ARTSCO Service - GIN Posters & Ushering

This week ARTSCO has been working on making posters for the Hunger Banquet for GIN. We were assigned the task of creating three panels to sit behind each of the three tables at the banquet - a panel for high income families, middle income families, and low income families. We found the panels and measured out the sizes of paper, and decided to do white chalk drawings on black paper. I thought that this was a good idea as it creates a very stark and powerful effect. The club met for our meeting in the art room and we set out the three pieces of paper, splitting into three groups to design what we were going to do.

The low income group decided to do a landscape type design with a road snaking up the paper and small huts and fields on the sides. There was also a city on the horizon with large factories spouting out fumes, and piles of trash at the front of the picture. We wanted to show how impoverished members of the community often live extremely close to large cities, and we thought it would be a good way to highlight the contrast between the two lifestyles (and diets).

The middle income group struggled the most with their design. It is very difficult to capture what it means to be a middle income family. In the end, they decided to do a mixture of different things that they felt represented their current lifestyles. At the front of the picture was an artcafe table with two cups of coffee sitting on it, whilst above was a globe and aeroplane, graduation cap, and manner of other objects.

The high income group had the easiest job out of the three. Their picture had a crystal chandelier hanging at the top with piles of coins and champagne at the bottom. It was all very regal, and got the point and atmosphere across extremely well.

We met a total of three times to finish the posters, but we managed to wrap them up in time. The group worked extremely diligently on these, and I loved the mood in the room as we all worked. The medium of chalk and paper was slightly difficult, as it smudged a great deal, but we all got the hang of it as time progressed.

The second service event that ARTSCO has helped out with is the play. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday ARTSCO members helped to usher at this event. We were required to wear white tops and black pants for the event, and had to be there half an hour before the play started. Our roles included handing out programs, ripping tickets for those entering, waiting outside after to direct people through the back entrance, and assisting during intermissions. It was a pretty stressful role to play, but everyone did an incredible job and stayed calm throughout. I ushered on Friday night, and I think that without ARTSCO there would've been a great deal of complications during the event (especially as there was food and drink being sold outside and we were the ones who had to make sure that no food or dink was brought into the auditorium). I hope that ARTSCO made a valuable contribution to the play, and I know that I personally enjoyed it a lot. I hope that we will be able to usher again for the next production!

HeArts Trip - Hospital visit!

On November 5th I went on another HeArts trip. This trip was a little different from the other ones that I have attended, as this time we went to Gertrude's hospital to work with the kids there. I was a little apprehensive before we set out, as I knew that the kids would be a lot smaller than the ones we'd been working with, that they may never have really done art before, and that they'd be difficult to interact with. We loaded up the bus with two huge boxes full of supplies and when we arrived traipsed down to a little playground at the bottom of the hospital. Next to the playground were two small rooms where we decided to do painting and mosaics. Outside we set up for bracelet and mask making, which I thought were quite good ideas for activities.

I decided to spend my time outside working on bracelets with the kids, as I've never done this activity before. I must admit that even I was struggling with the technique at first, but luckily I soon got the hand of it. At first there weren't many children with us, but as time went by we became one of the most popular groups. First the kids had to choose three colors of string, and then had to loop them around each other (making a 4 shape) and tie knots. I worked mostly with two young kids, a boy and a girl. They were both 10 years old, and the girl was a resident at the hospital (she had a drip in her hand) and the boy was visiting (as his mother worked at Gertrude's). It was surprisingly difficult to explain to them how to make the bracelets, as they had trouble understanding which way to loop the string round, and how to pull the knots up and tighten them. However, I sat with them both for quite a while, and by the end they were successfully making the bracelets. They both finished two bracelets in the time we were there, and left with them on both wrists. I think that this was a really beneficial activity for me personally, as I effectively developed my communication and interpersonal skills through the explanations that I had to give. Working with children who aren't as healthy as those I have been interacting with before really does offer up new challenges and perspectives.

I had a lovely time making bracelets with the kids, but I feel that I need to work on getting them to open up to me more. They were very quiet at the beginning, and though they did grow more talkative as time went by, they were still pretty closed off to me. I think that this trip was great because it's different from any service I've ever done before - I've never had the opportunity to work with hospitalised kids, and it resounded with me. Next trip I think that we should bring along more supplies and maybe have a few more activities planned though. Maybe asking the kids themselves what they'd like would be helpful.

[Pictures coming soon!]

Save the Rhino Mural Painting

On October 11th Save the Rhino/Friends of Kenya painted our mural. We had two panels set out, and I'd done a brief design for the group:

We met at school at around 10:30, and there was already a local artist there waiting for us. He had actually already started on the painting - he'd done a line of animals and a background for us. We decided to put on the target marks and do some writing on the panel. However, our other mural was completely blank, and since there was no rhino on the one that had been painted on we decided to put it on there. We did a plain green background during our time, and managed to get the silhouette of the rhino up. Of course there is still more to add, but we wanted to maybe do a collaboration of sorts with the elementary schoolers to finish it off.

When we arrived I decided to go and help with work on the rhino mural, since a great deal of people had decided to finish off the larger animal one. We pulled over a table and worked for the majority of the time on the green background. There were two others with me at first, but as time passed by more and more came and joined us. After the green had dried the local artist got a long string and showed us how to draw a perfect circle using it. Wout, the Friends of Kenya president, then proceeded to sketch out the rhino for us.
I think that we got a lot done this day - we've finished one mural, and the other is pretty close to completion. This was the first activity that the club has done outside of school times, and I really did sense that we came together more. I enjoyed being able to connect ARTSCO and Friends of Kenya in this project, and express myself creatively. I think that these murals are a great way to spread awareness, as one sees them every single day when walking around campus. I hope that we're able to work with the elementary to finish this project!

Swim Meet

On October 26th I helped to officiate a swim meet here at ISK. There was a small meet at school for the elementary students, and the high schoolers on the team were enlisted to help in the planning and execution of the event. We went down to the pool straight after school finished, and were split into timers (one per lane), runners (those who run up and down the pool giving the timers the marshalling cards so that they can record times), stroke watchers (checking to see if anyone is disqualified) and those announcing events on the speakers. I was a timer, and I was assigned to lane 1.

I received a clipboard, timer, pen and piece of paper with all the events written out and the names of all swimmers in my lane recorded. I sat at the end of the lane and recorded their times, and the whole team cheered on the swimmers. It was a really lovely afternoon, I felt like the team came together (both the high school and elementary). I also gained a new perspective on galas, I'd always been so terrified when at them, and hadn't really understood how everything worked. I feel like I now have a clearer view of all that is being carried out during these meets.

 I also really admired the determination and positivity in the elementary swimmers. They put 100% into what they did, and urged each other on in all races. I understood the strength of the ISK community, and truly felt a part of it all during this meet. I really hope that we get the chance to do this again - supporting the younger members of our team is a great way to grow as individuals and as a group.

HeArts Trip 2

On Wednesday, October 15th, I had my second HeArts trip. Emilia was away on this trip so Hally and a couple of others took charge. The kids were already there when we arrived, and they all sat outside while we prepared. We didn't have the materials to do friendship bracelet making this time, but we set up for origami, mosaic making, painting and dance.

We started out the day with another cinnamon bun hug activity, which I think they all enjoyed. However, I'm not sure all of them really understood what we were doing, and I was a little concerned by the fact that we forgot to ask them to introduce themselves. After these initial activities were done we split into groups and moved inside for the games. I decided to be a part of the origami team to start of with, which was a nice change. There were two other ISK students there with me, and we taught the kids how to make snowflakes with us. It was a bit tricky, but they got the hang of it and were able to decorate them and hang them up. We also introduced some other origami tricks as the day progressed. However, after a while I moved to the painting group.

In the painting group we decided to introduce a halloween theme. They had printed out a few pictures of jack-o-lanterns, cats and witches and had them on the table for the kids to look at. I thought that this was a nice idea, but I was a little worried because, as a result, none of the children created anything unique. I noticed that all the art pieces that were created were based on the images that we'd printed out for them. I think this kind of goes against the entire aim of HeArts; its goal. We're meant to be pushing these kids to be expressive, not to be mundane and restricted in what they create. I did painting for the majority of the time, and was able to talk to the kids while I worked.

We ended the day as before, with a dance performance. The kids were performing Thriller, and they were all extremely enthusiastic about what they were doing. It was really quite wonderful to watch. We did a dancing game again, in which we stood in a circle and nominated people to come into it and share their moves, and then we finished. We gave all the kids their paintings and said goodbye.

I thought this was a very fun day, and I liked the focus on Halloween that we had. However, it was a new group of kids that had come (the ones from our first trip stayed behind) and so it was a lot harder to speak to them. We had to try and develop completely new relationships, and it was really difficult to make connections. I feel that it would be a lot better if the same group of people came everytime - that way, we'll be able to make more of a difference for these kids.

I had a few more ideas for games we could play in HeArts:
- face painting
- the folding game
- charades

HeArts Trip

Last Wednesday I went on my first ever HeArts trip. I was expecting to be working with sick kids, in hospitals and suchlike, and I was surprised when I arrived and found a group of school kids instead. However, I understood that it is extremely difficult to work with children in hospitals (it's an emotional experience, and at times they find it hard to participate in activities). I was very excited to be starting with HeArts because I love the arts, and feel that it is a critical for the wellbeing of the children (as well as ourselves).
The HeArts group was split into a number of groups, including the dance group, a painting group, a mosaic group, origami group, and friendship bracelet making group. We agreed that small groups of kids would rotate to each station throughout the time we had - these groups were very small, including 5 or less students. I was in the painting group with two other members of the group, and we set up paints, paper and pencils in our station. We decided amongst ourselves that we were going to ask them to draw their favourite animals. I think that it was a good idea to set a task because it gave the kids something solid to work on, and allowed us to get to know them individually.

Our first group was a little uncertain at first, a few of the girls saying that they couldn't draw, but we walked them through a simple drawing of a cat and they seemed a lot more comfortable afterwards. I decided to draw a dragon myself, in order to let the group get a feeling for the kind of thing that they could do. A lot of the students really liked my dragon, and I ended up doing linearts for them to colour in! I think this was a really cool way to get them to be creative, because some were not confident enough to do their own drawing, but still really liked using the paints and pencils. I especially connected with one boy who asked for a number of linearts - he named all the dragons and was telling me about how his favourite animal was spiderman! He was really sweet, and promised that if I taught him how to draw dragons he would teach me how to dance!

The other groups also got on really well, the dance group put together an amazing choreography (which was performed at the end of the day) and all the kids seemed really enthusiastic about it. The origami group also made little wind turbines, which were on sticks and relatively easy to make (but still challenging enough for the kids). The mosaic group also decorated little print outs of Pinocchio, and the work of the friendship bracelet group was evidence as the kids left with multiple vibrant bracelets at the end of the day! The fact that these kids were already really talented at art was a new experience for me, as I've only really been working with children that haven't had the chance to do a lot of these activities in the past. The children that came to HeArts were selected because they're already exceptional at the arts, and their collaboration and passion for everything that they did was evidence enough of this fact. I loved how eager they were to learn new techniques, and the ways in which they helped to support each other.
At the end of the day we gave them all a snack and then did a dancing game together. We held hands in a circle and individuals were chosen to come into the middle and do a small dance. The kids were amazing at this, and their dance moves were incredible! I felt rather self conscious of my own abilities!

This was a wonderful first trip, I enjoyed the fact that I was allowed to explore my own artistic abilities whilst helping these children at the same time. The atmosphere that was created was extremely positive and I loved how involved everybody was. The sharing of our own individual art at the end also emphasised the effectiveness of this group at embracing all artistic talents within the community. I definitely look forward to my next trip!

ARTSCO Mural Painting

On September 21st the ARTSCO group met for our first mural painting. We started working at around 10 in the morning, ending at 12-1 in the afternoon. There were a fair number of ARTSCO members there, and we split into two groups, one working on finishing the round square mural, whilst the other started the new ARTSCO mural.

We decided to do a rhino on the panel beside the elephant we had done at the PTO picnic, using the same technique. This technique, an idea of Mr Nicholas, involved printing a huge picture of a rhino out on different sheets of paper. We started out by taping the sheets together in order, labelling them and laying them out to make the picture. This took quite a while, but we worked well together as a team and managed to finish quite quickly considering. Once this was finished we got the glue and other materials from the art room and carried everything over to our panel (which was in the upper car park). The glue was a little smelly, which was a problem at first. However, we all got used to the smell as time went by, and were able to work effectively (with only a few complaints here and there!).
We started work by prepping the surface of the panel - we painted it with glue to prepare for the pieces of paper that would be stuck down. We decided to stick on two sheets of paper at a time, working from the bottom up, so that it was more easy to do efficiently. At first it was extremely challenging to get the paper on flat, and our whole bottom row had air bubbles and creases within the paper. It didn't look that great up close, but once you stepped back the picture began to come together. We also improved a lot as time went by, and our top row was a great deal neater. The team worked very well, some prepped whilst others pasted the sheets down and painted over the pieces that had already been glued on. There was a point at which I was worried that we wouldn't finish in time, but luckily enough we managed to get the whole thing down in time. There were a few bits of the rhino that were a little off, but Mr Nicholas ensured us that he would be able to paint over it and correct the issues.

The ARTSCO group helped to clean up well and I feel that we worked extremely well as a whole throughout the day. Everyone was actively involved in the painting of the mural, and sticking down sheets (as well as taping them together, etc) was done with a clear embracing of teamwork and cooperation. I hope that I did a good job taking on a leadership role during this process, and that everyone enjoyed it. I hope that we can do more activities like this in the future, though an issue will always be getting enough people to sign up to come!

Family Challenge 2014

The Fellowship

On September 6th and 7th I took part in the 2014 family challenge. The family challenge is a fundraising event for the Kamili organisation, a group that supports those with mental disabilities within Kenya. The challenge helps to pay for facilities and treatment for these people, and is a great way to spread awareness. We donated over 30,000 shillings to this organisation through the family challenge.

Gandalf!

After doing this challenge for eight years or so it was sad to think that this was going to be the last time that I would participate in this event. This year our group consisted of me, my dad, my two younger cousins (Isolde and Theo), and my uncle. It was challenging because we had always been a group with older children, and having a 5 and 7 year old definitely changed things for us. We found it a lot harder to get to each event in time and to collaborate effectively together (Isolde and Theo very often didn't know what to do in each game). However, when we had been brainstorming our team name I had come up with an idea of us being the fellowship from lord of the rings. As a result almost every member of our team wore a green hobbit cloak, the one ring around their necks, and carried staffs. My dad was even dressed as Gandalf! I thought this made the challenge a lot more fun for everyone, and I know we definitely should have won the prize for best dressed team!

The team rushes to the next challenge!

The challenge was organised the same way as last year. Each family was allowed two bikes, and challenges were set up at various points around Sanctuary Farm in Naivasha. Sanctuary farm was filled with amazing animals - zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, horses, and a great deal of other wildlife  An example of a challenge was driving a matatu around a course blindfolded (instructed by the rest of your team members). There were 47 teams this year, which was a fair amount, and everyone was extremely passionate and involved in everything. We camped in Sanctuary Farm overnight, and there was a wonderful barbecue. Furthermore, after we had finished our activities the second day we had the awards ceremony - people were recognised for individual challenges, and the overall winner was also announced.

Isolde and I

Isolde and Theo in their cloaks

As always, the family challenge was an increasingly positive experience for me. Improving interpersonal and communication skills, leadership, teamwork and collaboration, and many other positive traits, as well as being a genuinely interesting and fun event. I always walk away from the family challenge filled with awareness and empowered to make change in the world myself, knowing that I have learnt and achieved so very much within the span of only two short days. This was a wonderful final year in this event, and I hope that it continues to be so very successful!

ARTSCO Bake Sale, Mural Painting & Leadership Board

On Saturday, September 6th, ARTSCO did a cupcake decorating event at the PTO picnic. Unfortunately, I couldn't be there (due to the family challenge being the same weekend), but I heard that it was a success. We set up a table with icing, decorations and cupcakes and opened it up for people to make their own designs. We also had a table with paper and pencils for arts and crafts and were painting a mural. Our mural is of elephants, and is made up of a collage of other pictures.

The ARTSCO members said that when doing our next fundraiser it would be useful to organise who was bringing what a little better, and assign time slots more effectively. I acknowledge that I wasn't the best at organising this event, but hopefully things will be more effective when I can actually attend myself. Regardless, we raised 15,700 shillings, 5000 of which was given to HeArts (due to their help in our stall).
I have also planned for us to meet next weekend to finish off our mural, which hopefully won't take very long. I am eager for those who did not have a chance to do this at the picnic to take part during our next painting.

Finally, today during our meeting we did elections for the ARTSCO leadership board. I did my best to promote democracy, asking for a personal statement before the candidate was eligible to give a speech (to ensure that only those committed could apply). Candidates gave speeches and then we voted as a whole club. This is the new ARTSCO leadership board:

Secretary: Shanti Zschocke
Treasurer: Hannah Duiker
Public Relations Manager: Nidhi Ranjalkar
Vice President: Annisstar (11th grade)

I am very pleased with the new leadership board, and I truly believe that this group of people will be effective in charge of the club. I am also really glad that the vice is in 11th grade - this means that they can take charge of the club whilst I am in exams, as well as transfer to president next year. We will meet every week 2 (the week the club doesn't meet) to discuss plans for ARTSCO. We are now seriously thinking about the talent show, and have brainstormed theme ideas as a club. Here some ideas we came up with as a club:

- Country
- Bollywood
- Disney
- Fantasy
- Cartoons
- 1980s or 1960s
- 70s GOM
- Food fest
- Britain’s got talent
- Hollywood
- International/cultural mix/around the world
- Under the stars
- Hawaii
- Hogwarts
- Casino
- Black and white
- Celebrities

Before advertising begins we must make a concrete decision regarding this theme, however.

JUMP Leadership Weekend

Obelisk Game

On August 30th and 31st I was given the opportunity to undergo a leadership course at ISK with JUMP. This course was designed for the club leaders of the 2014-2015 school year, telling us what qualities we should promote and follow within clubs, how to set goals and plan our time, and much more. On Saturday we were at school from 8 in the morning to 4 in the evening, and on Sunday we attended from 8-12. 

The two days of this program consisted of a number of leadership games, goal setting, and a review of our personal challenges and goals. We started out with a look at growth mountain, and were asked to place ourselves on the scale given a number of scenarios. I think that we were all somewhat surprised by where we, and our peers, placed ourselves, and were able to gain a self awareness and understanding.  We were also told about the five aims every leader should have, and set goals for the course based on them. The goals were as follows: 

1. Challenge the process

2. Enable others to act

3. Inspire a shared vision

4. Encourage the heart

5. Model the way

I felt that I was lacking in challenging the process (tending to stick to the same activities as other clubs and being rather dull in what I plan), and that I am better at modelling the way. I feel that my commitment and passion is what I look for in members. 

Round Square Goal

Some of the games we did were the cinnamon bun challenge (this was my personal favourite, consisting of all people holding hands and coiling into a big cinnamon bun hug), a traffic light game (in which we had to swap directions in a line while sticking to a set of rules regarding movement), a box game (we had a minute to observe the contents of a box and then replicate it as a group), and so on and so forth. We also watched a Planet Earth movie, showing a wild dog hunt and the migration of a group of elephants, that served as a symbol for leadership. The cohesive nature of the wild dog pack, and the loyalty and steadfast qualities of the elephants allowed us all to understand what's required of us in a group. At the end of the course we had to identify what our spirit animal (in terms of leadership) was, and I chose an elephant. Elephants, at least the ones in the movie, were trusting, loyal, supportive and effective in working as a group. I don't want to be too forceful in my role, instead acting as a guide and a friend to club members. 

We analyse the movie

Our goal setting (including SMART goals and GRRAPES) entailed the various leaders of clubs getting together and planning out where they were going for the year. Unfortunately, ARTSCO was a smaller club and I instead helped out with the planning of NHS and Round Square. This was very useful and i think that we all gained new insight through this experience.

We ended the course with reflections and a formation of a back pocket of leadership tactics. I found this course very educational and important, it definitely allowed me to gain a new perspective on what it means to be a leader within the community. I feel that I am more confident and sure of myself after undergoing this training, and I am extremely excited about the year ahead. I know that my role as a leader will help to me to excel in all other aspects and fields of life, and I look forward to the challenges that it brings. 

Save the Rhino and Group Updates

Save the Rhino: 

I have been able to meet with the Save the Rhino leadership board one so far this year. We discussed our aims for the year, mostly revolving around the promotion of public awareness. We hope to give presentations to different sections of the school and raise funds to donate supplies to rangers out in the bush (we were thinking about a drone!). Save the Rhino is meeting every week 2 Thursday, and we have a fair amount of members from last year, as well as some new applications. I hope to organise the talent show with Save the Rhino.

President's Award: 

I am continuing work on my Gold award for PA. I will continue swim team (for action) and piano (for my skill), but unfortunately the KCCL service trip that I had planned to do was cancelled. Therefore, I am going to join HeArts as a substitute for KCCL. HeArts and KCCL are very similar in their activities, both working with children in difficult situations and reaching out to them through art. I have also managed to do my independent journey already - my trip to South Africa for Round Square fit with the requirements for this voyage. Moreover, having already completed the gold service trip I will be able to do a IC trip of my choice this year. I hope that I will be able to complete and obtain this award by the end of twelfth grade.

Swim Team:

This year I am going to be attending swim team three times a week, all practices taking place in the morning. I plan to go on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for swimming, and to go to the gym on Tuesday and Thursday. I am extremely idealistic and determined in my sports, and I hope that I will be able to go far this year. I will be doing a limited number of competitions, due to the rigorous nature of the IB, but will definitely commit to training completely throughout the school year.

ARTSCO 2014-2015 - Goals

ARTSCO is my biggest challenge and undertaking this year. I have never taken on a role as president before and I am determined to do the best that I can do in this position. We have already had a signup day for the club, and a grand total of around 35 students joined ARTSCO. However, I acknowledged that a club this size would be extremely difficult to manage, and so all those who did not attend the first meeting were removed from the club. We now have about 25 members and I am hopeful that they will remain committed and passionate about our cause. I have created a Facebook page and hope to be able to effectively communicate logistics.

My main goals this year in ARTSCO as are follows:

1. Organise a talent show - this will hopefully occur in the first semester, and will be done in collaboration with Save the rhino (and perhaps GIN). We are still brainstorming themes and will start to plan this ASAP.

2. Go on a field trip to a clinic and do some painting - Hannah Duiker has told us about a clinic down near Kembu Farm that is in desperate need of painting. I thought it would be a good target to raise the funds to buy paints for this trip and then visit for a weekend. However, this still needs a bit of thinking over (in terms of logistics).

3. Carry out fundraisers - We will do bake sales and other fundraising events throughout the school year to buy new paints and supplies.

4. Manage the mural project with FOTA and usher for drama productions - This will be an ongoing task, ARTSCO distributing panels and arranging times for painting, etc. We will write small articles about each painting that is done (including the aim of the club, background on a local painter (if there is one involved), etc). This will promote awareness regarding ARTSCO and its goal within the ISK community.

However, our most recent undertaking is the PTO picnic. We have arranged some tables and will be doing a drawing game (called 'exquisite corpse'), jewellery making and a cupcake making stand. I will unfortunately not be here on this day, but Nidhi Ranjalkar is taking on a leadership role during this event.

Finally, ARTSCO is in need of a leadership board. We are holding elections next meeting for secretary, PR manager, vice president and treasurer. I hope that there will be a sufficient amount of applications and that ARTSCO will be able to thrive with their support.

CAS 2014-2015

Now a senior at ISK I have decided to cut down my clubs significantly. My place as the vice president of Save the Rhino and the president of ARTSCO mean that I will need to focus on devoting as much energy into my leadership roles as possible (as well as making time for my studies). However, I'm happy to say that I am going to embrace the opportunity to get involved in the extracurricular programs as much as possible during my last year here at ISK. Following is a list of the clubs that I have joined this school year:

- HeArts (service and creativity)
- ARTSCO (service and creativity)
- National Honor Society (service)
- Presidents Award (service, creativity and action)
- Swim team (action)
- Yoga (action)
- Save the Rhino (service)
- Round Square
- Spanish newspaper club
- Book club
- Piano lessons [done outside of school]

I am doing significantly less service this year and am embracing the things I love to do in my free time (reading, yoga, music, etc).

Quoting my goal from last year, over the course of this school year I will try to build on the eight learning outcomes of CAS:

1. Increased awareness of strengths and weaknesses - I know that I am not necessarily the most extroverted or confident public speaker, but my undertaking of two places as a club leader will help me to build on these weaker traits and develop the qualities that will aid me in the future. My passion, determination and creativity will, however, drive me to do the best that i can do.

2. Undertake new challenges - A challenge for me would be to become more confident and take on new and unique tasks within my two groups. I want to challenge the system and inspire enthusiasm and passion in the members of my clubs.

3. Plan and initiate activities - I have planned out the groups that I'm joining and will try to continue keeping myself organised and working with others to do this. I am going to create a schedule and a set of goals for the year, sticking to these and achieving my aims in a structured and clear manner.

4. Working collaboratively with others - I will aim to work well both with my ISK peers in the school groups I'm joining and outside campus with street children, rescue dogs, etc. I will do my best to be open and supportive as a leader, encouraging cooperation and trust.

5. Show perseverance and commitment in activities - I'm going to attend all meetings in my groups and try to tackle problems that arise (while at the same time finding confidence in myself and being more comfortable speaking out).

6. Engage with issues of global importance - My place in save the rhino, round square and HeArts will enable me to acknowledge and become more aware of global issues. The fact that we live in Kenya makes this less difficult as I recognise global issues each day as I go about my daily routine.

7. Consider the ethical implications of my actions - When we lead such privileged lives it's easy to forget the implications of our actions. CAS will hopefully keep reminding me of what's happening in the world today and how we should act around one another.

8. Develop new skills - CAS definitely exposes us to new experiences, therefore letting us gain more knowledge and experience in various areas. I am sure that challenges will arise in many of these activities and that I will grow as a person as I tackle them.

I will try and make time to do all of these activities, and I am very excited for this coming year of CAS.

Round Square Regional Conference - ISIVIVANE

From April 26th to 30th I went to the regional round square conference in South Africa. The conference took place at the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG), which was located near Johannesburg. A number of schools from around Africa were attending this conference, around 6 people coming from each school. However, only Alexa and I were representing ISK - as we are a new school to Round Square. Mrs Nicholas came to the conference as well, and Mr Blanchard was with us for the weekend. 

The theme of the conference was Isivivane - leave your mark. Isivivane is a Zulu word that means 'throw your stones upon the pile'. This is basically saying that we all need to be unified and act as one, respecting those around us and working together (using the round square IDEALS). This was a nice theme for the conference, as it created a platform of sorts for the range of people, from a variety of different backgrounds, who were to make individual contributions to the conference and become unified throughout our week together. 

View of Kilimanjaro from the plane on the way to SA!

We were also encouraged to practice the spirit of Ubuntu/Botho, which encompasses the ideals of humanity, compassion, and service to others. We were taught just how central it is to the way in which we act, speak, think and interact with those around us. "Umuntu Ngumuntu Ngabantu" - "I am because you are"- also implies that all people have equal value in terms of their human dignity, and this message of all human life having equal value was conveyed to us throughout the conference. These are all very important ideas and taught me a great deal about what it means to be part of a community, and was key in my own self-enlightenment. I think that these messages helped us to gain a deeper sense of what it means to be in service, and how we can validate and dignify those around us. 

We were encouraged and motivated to stick to these various ideals through a conference song! The OWLAG girls put together a conference song that we sung when we met up together and which was very good for stimulating inspiration amongst the delegates (I can personally vouch for its potency in this regard!). 

Conference Song:

I-S-I-V-I-V-A-N-E
Isivivane!
I am here
You are here
We've got each other
Leaving a mark of change
It's a brand new day
A day for change

New bonds created
You got to be excited!

RAP
You gotta be the change
Let's come together 'coz we've got spark
Doesn't matter where we're from 
Just leave your mark
Clap once; clap twice, one and two.
Ignite, Unite
We've got the spirit of Ubuntu
Isivivane

I said M-A-R-K, leave your mark
Collaborate, innovate the time is now
Everybody be excited
We've got new bonds created
It's a day for change
It's a brand new day
Everybody be excited
(it's a brand new day)
We've got new bonds created
(it's a brand new day)
It's a day for change
(it's a brand new day)
It's a brand new day!

ISIVIVANE, Leave your mark
It's a - it's a time for change (x3)
I-S-I-V-I-V-A-N-E
ISIVIVANE!

I wasn't really sure what to expect going into the conference. To be honest, I wasn't sure what Round Square really was originally and I was confused as to what activities we could carry out. I was also really nervous as sometimes find it hard to open up to people, and I was afraid that I wouldn't really make friends. However, I was also really excited to be learning more about the organisation. I'd never been to Johannesburg before, and I was curious as to what it would be like. I promised myself to put 100% of my effort into the conference, so that I could get 100% out of it.

DAY 1:

On the first day I was extremely nervous, but also really excited to see what the conference would be like.We met at school at 5:45 to go to the airport, and the flight and transport to the school all went as planned. When we arrived in South Africa we realised that there were some other students from Kenya there for the conference as well, and it was nice talking to them in the airport before we left. Everyone was really friendly and open, and I felt more confident about the conference. The bus ride was around an hour long, and when we arrived I was blown away by the school. It was one of the most beautiful campus' I have ever seen - there were so many lovely benches and pavillions to sit and work in, and everything was so green and vibrant. The facilities were also of very good quality - we could definitely tell that it was an Oprah Winfrey school! We headed straight for the registration area. We got a bag (in the picture) that had a waterbottle, hat, and other items in it. I found out that I was in baraza 14 and in a different dorm room from Alexa. I was really worried about this originally, but I think that the fact that we were separated was very beneficial for us. I definitely made more friends than I would've if I had been with Alexa the whole conference. I was, in fact, really happy that I was pushed out of my comfort zone during these five days. 
After we had settled into our dorm rooms and looked around we met for some ice breakers on the field. We were divided into our barazas for the first time and then did various activities together (such as travelling across the field with only a few feet and hands touching the ground). I really liked my baraza, there were a lot of people that were a bit quiet (like myself) but who opened up a lot as time went by. Everyone at the conference that I had met thus far was so open and accepting of one another, and I loved the atmosphere. I already knew that I was going to make some firm friends. 
After the teambuilding activities were finished we had dinner and went to bed.

DAY 2: 

On Sunday we all woke up and headed down to breakfast. The cafeteria was huge and the food was amazing! Throughout our time at the conference the meals never failed to impress, and I was blown away by how pristine everything was at OWLAG. After breakfast came the opening ceremony - we were introduced to Mr Melvin King, the head of OWLAG, who gave a speech to open the ceremony. He spoke about the IDEALS and the theme of the conference, reminding us that we would get a lot out of the conference if we put in a lot, but only a little if we put in a little. I thought this was very important, as it is such a wasted opportunity if you don't put all of yourself into an event like this. I was even more determined to give the conference my all and truly make it a memorable and life changing experience. 
After the opening ceremony was concluded we took our conference photo in our orange and green tshirts. I already felt that we were all connected and that the conference was going to be amazing! It was definitely a good start to the event. 
There was a short break after the conference photo, and then we all met in the auditorium for our first keynote adress. The keynote speaker was Emma Sadleir, a media law consultant and speaker based in Johannesburg. She does a lot of work with schools and universities, educating parents and pupils on the responsible use of social media, as well as working with teachers tackling issues such as cyberbullying and pornography in schools. She's been an anchor for the Oscar Pistorius trial, as well as a regular guest on radio and television. She spoke to us about the dangers of social media - the fact that nothing you do on the internet is temporary, it can always be found. She shared various stories about children around our age, and older, that have made serious mistakes by misusing social media. I think that everyone listening was extremely impacted by what she said, as we are all so fully integrated in the virtual world. Not only did she warn us about what we directly say and do, but she also told us that if we become part of a chain (advertising something) we can also be impacted. Everybody at the conference left with a new awareness, and I think that we all understand what we have access to now, and what it is capable of doing. Social media is an extremely effective way to spread messages - you can very easily send a positive idea, but it is just as easy to send a negative one. One must know the difference between what is right and wrong, and the implications that a mistake may hold.

A painting above the auditorium

After Emma Sadleir spoke we had our first baraza. Baraza groups met in different classrooms, and we sat in our groups and discussed what we had witnessed thus far in the conference. We reflected upon social media for the majority of the time, and we all spoke about what we personally had experienced in this realm. Someone in my baraza talked about a friend that had inappropriately used the messaging tool on facebook and been reported to their school and expelled. I think that our eyes were definitely opened, and we began to realise just how powerful twitter, tumblr, facebook and the many other websites that are so popular today are. After we spoke about the keynote talk we did some more icebreakers and said what we thought of the conference thus far. Most of us were already really enjoying it, and I know that I had already gained a fresh perspective.

After the baraza we had lunch and then headed out onto the field for some teamwork activities. We played various team sports, like volleyball, soccer and dodgeball, and then worked on sending messages with flags. These activities really helped us to get closer as a baraza group and feel more comfortable in the conference.
When we had finished, we had our second keynote speaker. Melvin king, the head of the school, spoke to us about the importance of building relationships within community service. He reminded us that service projects should be sustainable, and that you should work WITH people, instead of merely handing them items and stepping back to see the result. I thought this was very important, as at ISK there are certain groups that have neglected to form stable projects. Both sides involved in the service benefit far more greatly when you are getting to know each other, learning and taking away from different worldviews and upbringings. Melvin King also spoke about superiority and inferiority in community service. He told us that it is important not to feel that you are superior to those you are helping, and, when they feel they are inferior, to keep pressing forward to overcome this barrier. His experience as a teacher has allowed him to witness this building of relationships and to identify what works and what doesn’t. He told us about his elementary classes and their attempts and creating service projects – they encountered problems with the sustainable and interactive aspect of the service, and he pushed them until they overcame this issue. Melvin King definitely made an impact on me, especially as I am taking over ARTSCO this coming year. I had already been aware of some of what he was talking about, but he definitely clarified things for me.
There was another baraza after this keynote speech, and we reviewed what we had learnt. We talked about the service projects at our own schools and I was very surprised at the lack of service projects in certain schools. Some members of my baraza said that there were only one or two community service opportunities at their schools, and none of them said that they had a CAS program. This came as a shock to me, as I’d always assumed that other schools around Africa were just as involved with the community as we are. I felt proud to be part of ISK, and I was glad that the other delegates were inspired by Melvin King and determined to start more projects.
We then all had hot chocolate and went to bed.

DAY 3:

Our dorm room

On the third day we finally left OWLAG! We were divided into groups – A, B, and C. I was in group C, and so after breakfast we spent 9 – 12 working with an organisation called Generation Earth on the OWLAG campus! Generation Earth (http://www.generationearth.co.za/) is a project that works to engage the youth and create green thinkers who will be tomorrow’s global leaders. It’s “a structured action plan for schools and youth to make a difference and change the world for the betterment of the environment”. The speaker was Ella Bella, one of the founders of the project, and she was a very powerful presenter. She was definitely very passionate about her cause and we were all sitting on the edges of our seats when she was speaking. She told us about the steps needed to create our own projects, and then assigned us partners and told us about our activity. We were given recycable materials, such as the soda cans from dinner the night before, toilet rolls, water bottles and wire, and a solar light and told to design a lamp. I thought that this was a very good idea as it is sustainable and extremely beneficial for those living in impoverished areas. It is very easy to obtain these materials and also pretty simple (as well as fun) to put them together. My partner and I originally planned to make our lamp look sort of like a flower (cutting a soda can for the petals), but we instead created a snake-like design. Our light hung from the ceiling and coiled down in a spiral. The solar light could be taken in and out from the wire to recharge. Other designs included a flashlight type structure, a hanging lamp with a newspaper shade around it, and an adjustable desk lamp. I think that they were all very wacky and innovative, and allowed us to all be creative and enjoy ourselves in the activity. I think that incorporating generation earth in ISK would be a very valuable decision – we can all still learn a lot about green issues and opportunities to make change.

Once the Generation Earth activities were done we boarded the bus for our second trip at 1:00. We were going to Suikerbosrand, a game park of sorts, where we would carry out various activities in our barazas. Activities consisted of:

-       Water testing

-       Biking

-       Cow milking

-       Bread Baking

-       Rock climbing

-       Rafting

We first did the cow milking and bread baking, which took place on a small farm museum. It was really fun getting into these activities, as not many of us had done them before. I had personally milked a cow once before here in Kenya, but it was still awesome getting to do it again. The bread baking was done using an outdoor oven and I really enjoyed the rustic feel of everything.
We then did rock climbing at the farm as well. We all got a turn to climb up a large wall, safely strapped in with helmets. It wasn’t the tallest climbing wall I’ve ever been on, but it was fun nonetheless. We all cheered for each other as we climbed, and then posed at the top for a photo! It was really nice seeing everyone being encouraged, especially as some of our baraza members were really scared of heights.
We then headed down for the rafting. We were supplied with a reasonably large raft and a small one (trailing behind it). We were told that all 7 of our group members had to go in the first canoe, whilst the last waited on the other side of the lake to be connected in the smaller canoe. It was definitely a challenge fitting everyone in the canoe! It flooded a little bit and there were only two paddles! I sat and helped paddling, and we finally made it there and back again (only getting a little bit wet!). One member of our baraza actually got out and started pulling the canoe at the end, greeted by raucous cheers from the rest of the group! It was definitely a very fun activity.

The beautiful campus

Our last two activities were water testing and biking. In the water testing we had to identify organisms within the water, and then, using their resilience to pollution, determine the quality of the stream. It was pretty challenging identifying species of bugs, but I think we did a pretty good job of it. We said that the stream was of good quality, which they said was about right. In the biking we went in a small loop about the park, going on fairly rough roads and getting a chance to enjoy the landscape. The park was really beautiful, even though it was slightly dry, and we saw mountains looming in the distances, as well as beautiful horses grazing in the fields.
Suikerbosrand was one of the best trips we did the entire conference, I loved getting to see a little more of South Africa while at the same time getting to know my baraza members better. Being put in a situation where we were a little out of place and nervous brought us together and by the end of the day we were really comfortable with each other.

When we got back to OWLAG we moved immediately into an interactive drumming session (a drum café) in the auditiorium. There were about 5 members in the drumming team, all who were extremely enthusiastic and friendly. When we came into the auditorium there was a drum waiting on each seat, and we put it between our legs and drummed together. They repeated various beats and we copied them, and it came together to form a surging seething mass of frenzied energy and excitement. I could feel the floor pounding with the beat of the drums, and the smiles and bright eyes of everyone around me were contagious. I got really into the drumming, and by the end I had no reservations at all. It was one of the most amazing experiences of the conference – I have never experienced so much positive energy and intense and eager enjoyment in one place before. Near the end of the session people were coming up and dancing with the drummers, and we wrapped up with everybody coming down onto the stage and dancing together.
We were all really tired after Suikerbosrand and the drumming, so we were slightly relieved to be allowed some free time and some time to eat dinner. Afterwards, all wrapped up in warm clothes, we headed back to the auditorium though for …. the talent show! It was entitled ‘Africa’s got Talent’ and consisted of members of the various schools performing for the rest of the delegates. The acts ranged from singing to poetry and even to skits! Unfortunately, Alexa and I hadn’t been able to put together an act in time, but we really enjoyed watching everyone. The acts all reflected the culture of the countries, and I especially enjoyed a school from Jordan performing a poem in a variety of different languages (to reflect their internationalism). Two girls also did some Indian dancing, which was incredible. After we finished we did some more dancing and then went to the dorms for bed.

DAY 4:

Guinea fowls grazing on the frosty morning campus!

Our last official day! We were going back out for various activities again, and after breakfast my baraza and I headed for Orange Farm. Orange Farm was a shanty town of sorts in which we would be doing some community service. The delegates were split into two groups – one group was playing with kids and the other was painting some buildings for the project ‘Let Us Grow’. We were designated to paint the buildings, which I was quite happy about. However, I would’ve liked to of seen the children a little bit – I feel like this was a minor flaw in their planning.

When we arrived at the site we were greeted by the leader of the project, Rose Thamae, a kindly old South African woman. She told us her story – she had been gang raped at a young age and infected with HIV/AIDS. She had struggled with this illness for quite a while, but then suddenly picked herself up and adopted a new outlook on life. Filled with determination and strength she had returned to Orange Farm to help those similarly diagnosed with this condition. She founded ‘Let Us Grow’, and educated them on the prevention of HIV/AIDS and the treatment once diagnosed as positive. She now has a centre within the community in order to help those in need of support. The centre is a key actor in addressing HIV and AIDS through home-based care, counselling and education to men, women, youth and children. Rose was an intrinsically kind woman, and I felt honoured to help her paint her centre.
We painted for around 3 hours, and I did the chicken shed as well as the logo on the main house. We finished a little early but we used the extra time to pack up everything really well. While we painted the members of the group sang songs together, and we chatted with the men who worked for the organisation. There was a real sense of community, and you could see how close everyone was when some kids came running in and we all started to play and take photos with them together.
I think that this project is extremely inspirational – I think the strength of Rose is unbelievably noble and righteous. She has been so brave, and I love what she is trying to promote within her community. It goes to show that you have the ability to make change – it’s all at your fingertips. Be the change that you want to see in the world.

We travelled back to OWLAG after we were done at Orange Farm, going straight into some keynote addresses! First was a twenty minute address by Jordan van der Walt, a 13 year old student at a school in South Africa.After viewing a documentary in March of 2011 about how children in SA go to school hungry on a daily basis, return home and still have nothing to eat, Jordan, who was only 10 at the time, decided that he was going to take measures to do something about it. Every year, his school collected easter eggs to give to impoverished children, and though this was a sweet idea the food had no nutritional quality to it. He approached his headmaster and proposed that they bring a bag of maize meal instead of eggs. The headmaster agreed and the “JUST ONE BAG” initiative was begun. Jordan has been interviewed by radio stations and journalists alike, and his story is extremely inspirational for me. I love how a small child can reach out and truly make an impact on his community, changing numerous lives through his passion. Jordan told us that service must come from the heart, and he stressed this point throughout his presentation. His dedication and commitment made me determined to find a way to start my own project at school. All of the resources are at your fingertips, you must only find a way to use them effectively. I want desperately to find a way to help the KSPCA and animals of Kenya and Jordan made me realise that I can. There are such good people in this world, and we are all capable of leaving our mark. ISIVIVANE!

The next speaker was Robyn Folkard. Robyn is part of the project Harambee, a non-profit company that was established to address the entry-level labour supply and demand mismatch and promote the employment of youth. It takes in unemployed youth, with no prior experience, and trains them so that they can be placed in entry level jobs. Harambee has significant and long-term imipacts on the labor market, as well as the quality of life of many individuals. I thought that this project was very useful, targeting a key issue in the world today. However, there was some debate as to whether they should’ve focused on the core of the issue – education of youth. If the youth are appropriately educated then there would not be such drastic unemployment in the first place. Nevertheless, Harambee is definitely making positive change within South Africa. I liked the fact that these unemployed youngsters are offered a new change to a prosperous life, despite their unfortunate economic circumstances.

Conference Song

Our final speaker on Tuesday was Dr Imtiaz Sooliman. Dr Sooliman was by far my favorite speaker from the conference, he awoke something in me and gave me a whole new outlook on service and my approach to life. Dr Sooliman is the founder of the Gift of the Givers Foundation – this is the largest disaster response NGO of African origin on the African continent. His project has delivered life saving aid to millions of people in 41 countries, South Africa included. The organisation actually now has 21 catagories of projects, including bursaries, agricultural self sustainability, water provision, counselling and life skills services, and much more. Dr Sooliman has also created the world’s first and only containerised mobile hospital, innovating the world’s first groundnut-soya high energy and protein supplement in the use of sever malnutrition and other debilitating conditions. His motto is, “Best among people are those who benefit mankind”, and they accordingly serve all irrespective of race religion, culture, color, political affiliation or geographical location. His story, in my eyes, was almost biblical. He underwent a epiphany of sorts, his religious leader (imam) telling him to dedicate his life to serving others. Dr Sooliman is one of the most selfless people I have ever come across; he told us that he doesn’t even need a thank you for his work, he does it with and for the community. He gave up his life in just a few days, shedding all his prejudices regarding different races and religions. He also spoke about the sense of unity of Africa, and the fact that mothers will even put aside the health of their own children so that other families may get a chance at getting medical service. He views Africa as a place of love and community as opposed to poverty and corruption. Dr Sooliman’s faith and innate goodness empowered me to make change. I really want to do something similarly powerful and meaningful with my own life. I want to be remembered – I want to leave my mark in this world.
 
After Dr Sooliman’s talk we had our last baraza meeting. We all met and came up with our conference statement. The statement spoke about the necessity of viewing all human life as being equal, and leaving your mark in the world today. In our baraza we reviewed what we had learnt throughout the course of the conference, and wrapped up with a small game. I spoke about how Dr Sooliman had inspired and changed me in his keynote speech, and how I was more empowered than ever to return to Kenya and make my mark. I truly believe that this conference was one of the most amazing and life changing experiences that I have ever had. I am so grateful to have been able to attend this event, and I know I’ll never forget it.

DAY 5:

The closing ceremony was carried out in the morning, and we had the OWLAG dance group perform a series of amazing dances for us. Their dances spoke of the history of South Africa, for instance they had one where they were dressed as slaves, another with Nelson Mandela in the background, and the last with them all dressed in South African colors. Mr Melvin King gave a very heartwarming speech afterwards, and everybody teared up a little bit. After the conference was officially closed we sang the conference song one last time and then headed out to say our goodbyes. Everybody was crying and hugging each other and I really really didn’t want to leave. I had made such strong friendships and seen and heard so many fantastic things. However, as I said goodbye to everyone I knew that we would never really be disconnected from each other.



The round square conference was life-changing in so many ways. I learnt how to be more of a leader and team player, and gained a new insight into my own strengths and weaknesses as a person. I feel that one of my strengths is my passion for animal rights and other global issues and my drive to make change, whilst my weakness up to this point has been juggling schoolwork with CAS. I really want to make time to start up a project and make my mark in the Kenyan community. My goal in this coming year is to do just that, whether it is through my leadership position in ARTSCO or through another branch of service. I am definitely ready to accept new challenges and roles, this conference has taught me that there’s no need to be shy or feel as if you don’t deserve to make yourself heard. Being part of round square and seeing how accepting and kind people are when following the IDEALS has helped me so much – I really want to help promote democracy and the other IDEALS within ISK, and I’m thinking of running for a leadership position in the round square group. I want the quiet and less extroverted people in the school, like myself, to be able to take on leadership roles and prove themselves. I feel like the system is bias towards the louder people, and after the conference I understand that we are all filled with so much potential and drive. We all deserve a chance to make change. The round square conference definitely made me more confident and prompted me to be more outspoken. Thank you so much to everyone who took part in the conference and who made it possible for me to attend it!

[hopefully more photos coming soon]