Blogs

 Paper 1

Source:

Source 1: This excerpot analyzes a possible interpretation of why the Haulocaust happened from The Routledge Companion to Nazi Germany, Stackelberg, New York, 2007.

Source 2: Stated.

Source 3: Stated.

Source 4: And excerpt from Nazism: 1919-1945, Noakes and Pridham's opinions on the euthanasia programme. Exeter, Devon, 1995.

Source 5: Stated.

Final CAS Reflection:

Throughout my experience in CAS, my most beneficial experience was starting new initiatives. For example, participation in activities such as the CIBC Run for the Cure, the Candian Cancer Society Telethon and the Father’s day run for Prostate Cancer, all of these activities were amazing one day events and volunteering for these activities was incredibly fun; but leading an event is completely different from participating in one. I think that personally, I get more out of organizing events for my peers and other people around my community. Throughout my DP experience and even before that, starting initiatives was something that just came natural. Although I’m not always the one to completely carry out these initiatives, I think that just providing the spark for other people is good enough for me to feel like I’ve made a difference for more than just one group of people. Such as the school news paper initiative. In 2008 it was officially launched by Allison Lee (who graduated Stratford Hall in 2010), but prior to that launch date, I presented the head of school with a list of activities and clubs that our school should incorporate into our community. One of those ideas was the School newspaper the Sabres Source. That list got passed to the Diploma Students of that year at their DP retreat, and from then on, the Sabres Source became part of our school community. Another initiative similar to this situation was the Global Humanitarian Club. In early 2009 I presented yet another list with the name Global Humanitarian Club as one of the initiatives. After the earthquake in Kenya, this initiative became a reality and has successfully carried out events such as the Coins for Crisis as well as the Global Gathering. These events are examples of the type of innovations that I hope to inspire in youth, and that is the greatest reward that I could receive for all of my work in CAS and other volunteering initiatives.

            Inspiration is something that I look for in my life from others, and something that I try to pass on through my initiatives as well. But beyond this aspect, I have grown to connect and balance all aspects of my life through my interests. The field of physical activity, for example, combines a wide variety of sports such as Rowing, Ballet, Running and Volleyball. But these activities have something in common despite their very different fields and ‘athletic characteristics’. All of these sports require the use of endurance and linear accuracy. In order to turn the right triple pirouette, you must use your legs and head efficiently and precisely. From this you can apply these skills to Rowing because if you don’t have the right back posture and if you’re not used to counting at a regulated speed, you will not be in sequence with your boat mates and then your synchronization will be off. So as you can see, these aspects are all relative and everything is related—even across athletic fields.

            I think that my actions speak louder than my words, and I know it may be difficult to take a risk and go beyond your comfort zone, I think that I have really jumped out of my shell and become a much more independent person. In the past, I was not used to signing up for volunteering efforts, such as the Santa Clause day parade, with complete and total strangers. Without the comfort of other people, I was nervous at first because I’d grown up in a very sheltered environment, but after I participated in more and more external initiatives, I grew to incorporate and like the new experiences that I received through each and every initiative.

           Although activities (such as Ballet, Model United Nations and Yearbook Club) were already a part of my life,  it was great to be able to incorporate parts that were already part of my personality into my CAS program activities. Yearbook was established in grade 10 when I initially proposed the idea and was joined by another student to produce the yearbook club. Model United Nations began in grade 6 for me, but after our sponsor teacher left the school, it was up to a group of students led by myself to create a student run MUN team (this occurred in grade 9). I think staying at a school such as Stratford Hall has allowed me to establish a very strong base for activities and connections in order to make my high school life successful, but also allow me to progress further in my CAS initiatives and activities. New activities, such as Kerrisdale Leo’s Club initiatives, included new frontiers that also incorporated things that I’d already engaged myself in the past. There wasn’t a particular section in CAS where I thought it was easier to achieve because I’d already established this balance in the past grades.

            The most rewarding experience (if I had to choose) would definitely be my experience in Kenya. I drew a lot of lines between Kenyan culture, Canadian culture and even my heritage. I found that the Philippines was very similar climate-wise and society-wise, which made me feel at home while I was there. The children, even with just a conversation, opened my eyes to a whole new type of living. I had to compare the difference between what I saw and what I heard from TV, media and other people that visited the country. Throughout my journey in Kenya I learned not only about another culture but I was able to share mine with the students there. The most memorable moment was teaching the children of Kipevu Primary School how to sing Oh Canada. We taught them the song word by word and we had a sort of guessing game (we sang two lines, and they had to guess some of the words). This was extremely popular with the students and it also allowed them to learn more English through song.

 Happy Chinese New Year!

As the school year comes to a close, I have decided to write to you my final blog entry This entry will include this month of February's summary (written) and also my Calendar of Initiatives: db.tt/jEfCcvc

 I have divided this entry into three sections: my invovlement with Canadian High Schools Model United Nations

This year has been an incredible year! Though CAS I have developed my leader skills and proven that I am able to balance my time wisely in order to achieve well roundedness. 

Canadian High Schools Model United Nations is a student run MUN conference that is this year located in Richmond, BC. In May 2010 I was interviewed to participate in CAHSMUN as a Secretariat Member, one of the key people invovled in organizing the entire conference for highschool and university students in the lower mainland. 

This experience has taught me a lot about time management and even moreso about business management and operations. Although the conference is not over yet, I have devoted nearly every saturday to a CAHSMUN event, whether it be training sessions for students from schools such as Magee Secondary or St. Thomas Moore, or training staff (also students from grades 10-12) 

Here is the link to the Secretariat page on the CAHSMUN website: www.cahsmun.org/index.php

My job with CAHSMUN mainly consists of Marketing (my formal role is Under Secretary General of Marketing) however, as a tight knit secretariat, a lot of the time my jobs leak into other secretariat jobs. 

This experience has allowed me to learn not only about people and their mindset, but also given me the skills and experience for business and administration which I can very easily apply to my life. In my future, i hope to excell in business management, and this initial experience is something very important that I feel that I am lucky to be able to apply. 

Thanks for reading!

Geneva Nam

Happy New Year!

Here is a linke to my Calendar of events for January db.tt/5bF6qE3

Below I will discuss my involvement as my volunteer experience at my family's Restaurant.

 Earlier, beginnig in November 2009, I began volunteering for my family restaurant. Although I did do the same type of work that people with a job would do, I also had another more important role. On every saturday, I would go to the restaurant and help out the elderly ladies in the kitchen. The experiences connected to this were incredible! Similar to spending time with your grandmother, they would help me with my very limited Chinese, I would help them with their English, but they would also teach me some of their traditional Chinese cooking secrets. 

As generations age, our traditions either pass down to the next generation, or they are lost forever. Learning how to cook with the 'pros' was an unforgettable experience that was worth way more than I initially intended for it to. I have categorized this volunteering intiative as service, but the cooking aspect definitely connects this event as a creative initiative. The skills that i've learned will carry through me and I'm so glad that I was able to absorb a piece of my heritage in my own city!

Can't wait to hear from you next month!

This is my Decemer Calendar Record: db.tt/elQtNCZ 

Starting in November, a team of students: Aaron Chan, Kevin Li, David Findley and Vishal Patel including myself have worked hard to create a video for a BC Hydro Energy Smart contest!

Here is the link for our video: www.youtube.com/watch

Here is a summary of my experience with my friends creating the final product:

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 Here is my Calendar inventory: db.tt/y28Nehq

This month I will discuss the achievements of the Global Humanitarian Club. This year we have undergone expansion and new leadership, so there is a lot I have to update you about!

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 Here is the link to my calendar entry for this month! db.tt/Mzbd3AK

My monthly audio reflection will include a discussion of my creative involvement with the Grade 9/10 music class.

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 This is officially the beginning of my DP year 2! Sadly, the monthly calendars that I usually post are supposedly too large for me to upload straight here to Drupal, so i have included my calendar of activities here as a link because the document doesn't fit onto this website: db.tt/FXB8kqC

This month, I will be discussing my real expereinces that have come from Rowing, the most recent Action initiative that I've taken!

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