
-It is a way to create community. We talk about it, we want it. 6bptp can help us create it linking all aspects of the school, focusing on our commonalities: Gales, Service, Theatre, Football. Peace and Kindness are expressed in different ways, but the ideas evolve naturally. It is obvious and natural. We have been working hard to do this!
-It is the type of education our children deserve. Kids need help bringing their inner goodness through service. For some, we will plant a seed, for others, we will see transformation.
-Enhances communication if done right. Helps teachers approach students in a kind, creative way. It helps teachers use story telling like Mr. Moore. It helps teachers approach students learning style. It allows teachers to do interdisciplinary work. Brings fun, games, PLAY into learning. Makes teaching 21st Century Skills a path to peace. It is naturally embedded in the language classes.
-It can bring willing parental involvement -Family Service Night
How? Peace could be integrated to everything we do at school
Chapel program. It exists. It does not compete with anything. Its role is an introduction with faculty follow up as role models.
Administrative Buy in: Students relate retreat findings to Mr. Huestis, etc.. Kindness and service become a priority throughout the school. Parents and teachers will like it because it teaches students how to do something productive without fundraising.
New Teacher Orientation: Intentionally done at comment writing class as a personal story. Intentionally invite adminstration to hear reflection. Give 6bptp cards to teachers.
Kindness over Conflict in drama productions: Connect Mrs. Crossno with Hayley Thompson. Look at curriculum for the next 6 weeks. Make kindness part of the school's essential question or overarching goal.
Marketing 6bptp in September: Promote it with all departments. Support the work of all departments. Provide 6bptp cards set to department heads. Connect kindness and 6bptp to Pinwheels for Peace and Hope Trunk. August 17-21: Connected to division heads and teachers to increase the number of students making Pinwheels for Peace and for buildings to receive the HOPE Trunks. YOU TUBE videos about PEACE ONE DAY.
YAC, STUCO, LOCK-IN: Presentation of 6bptp during FEDEX Time, Movie Pay it Forward discussion. Intentionality of purpose at all meeting. Creation of Freshman Lock-in and/or retreat. CPO collaboration in funding, Service-Learning budget to bring one or two trainers (Sarah, UNITY, and Y2Y). Find grant funding and donnors.
Speeches, Videos, Partnerships: Inspirational You Tube videos, speakers, alumni. Interfaith service that focus on the commonalities of the religions. Partening with community organizations with similar missions: OKC Memorial Museum, Shinnyo-en Foundation, Haru coming from San Francisco on September 21 to speak at chapels. 6bptp team speaking at chapel
Daily Interactions: Being kindner. Creating atmospheres where it is safe to take risks, where all are nurtured, and feel safe. Providing a balance of trust and risk, peace and solving conflict with kindness.
Freshman Retreat or Lock-In: Leadership for a cause. Bring Y2Y, Sarah, Unity ideas to the process. Find funding to bring the facilitators. Make things simple, fun. "People have to want to do it." This is a class that will welcome a lock-in because they have not had one before. Some parents do not allow kids to stay overnight. They could be picked-up at 1:00 a.m. Lock-in could be in combination with a parent party after a home football game. Retreat could be on a Saturday during the day! at the gym.
Tag people doing something nice: Competition doing acts of kindness, stress the act, not the person who did it because many will go unreported. Have competitions within clubs: Gales, Football, etc. and faculty. Have and inspirational speaker be the leader (have some control over the story teller): Mr. Scovillle, Mr. Bottomly, Dr. Gerard. It could start one Friday at Chapel. Communication could be done via daily announcements at chapel and via bulletin board and Student Center announcement board. Reward positive behavior system
Intentional Conversations with: Club sponsors, STUCO, CPO (Make Pinwheels, Report Acts of Kindness, create a positive behavior system that rewards the actions, not the person)
Family Service Night (Blake School): Service projects at tables that families can do together, kind of like BINGO night, a gathering with a higher purpose, fun and social.
M & M Activity-Questions (Led by the person who experienced it: Who do you love, need, what does peace mean to you, what blocks your peace?)
Quotes: This is a work that will outlast me
YAC FEDEX TIME: Place pinwheels, Hope Trunk, Six Billion Paths to Peace on the agenda and see where students take it. View Pay it Forward and see what changes the movie motivates.
ONE OKC 6BPTP MEMBER Reteat EXPERIENCE recount:
Thursday, August 12: The flights to San Francisco were on time and we met Clydia at the airport. The shuttle took a few minutes. We arrived at our hotel without delay. At check-in, we realized that the Casady credit card could be charged directly which made getting our hotel rooms and checking out a breeze. Thank you to the Casady business office for the work they will have to do collecting money for the cost of the rooms from Dr. Nanda (2 rooms), Sarah's parents (one room), and Dr. Clydia Forehand (one room).
Thanks to the generosity of Dr. Nanda's donation for this trip, a taxi-van took the group to Fisherman's Wharf and had a great tour of San Francisco for $125 for a group of 7. We ate at a lovely restaurant recommended by Clydia, who travels to San Francisco on a yearly basis due to her work with Keeping Score. We went to bed with a smile because of the joy with which Mrs. Crossno took every inch of San Francisco. The fog was thick at first, but as we drove into the city it cleared and Mrs. Crossno was like a kid in candy land. She enhanced the beauty of San Francisco with her joy of being there.
Friday, August 13: Ate a great breakfast at Red Roof Inn. The room was clean. It has close proximity to the hotels with ocean front. I walked early in the morning and discovered the Embassy Suites where I hope to stay next year. We took a van to Marconi. The driver went from unpleasant to helpful. We asked him to take us to a restaurant close to Marconi, which for $10 plus tip provided by Clydia, he reluctantly did. The restaurant was lovely and after the meal, sharing a ride with a friend of Mrs. Patterson, and returning to recover a forgotten video camera, we checked-in our rooms.
3:00: Opening: Haru, Henry, Ineko, Abby, and Kim(Introduction of Home Group Facilitators) They all had inspirational speeches, but what stayed in my memory is Yo soy el otro tu, tu eres mi otro yo. These words, in Spanish, by Henry Lozano brought to light the reflective and mirror like connections we have as human beings. He also mentioned that Peace at the Heart of Service was the original name of Six Billion Paths to Peace, which is about to change to Seven Billion Paths to Peace according to Haru. Ineko, Abby, and Kim did a great job, but the presence and character of Liane and Youth Serve California were missed.
3:25: Values of 6bptp through movement by Sarah Crowell from Destiny Arts (scrowell@destinyarts.org; 510-597-1619, ext. 102). Sarah did an incredible job building relationships with a group of 70 people. She invited us to look for a partner. She asked to share how we found that partner. Then, Sarah asked us to start listening to each other as we found 3 things we had in common, and one in which we were different. The discovery was quick and effective. Sarah took time to ask groups to share their findings. She helped us build trust by asking us to face each other and place our palms close, but not touching. Then. Sarah asked the groups to close our eyes. Sarah asked to think about that space in between our palms; the space of our commonalities as humans, the space of our connectivity in peace, harmony, and trust. Sarah asked the groups to described to each other how that space felt. "The space between our palms felt warm, nurturing. and embracing." To start collaborating, she asked one member of the group to be a leader. The leader's task was to make something the other member of the group would have to mimic. The follower was the mirror of the leader. Sarah connected to Henry's speech which made the activity even more relevant and engaging. It was fun, warm, and silly at the same time. Finally the leader became the follower, and the task was to make a sculpture of the partner. I found out that my partner was a gardener, therefore, I froze her in a gardening pose.
Then, Sarah asked to expand our connectivity and from a group of two we grew into a group of four. The new team had to create movement for Person #1: Give, Person # 2: Grow, Person# 3Transform, Person #4 Had to add transitions between words. It was amazing what the groups created as they explored and began to own the mission of the Shinnyo-en Foundation.
4:05 Six Billion Paths to Peace Presentation by Shinnyo-en Fellows We heard about their projects quickly. I wish we had a written summary like we did last year.
4:20 Introduction of Roots and Fruits. Heart of service, Home Groups by Kim Keller (kim@cocreatewithkim.com, 541-201-0168, 541-326-2007) A creative way to introduce the home group facilitators, but I do not remember details. I have asked Kim to send me her process for facilitators because she trained them well. They were young, enthusiastic, and quick to problem solve. They did a great job creating a nurturing environment where we trusted and shared as well as learned about the Six Billion Paths to Peace. Kim worked in collaboration with Y2Y and Unity.
I was surprised that no cards or t-shirts were given at this retreat. I thought the Home Groups would have been the best venue to look over those cards. I was also surprised that they did not choose to share the Blake School experience with the Six Billion Paths to Peace cards. It would have been a concrete way to demonstrate what could be applicable to receptive environments where time is allocated for this type of activity. Maybe it is not time ITS yet??
4:30 First Home Group Meetings. Introductions: Shares name, where we came from, and something we were good at. Then we worked on guidelines of interaction. (I was surprised to see this process at Marconi, but after a few hours I would understand why. My life guidelines trust, love, balance, and integrity. I am still working on the concrete behaviors of my life guideliness.
After the guidelines, we did an art activity: Post-it notes in the shape of fruits, roots made of paper for values. Supplies: Big post-it note paper, small post-it notes, roots to write on, markers, glue. We made a tree of our values and how those values helped us learn, grow, and maybe transformed through service.
5:45: Late arrivals room check-in
6:15 Dinner We made a connection with Nan and her team. We discussed the Casady Program. I concluded that we need to define the mission of the service program with input from all areas of the school. There has to be buy-in from the administrators and it has to become part of the culture of the school. We were advised to be more focused, less fundraising, more school wide projects. The Blake School Family Service Night was mentioned several times as fun, social, and service focused. Several service possibilities available for parents and students to do together. We will have tea time Origami Peace Hope in September to advocate kindness over violence as part of our September 11 remembered. We are also planning to bring HOPE Trunks from the OKC Memorial Museum. I will also check with the museum to see if they have a Sept.11-April 19 exhibit of the kindness provided at both venues. The exhibit could be displayed at the Library, Student Center, and Community Room. I could also see if there could be a pannel of OKC Memorial Museum for Parents with Hayley's group having a performance for our community.
8:10 Small Group Presentations
-Kim Keller - India
-Jody Kennedy - White Plains NY We heard about her teleconferencing service. The Casady teens were at this presentation, when asked why, they responded because it was the closest to the dinning hall and it was cold outside. White Plains does not use the only resource I know we have at Casady for teleconferencing, SKYPE.
-Nan Peterson - Kenya Talked about her school's trip to Kenya where teachers went to look at the needs first and then the kids came with a plan of action to address the needs As a result, the Blake School children grew and transform as they gave and learned from the people who crossed their path to peace in Kenya.
-Steve Herrera -New Mexico Immersion Trip
8:40-11:00 Open Mic I was surprised but from the Casady team, only Clydia and I were at this activity. We sang, danced, and had a great time. If I am lucky to be selected one more time, I will bring cumbias, etc. This is a great opportunity to share "my dancing story" with willing participants. I learned about "running man" and even at this activity, I connected to the heart of the people with whom I was dancing.
Saturday, August 14
7:00 Yoga with Kim. It was a nice way to start the day, but I missed my morning walk and breakfast.
7:30 Breakfast
8:30 Large Group Meeting: Sign up for afternoon activities and announcements
8:45 Shinnyo-en Fellows Round Table Group Discussions: I wished there had been a written paper of their projects like it was last year. The projects were all worthwhile, but I do not remember details.
10:00 Break
10:15 Second Home Group Meeting: I was late because I had to find medicine and ice for Josh. Powerful interactive process. I hope to get handout from Kim or Jshon. We shared our "sacred object." I was surprised about the difference in interpretation of "sacred." Some were religious others spiritual, some utilitarian. All had in common that they provided a nurturing environment, a safe place. I was not in full presence at times because I was concerned about one of my youth members.
Then, the facilitators did the Step in, Step out activity in a circle. The choices given elevated this simple PE activity to a higher level. I hope to get the choices from Jshon or Kim. There was a lot of thought in the choices given. Then, Jshon asked us to lay on our backs and she asked us to give a word that first came to our mind after she mentioned a word. Connecting words could be repeated. It was an amazing exercise. To end, one of the home group members took us to a spiritual spot found at Marconi because it was part of her description of "sacred objects."
12:00 Lunch: Continued to network. Sat with Youth2Youth students. Great organization, amazing young people.
1:00 Barefoot Gen (A story of Hiroshima atomic bomb victims and survivors in animation) A very strong, yet sweet, and hopeful film. I hope to bring it to Casady as part of the advocacy for peace effort in 2012. This year I have OKC Memorial Hope Trunks, Pinwheels for Peace, http://www.pinwheelsforpeace.com/pinwheelsforpeace/home.html, and the manga and anime film from the Japan America Society. With the donations from the YAC Invitational we purchased the rights to show the DVD at any venue we wish.
3:20 Break
3:30 Small Group Activities
a. Peace Art /Drawing with Coco Mendoza
b. Art Making with Jody Kennedy
c. Ocean Hike with David Sponheim
d. Dancing with Sarah Crowell
e. Beach Walk for Home Group Facilitators
f. -Peace through Service-Japan Trip Blake School, Interesting to see how the Blake kids learned and transformed through direct interaction with the Hiroshima Peace Museum.
- Hawaii Lantern Floating with J'shon Lee, Victor Fuentes, Blayne Roundtree from Unity (http://unityinc.org/, jshonlee@hotmail.com; Victor Fuentes: 916-271-1388, ayevictor87@yahoo.com, UNITY in OKC: Physical Address: 500 N. Broadway, Suite 10, Oklahoma City, OK 73102. Mailing Address: P.O. Box 800, Oklahoma City, OK 73101, Phone: (405) 236-2800 (405) 236-2800 ; Fax: (405) 971-1071) It was an spiritual journey in which two faiths found harmonious communalities. I will like to have some sort of Lantern ceremony for my relatives ashes.
6:00 Dinner
7:15-11:00: Labyrinth Walk-Part II of "Barefoot Gen" Repeated for both groups. The most amazing connections were made at my third labyrinth. I love Kim's process of sending off, the Native American drums, lavander and the articles in the middle of the labyrinth: feathers, candle, image of a virgen with a heart in the middle. There were more, but I do not remember all. This is something one has to be there to understand.
Sunday, August 15
7:00 Breakfast Optional meeting regarding future collaborations: I was given the opportunity to test my path to peace and life guidelines of interaction, therefore I did not take advantage of this opportunity. I had a meaninful walk with Sarah first and then I chose to take time for myself in communion with the beautiful nature that surrounds this peaceful place.
8:25 Check-out from rooms
8: 30 Interfaith Pannel discussion: Co-exist, focus on the communalities! Amazing story tellers.
Valentina Khan - Muslim
Sandy -Jewish
Nurredina Walkman - Sufi
Steve Herrera- Catholic
Jerri Brunoe - Native American I want to get to know her
Haru Inouye - Buddhism
9:40 Peace Through Service: Trip to Hiroshima by Blake School, Interesting but a repeat presentation for me.
10:30 Break
10:40 Last Home Group Meeting: Creation of movement reflection. The process was fast because we all had strong ideas of what we needed to be our personal constribution to our reflection together. We walked (labyrinth). We use our hearts as drums (Peace at the Heart of Service). We stop to Connect (Yo soy el otro tu, tu eres el otro yo) and then, the gentle voice of one of our group members and our body movement connected to the mission of the retreat and every participant as we followed with our minds, bodies and souls: Give, Grow, Transform.
11:30 Celebration of Retreat with Home Groups Fruits Activities... by Kim Nice interactive way to reflect and demonstrate our personal and group learning to the bigger group. The creativity of all the groups was amazing.
11:45: Group Picture...Retreat Evaluation via e-mail
12:00 Final opportunity to check-out
12:15 Lunch...Talked to Nurredina Walkman about Life Prep 101 and 102. I need to follow-up with her.
1:15 Farewells
2:00-11:00 Return to hotel, dinner and group reflection on board of van and at restaurant
Monday, August 16: We flew all day due to plane malfunction. What could have been a very unpleasant time at airports was welcomed as an opportunity to be together and continue our reflective and brainstorming time.
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