Vannessa's CAS Reflection #4

Throughout the summer, our main goal was to collect more yarn and start making more hats for the Hospital. We have collected 6 bags of yarn in total and have made around 10 hats. Our main goal this school year is to just focus on the hat making portion of our CAS project. My personal involvement in this activity over the summer was to contribute to the team; so, I collected 5/6 bags of yarn. I did this because Alejandra is more talented in the hat making as I have not yet master how to properly and proficiently making a hat. The main task besides effort was consistent participation over the summer and perseverance through our procrastination. As stated in my other reflections, I was expected by the requirements of the project to be prompt in persevering through the tough times of our project. This helped me with sticking to projects as I’ve always struggled with persevering through extraneous events. Besides gaining the skill of perseverance throughout this last year, I also gained acknowledgement that I am capable to complete this project and it just takes dedication. This project, over the summer, was pushed to the side as I also had homework in all my other classes. I feel glad and inspirational that I am helping others but am not fully successful in my goals as we have made minimal hats and have donated none to St. Mary's Hospital. Over the summer, I gained insight by realizing that it takes a lot of dedication to still be working on the CAS project over my break time away from school and teachers. Alejandra and I still want to include blankets and care packages in our donation to the hospital but we still need to work on our planning towards this goal.  I am completely dedicated to others self-improvement. I did this project because I enjoyed the joy I can give others and see their happiness, which is why I still push through even though we are barely getting our project together. Still, I am not very successful and proud in this activity so far however as I progress I can see myself gain a lot more improvement in this project.

Vannessa's CAS Reflection #3

My personal involvement in this activity was to contribute to the team as a partner with Alejandra. The main task besides effort was consistent participation and perseverance. I was expected by the requirements of the project to be prompt in persevering through the tough times of our project. This helped me with sticking to projects as I’ve always struggled with this. In the past, I have often given up and stopped working on it.  However, this project has made me realize that there is no excuse to not doing something and to always follow through. Besides gaining the skill of perseverance, I also gained a great deal of endurance and stamina. This project is both frustrating and joyful. I feel glad and inspirational that I am helping others but am not fully successful in my goals. My perspective of my project has changed since beginning of this project. Specifically, I gained insight by realizing that it takes a lot of planning to run a job and a lot of fundraisers to give back to the community. I learned that if your heart’s not in it, it will be a miserable experience. This is why I believed I loved helping others so much. I am completely dedicated to others self-improvement. I did this project because I enjoyed the joy I can give others and see their happiness. I know I want to continue helping others as I grow up, as I find personal enjoyment and enjoyment from others joy. I believe I am not very
successful in this activity so far however as I progress I can see myself gain a lot more improvement in this project.

Vannessa's CAS Reflection #2

Although I am still experiencing difficulties with financing for hats, blankets, and care packages, I wanted to start something so I began investing in this project. I began going around my family members and asking them to donate yarn to crochet our hats. So far, it has been a success and I have managed to get about 5 grocery bags full of yarn so my partner Alejandra and I can finally start crocheting and starting our project. Although, my dad did hep our project and bought us some yarn as well. However, at this point we still need products to make tie blankets. I still have the same ideas to fund-raise to buy the supplies such as the tie blankets I just need some initiative to actually start a fundraiser. The problem with getting money for my project is still so stressful and frustrating. Another problem that hinders our CAS project is the fact that I cannot crochet. I was relying on Honda to teach me but come to find out she is just a beginner as well so we will have to reach out to somebody else such as my grandmas to begin starting our long journey of our project to improve the community as we try to improve their health emotionally and physically health. By doing so, I have had the ability to tackle some global issues of emotional poverty and to help people who may not have the same opportunities and help that most people should get during their state of poor health physically or emotionally. By doing this, we make a small change in our community to influence the global problems we face

Honda's CAS Reflection #1

The project I am involved in, along with Vannessa Wilson, is a newly created volunteer group that supports our local hospital. Our goal is to provide the patients of St. Mary’s with comfort and care as we plan on making blankets, knitted hats, care packages, etc. We also plan on helping the hospital in general volunteer forms. Vannessa has been a volunteer at the hospital for three years, providing ties with the volunteer coordinator to help us with our project. I have applied to be a volunteer and am waiting to hear from the hospital. So, far, we have made fundraising ideas that will help us to get yarn for hats, such as a basis yarn drive at our school. I have also reached out to a dentist/orthodontist office asking for any of their sample products that they plan on throwing away anyways. Things like toothpaste and toothbrushes for patients that stay overnight at hospitals without intention. With the products accumulated from business and school fundraisers, we can create care packages and hats or blankets. I do plan on asking a local beauty salon, in which I have a close family friend who works there, about donating any samples they do not plan on using. Samples such as small bottles of shampoo, conditioner, any makeup sample for women, can be used to add to the care packages.
This project reflects Creativity, Action, and Service because our group has created ideas to provide patients at the hospital care and comfort. We thought of hats and blankets for the winter season we are currently in.  Activity is shown by actively working and volunteering at the hospital by helping the faculty with anything they may need help with. Service is shown as we help the community through the hospital.

Vannessa's CAS Reflection #1

So far in my project, I am experiencing difficulties with the economic factor. I am in a group with Alejandra and we're making blankets, hats, and care packages for St. Mary's hospital. So, we need money to buy yarn to crochet the hats and we need products to make tie blankets. My ideas to fund-raise to buy the supplies are bake sales, coin drive, bingo night, or a raffle dinner. Another idea that also are to me was to do a yarn drive. I was thinking about doing it at Palisade High School; however, I feel teenagers won't have yarn and if they did they would want something in return for their donations. I could also go to stores like Joann's or Michael's and ask if I could have a cardboard box for a yarn drive and people would be more willing to donate to us. I could create a sign that read something like “yarn drive, CAS project that will benefit St. Mary's Hospital.” This way people will see that it is connected to the hospital and would want to help. Also, older people will have more yarn than teenagers at a high school in my opinion. However, this will only help in getting yarn for hats and I will still need to fundraiser to get money for the blankets. The volunteer service lady, Kris, liked Honda’s and I idea for the hospital very much which is a major success. She was even giving me other ideas to further my CAS project. The problem with getting money for my project is stressful and frustrating. Although, I have to get over that fear because without money I can’t do my project. I want to do my project because I want to improve my community and put happy and appreciated faces on the people staying at the hospital with our crocheted hats and handmade blankets made with love.