Track Tryouts

For the beginning of track season I had the goals to compete in the 3000 and 1500 and improve my times for both. I had been doing smaller workouts in a gym for a while to condition myself to long-distance running, but the difference being outside in the heat and humidity immediately made me understand that, while on of my strengths was my dedication to the sport of track and field, a weakness I would have to overcome would be my own mind when the heat and humidity started getting to me and push through.
For the tryouts for the track team there was only two seniors and I was one of them. Additionally, I was almost guaranteed a place on the team because there were so few people for my age group. None the less, I immediately was told that I needed to push myself harder because I was afraid of failure which held me back from trying and giving my all incase I didn't do well. Addressing this while working within the team as a member who could contribute and as an individual who was striving for improvement, was my goal during tryouts for the team.
I was there for every track practice during the tryouts showing perseverance and commitment to the activity and the team, this and my desire work collaboratively with the other individuals on the team to increase our awareness of our strengths and areas for improvements gave me a place on the team. This also lead to me getting the position of team captain, which allowed me to plan and initiate activities for the team and individuals and made me develop new skills of leadership to keep all thirty people under control when transferring activities. When I asked why I was given this position, I was told it was not only my commitment and continual presence in track but also because of my support for my teammates and how I always cheered them on. Because of this new position I had to consider the implications of my actions not only in track practice but outside of track during school.

Hope for Kids Banner

For the past couple of weeks in Hope for Kids when the kids are allowed out of the ward we have been working on a banner for Hope for Kids. One of the initial difficulties is that we let someone spray paint the title “Hope for Kids” on it, along with the sun symbol, which turned out much more blurry and unprofessional looking. This was solved later on by Emilie and myself collaboratively spending an hour going over the title and sun with fabric paint. We both thought we did a pretty good job, until we saw the amazing art that the children had created. Several of the kids had done elegant flowers and butterflies, and one kid did a house with a palm tree next to it. The piece of art that impressed me the most by far was the lion Simba that a young boy called Kavinda painted. It was incredibly realistic and impressive. The next visit we had Kavinda asked us to help him because it was his mother’s birthday that day. Not only did he make a heartfelt card with pieces of folded up 3D paper, he asked each one of us to sing happy birthday to her before we left. While I am completely tone-deaf and cannot sing, as a group we did so anyway. The mother’s happiness and how she hugged Kavinda made my tone-deafness irrelevant.

Hope for Kids Update

Recently Hope for Kids has been arriving at the hospital to find that the kids can’t come out of the ward that day. While this hasn’t happened every time, it is more common now then before. While we do initially come to interact with the children, this is a good opportunity for us to help out in other ways. The past few times this has happened we have cleaned the books and the shelves they are on, organized the books by Sinhalese, Tamil, and English, as well as by picture book or text. Additionally we have organized the arts and crafts materials and areas, cleaned the general rooms, swept and mopped. While this is not initially what we intend to do when we head to the hospital, it still benefits the children, and the group and myself work together to get the cleaning finished. 

Christmas with Hope for Kids

The biggest thing that has happened in Hope for Kids in 2012 was the Christmas party we planned for them. We (the CAS) went out and got gifts and stickers for the kids, mostly Princess stickers for the girls and Ben10 and truck stickers for the boys. It was an incredibly good feeling to be able to engage in an issue of global importance such as caring for the sick, while being able to brighten up the lives of the kids who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to celebrate Christmas. We brought the gifts to the hospital, where we also began the time there that day with singing songs to (and sometimes with) a group of about 40 kids and parents assembled there, while the rest of us set up the gifts and handed out the stickers to the kids. Our collaboration showed how we accomplish several activities at once as a group while everyone felt comfortable because we understood each other’s strengths or weaknesses such as lack of comfort at singing. One of my favorite moments was when one girl handed back her Princess stickers and demanded a Ben10 sticker set. Some people tried to Gangnam style dance as well, which brought smiles to the face of several of the kids there.

About an hour into the party, Mr. Snyder showed up dressed as Santa Claus, and we began handing out gifts such as drawing supplies, small backpacks and school supplies. While some kids did seem surprised, many had huge smiles on their faces.

During the handing out of presents, several others from the group and myself began blowing up loads of balloons. The majority of the CAS group went to the wards with Mr. Snyder (still dressed as Santa), and handed out the rest of the balloons. Myself and a few others stayed behind and blew up more balloons, I stayed behind because I know a huge weakness of mine is my dislike of hospitals and my phobia of needles, so I knew I would be a hindrance if I went with the people to the ward.

The day ended with us leaving about 30 more balloons in the play room for the kids, and I felt good having been able to give the children a chance to experience Christmas.

Reflection on Goals

At the beginning of senior year I set several goals, with the aim to either accomplish or work on them throughout the year. My plan was to participate in Hope for Kids: Cancer Hospital continuously, as well as SAISA Volleyball and SAISA Track, and do outside training predominantly using the Tough Mudder Training Plan.
My goal to participate in Hope for Kids weekly has definitely been a success. I enjoy going to the hospital whether to interact with the kids or to help in other ways. This goal was strongly connected to my goal of improving collaboration with others and becoming more of a team oriented mindset. With Hope for Kids, not only have I had the opportunity to brighten kids lives, but I have been lucky to get to know other individuals from the CAS better who I might not have had the chance to in school. Over time, we have gotten to know each other better and how we fulfill our pieces within the team, leading to, perhaps unconsciously sometimes, a more unified and beneficial team.
My goal of taking leadership roles more often has not been filled to quite such an extent. As a senior, it is almost expected of me to take leadership and be responsible, not only in activities but as an individual setting an example overall. As previously mentioned, I fulfilled a leadership position to a certain extent in volleyball as one of three seniors as well as having strong volleyball skills and background. Within Hope for Kids I believe that instead of fulfilling a leadership position I set an example by interacting with the children and understanding what my strengths are and how they can benefit the CAS perhaps differently then other individuals talents.
Overall, when I made goals at the beginning of the year I was certain to make them broad in order to be applicable in a wide range of potential CAS opportunities. I have fulfilled many of the goals I have set, although most of them are ongoing goals which seek continuous fulfillment. 

SAISA Volleyball

SAISA Volleyball my Senior Year was fantastic. As a team we got third place and we continued throughout the tournament to challenge the other teams and push ourselves as individuals and a team to our limits. The photos are courtesy of the Lincoln School Yearbook Group.

Recently our group went to the hospital, instead of interacting with the children we cleaned the main playroom for the kids. Some people complained about how they signed up to work with the kids, which I think is a good reason to join the group, and they didn't want to clean. This made me think though, even if we aren't brightening the children's lives through interaction, do we still have the obligation to attempt to improve their lives through smaller actions? In my opinion, we do, as we made a commitment and we need to work collaboratively to bring about a better world as the next generation. This is why I have no problem with cleaning for the children, as simply dusting and sorting and helping through those types of things can help slightly. This is my personal belief and one reason why I feel good about my continual commitment and collaborative work with Hope for Kids.