Public Speaking Ellicits Change

After much havoc, stress, and hair pulling our Service Learning Project at Lafayette has finally been completed and we made out debut, I think we were able to get our point across.  We were able to use public speaking as a tool for change.  I learned that public speaking is one of the most powerful tools one can use to bring forth change because within it is the most important agent of change: communication.  Without communication, how can you expect to voice your opinion and get your point across? Many people great people have used public speaking to ellicit change, such as Martin Luther King Jr., Macolm X, and Barack Obama.  Therefore, it is only right if we did as well in an attempt to bring about changes for our little friends at Lafayette. I believe we were successfully able to make a difference in these childrens lives.  Each student was able to get their own opportunity to have all eyes and ears on them as they voiced their own issues that they wanted to change, whether is was verbally or visually.  The video was especially effective because when the children were filmed they were able to say what they wanted to say with out the pressure of an audience and it was able to be presented in a way that gave the audience no choice but to listen to the problems the students were facing and what they thought was important. Also, the video caught the eye of a juvenille court judge and he/she wanted to use it in the court in an attempt to change the lifestyles of troubled youth.

Oh yea, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Everybody!!

Oh, wait!! I think the politically corrcet term is Happy Holidays!!!

The Last Week (Blog #9)

Woah, it’s the last week of the service learning project! Wow! Time really does fly by! It seems like yesterday was our first day when we were being harrassed by Kaylin and Julien and threatened to being beat up. Although things have really gone by fast, we seem to have made some progress and have gotten to warm up to these little first graders as well as them to us. After being brought down to earth the first week, we will continue to carry out the revised plan that we came up with the second week of the service-learning project. Everything now really depends on whether the remaining students return with their cameras so their pictures can be developed. However, if they forget to, then the show must go on and we will just have to improvise and use what we have to make everything work. After Brandon photo shop’s the pictures that need work then my group will prepare the powerpoint presentation that will be used in the show Friday. Also, after the first graders finish their homework, we will help each of them prepare what they will say when it is their turn to narrate his or her picture and they will practice it so that everything will be picture perfect by Friday. I am hoping, praying, and wishing that the rest of the first graders will bring their cameras back tomorrow because it would make everything much more structured and easier to get done, if they did.   

Herstyn Jones

1st Grade Change-Up

Reflecting on the second week of our service-learning project, the first graders gave us a reality check and made us realize that we were not going to be able to accomplish all that we had planned to accomplish, at least not within three weeks. This second week is the time when we began to think realisticly and started changing up our agenda.  We eliminated every goal and just focused on getting the powerpoint presentation done.  So the first graders were given cameras to take pictures of different items such as some things that they didn’t like, some things that made them happy, and some things that they’d like to change. They were to take their cameras homes to take pictures and bring them back by Friday, November 14, 2008, so that they could be developed over the weekend.  However, all of the children didn’t return with their cameras, which was expected, and hopefully they will bring them Monday, November 16, 2008. We also hope that the pictures that the students snappped are of material that can be used to represent what they want to change as well as accurate enough to be used in the presentation. After we get the pics back, Brandon will attempt to photo shop the photos that need work and return them to us so that we can prepare the powerpoint.  Also we will prepare a script for each first grader to recite that will tell about the picture and what he or she wants to be changed when his or her picture appears in the final presentation. 

 

Herstyn Jones

This Upcoming Week

Last week, I was only able to attend two days and I was able to grasp a feel for the group of first graders.  Having tutors children on this age level before, I knew it was going to be challenging because it is rare to keep small children’s attention for ten minutes let alone nearly two hours! However, we seem to be making progress and this week should be better.  The sudents are beginning to warm up to us and we seem to have gotten a feel of how to handle each of them.  The first graders seem to be very enthusiastic about the project of taking pictures and recording them pointing out the things they dislike around their school.  Once we have the disposable cameras and camcorder, then the project will be able to be put into full effect.  I look forward to working with them this week and I hope we will be able to make even more progress and get work done.  The only concern I have is how we will format the powerpoint for the presentation day but my group and I have time to talk about that.

Herstyn Jones

Herstyn Jones’ Reflection on the First Week

My first week probably wasn’t as tiresome as others because, although I wanted to come everyday, due to an unscheduled conflict I was on able to come twice this week: Monday and Tuesday.  The time I did spend with the first graders at Lafayette Charter School was an overall enjoyable experience.  They all seemed to be very intelligent and to have a willingness to participate in the service learning project.  My first day I worked with a little youngin named Julien and although he fronted like he was a tough guy he sooned warmed up to me and we were able to get most of his homework done.  Today, was a pretty productive day as well.  My group was able to get all the students homework done in about an hour and had roughly thirty minutes to plan out the photography project and a song/dance performance that they can do.  (Well, were still working out the blueprint for the song/dance part but the students are eagar to participate.)  I can’t wait til next week, because I will be able to be there most of the week!

My First Impressions of the 2Cent Fam…

When I first heard Dr. Louis speak of 2cent Entertainment, I thought it was just a bunch of college students that were just going out into the community and trying to make a difference and give back to their community through the regular tactics, such as volunteering to help repair New Orleans from Hurricane Katrina devastation, tutoring children, and other things that typically are associated with those activities.  And I was right, for the most part.  Then I took a look at their myspace page and was quite surprised. It seems that they have been very active in the New Orleans community and seem to have a great affect on their peers in the city. From the commercials and videos on you-tube, it is evident that this group of activists are very creative and witty and are proving that a big wallet and mass media broadcasting is not needed to effect change.  Also, they have not only been able to educate and help their community but provide entertainment as well, through events such as concerts with well known local and national celebrities and open mic nights.  I look forward to working with this talented group of world changers because I know it will truly be a life-changing experience.

Taking a look at the Lafayette Charter Academy website, Lafayette Charter Academy seems to be a very prestigious school. It also seems to be built on the same values and princilples that 2cent entertainment stand. One main principle this facility and the organization have in common is not ont only keeping the community moving forward and bettering it and its inhabitants, but making the world a better place.

Reflection

Good afternoon, Dr. Louis and my fellow speech students! It was good to see you all made it back safely to Xavier.  The relationship between an university and the community in which it is surrounded by is a monumental issue. There should be a tight bond connecting both, because each must depend on the other in order to prosper. The purpose of the university is to provide a service to those desiring knowledge and to better themselves in a particular profession or career of their choice. More than likely, the majority of the students that attend a university came from the same city, if not the same community, that the university is in. These students know what must be done and what their community needs to be improved. On the other hand, the city should also be able to help the university to come up with money and attain grants that will aid in the service of educating and providing for the students.

Basically, it works in the same way as reflection would. If the city is doing well, then the university should be doing well or vice versa. However, if the the city is doing poorly, then the university won’t exactly be considered the best to attend for a good eduacation. Xavier is a prime example of this reflection. It has grown tremendously since its establishment because its alumni and city have invested in it. In return, Xavier has required its students to participate in various community service projects that have helped in New Orleans’ recovery from Hurricane Katrina.

Time For A Change!

                Good morning and good afternoon Dr. L and my fellow speakers.  I hope everyone is enjoying his or her hurrication!  My name is Herstyn Jones and, of course, I am a Xavierite! My hometown is about five hours away from The Big Easy in Shreveport, LA, so I really didn’t have far to go when I evacuated.  One thing you all will learn about me during this semester is that I speak my mind in spite of what others choose to think.  Also, I am not the type to be easily cajoled into following the crowd.  I believe God only create one of me and I shouldn’t spoil my uniqueness by being like anyone else.  Therefore, there are a plethora of instances in which I used my voice to “speak up for change”; however, there is one instance I believe will always blatantly stand out among my experiences: The decision on which high school I should attend.

                Basketball is my passion and my first love.  Throughout my middle school career, I was being scouted and recruited by several of the local high schools in Shreveport.  Despite the attention I was receiving for my basketball skills, I opted to keep my academics top-priority and ultimately chose Caddo Magnet High School, a school renowned for its academic stature.  However, I was making a monumental sacrifice because this particular school was prohibited by its charter to have any sports, including basketball.  Consequently, I would never be able to have the privilege of showcasing my talent and representing my school or earning a basketball scholarship to attend a “big name” college.  The only thing I didn’t get was that the school had soccer, lacrosse, swimming, softball, fencing, golf, and track teams. Being the person that I am, I wasn’t just going to standby and allow my dreams to be unjustly washed away without at least making an attempt to elicit change.  So I began devising a plan that would eventually lead to the creation of a basketball team. 

                My freshman year, I created an intramural basketball club as well as a petition for establishing an official Caddo Magnet Mustangs’ basketball team, which was signed by nearly the entire school.  Next, during my sophomore year, I organized a mock basketball team that scrimmaged against some of the area high schools.  Also, that year I polled the school to see who would support the basketball team if the school had one and 88% of those that were able to fill it out said they would support it.  Later on that year, a group of students and I brought our issue before the Caddo Parish School Board and presented many speeches on what it meant for Caddo Magnet to have a basketball team along with the petition and survey.  This particular act accumulated mass media attention and things began to look up.  However, I was unable to handle school, basketball, creating a school basketball team, and other activities all together so to put my project on hold and made little progress my junior year.  However, my senior was quite a different story.  I was able to acquire a coach and have a basketball team that played in SPAR leagues and traveled to tournaments.  Even though we only won one game that whole season, we were pleased with the progress we had made and to have had the privilege of being a part of an actual team! Thank you for reading, Goodnight!