2007
Alumni in Action!
A cornerstone of the Julie Foudy Sports Leadership Academy is "LIVE. LEAD. Pass it ON!". We believe that leadership is personal, not positional and the biggest challenge is just taking that FIRST step. Often, leadership is inspired by hearing a story, reading an article, and learning from other acts of leadership around us. During our week together at the JFSLA, we help our students develop a "Leadership Project" that they will initiate in their own communities. They pick the project, develop a plan of action, and then bring their project to life in their communities. Here is a sample of some leadership projects that some of our students have initiated in their communities. We are proud of their decision to CHOOSE TO MATTER! Their actions will inspire more to take that first step.
From Margaret De Oliveira and Rebecca Merrifield, JFSLA 2007 Graduates
For our service project, we organized and ran a triathlon at our school. The triathlon was held on May 12, 2008 at Blair Academy. We had almost fifty participants, and were able to raise about $1,100 for the Invisible Children Organization! We wanted to educate our community about the displaced kids in northern Uganda, which is the purpose of the Invisible Children Organization, while also providing an active event at our school. Although Uganda is far from home, the issue was close to our hearts, especially as we watched a video about the horrible lives that children lead in Uganda. The triathlon helped us raise pledges and was also a lot of fun! We learned a lot about others, ourselves, and about community service. Thank you for inspiring us to reach out to others. It was truly an amazing experience and we plan to hold the triathlon again next year.
Teen uses leadership skills, lands grant for Head Start
--article on JFSLA 2007 Graduate Lynnea Davis
By Nicole Kelley, The Chieftain
May 29, 2008
While attending a sports camp last summer, Lynnea Davis never imagined she'd get the opportunity to affect children's lives back home in Bonner Springs.
At the Julie Foudy Sports and Leadership Academy in Moraga, Calif., Davis, 15, was able to not only hone her soccer skills, but also to learn something about the importance of volunteerism. The camp brought in speakers such as retired tennis player Billie Jean King to talk with the participants about leadership in a community and making a difference.
On the last day of the sports academy, staff members passed out a grant application form and challenged the students to do something for their community and "Choose to matter," which was the theme of the camp.
Davis decided to take that opportunity and was able to receive $250 to give to the Bonner Springs Head Start program to purchase new helmets for a total of 68 students.
"I hate seeing kids out with no helmet," Davis said.
Getting to that point wasn't easy, however. Davis spent a lot of time trying to come up with an idea for the grant money in the first place. She eventually settled on a program that she had become familiar with through her mother, who is a member of the Rotary Club. Davis said she learned about the Head Start program through helping her mother organize a book drive and decided it was a good cause that could benefit from the grant.
Her brainstorming wasn't over yet. While Davis was set on helping the Head Start students, she wasn't sure exactly how to do that. With the help of Chellie Bonebrake, Head Start family service coordinator, she decided on an idea.
Bonebrake said that all of the students who attend Head Start are part of a family that is at or below the poverty line. Because of this, she said many families can't afford to purchase helmets, which means many young people are riding around unsafe.
The grant money, along with an extra $20 donation from Davis, purchased helmets for all the current Head Start students. Bonebrake said that small token would make a big difference for many families. She said she was impressed with Davis and her dedication to the project.
"I thought she was an absolutely amazing kid," Bonebrake said. "15 years old and writing a grant to get helmets; she's just a really neat kid."
Davis said she liked the idea of a Bike Day and the helmet giveaway because she'd heard stories of children seriously injured because they didn't wear a helmet. She said she thought that this was an opportunity to "save lives."
On the night of the helmet giveaway event on May 1, Davis and a couple of school friends who volunteered to help set up a few tables at the Head Start office, 441 N. Neconi. Popcorn and lemonade were provided for the families at one table. At another table, Davis passed out helmets to the children and wrote their names on the back. She also provided bike safety information for the parents.
Many of the participants then borrowed Head Start bikes and rode around the track wearing the new helmets. A storm rolled into Bonner Springs and the event was cut short, but Davis and Bonebrake made sure each child got a helmet.
One of the moments from the event that stands out in Davis' mind is a mother who told her she was scared every time her daughter went out riding without a helmet.
"I want parents to know that their children are safe," Davis said, adding that a scraped knee because of a crash with a helmet is much better than a trip to the hospital if the child wasn't wearing a helmet.
Davis hopes to make the Bike Day and helmet giveaway an annual event. While next year she won't be eligible for the grant because she doesn't plan to attend the same camp, she said she will look for new ways to raise money. She also hopes to ask the Bonner Springs Police Department to participate to provide more safety information to the parents and children.
"It was definitely stressful at times," Davis said of planning the event. "At the end I was so relieved. It made me happy to know I helped these lower-income families."
Davis tries to volunteer her time as much as possible. She said she usually picks a random volunteer opportunity off the "Volunteer Board" at Notre Dame de Sion in Kansas City, Mo., where she attends school, and has helped her mother in the past with Rotary Club projects.
Davis said that volunteering was just part of who she is. As a Christian, Davis said she just wants to be able to help other people anyway she can.
"It makes me definitely feel better about myself," she said. "I like helping people. It makes me feel good and it's something everyone should do."
Hana Kajimura: A 2007 JFSLA Graduate.
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For my leadership project I wanted to do something that didn't just affect
my immediate community but also that I was passionate about. Almost three
years ago, I was fortunate enough to take a trip to Ethiopia with my mom on
business. I saw and experienced things there that have influenced me so much
as a person and have changed the way I view certain situations and a lot of
my outlook on life. I learned how fortunate I am- how fortunate we all are-
to live in the conditions what we do, and I also discovered a lot about hope
and finding it in the most unsuspected places. I decided to combine two of
my passions by holding a soccer clinic in my community to benefit a girl's
clinic in Ethiopia. After contacting an 18 year old girl in Ethiopia named
Belene who had started a girl's program of her own called "Fre Hewan",
meaning "Seeds of Eve", I held a soccer clinic for youth in my community
ages 5-10. Each kid who came to the clinic had to bring a new soccer ball as
their admission ticket, which I will donate to Fre Hewan. The program works
on teaching young girls about AIDS prevention and education, but also has a
sports component, which was perfect for what I was trying to do! It was an
amazing and rewarding experience for me, to feel good about myself and to
know I was making a difference in the world, if even in small way. My
project took a lot of coordination and hard work but if you find something
that you truly care about, it becomes easy and it's all worth it in the end!
I hope to deliver the soccer balls to Belene and the rest of the girls in
February, on a trip to Ethiopia.
Hana Kajimura.
my immediate community but also that I was passionate about. Almost three
years ago, I was fortunate enough to take a trip to Ethiopia with my mom on
business. I saw and experienced things there that have influenced me so much
as a person and have changed the way I view certain situations and a lot of
my outlook on life. I learned how fortunate I am- how fortunate we all are-
to live in the conditions what we do, and I also discovered a lot about hope
and finding it in the most unsuspected places. I decided to combine two of
my passions by holding a soccer clinic in my community to benefit a girl's
clinic in Ethiopia. After contacting an 18 year old girl in Ethiopia named
Belene who had started a girl's program of her own called "Fre Hewan",
meaning "Seeds of Eve", I held a soccer clinic for youth in my community
ages 5-10. Each kid who came to the clinic had to bring a new soccer ball as
their admission ticket, which I will donate to Fre Hewan. The program works
on teaching young girls about AIDS prevention and education, but also has a
sports component, which was perfect for what I was trying to do! It was an
amazing and rewarding experience for me, to feel good about myself and to
know I was making a difference in the world, if even in small way. My
project took a lot of coordination and hard work but if you find something
that you truly care about, it becomes easy and it's all worth it in the end!
I hope to deliver the soccer balls to Belene and the rest of the girls in
February, on a trip to Ethiopia.
Hana Kajimura.
Megan Pelino: A 2007 JFSLA Graduate.
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From Carol Pelino:
"I am the proud mother of Megan Pelino. Here is the information about Megan's fundraising for the Choose Living Foundation this summer. Her effort was a direct result of attending the Julie Foudy Sports Leadership Camp in Oakbrook, IL -- both her "spark" to help and finding this specific foundation. The newspaper article was in our weekly local paper, The Hinsdale Doings. The other printout is from the Choose Living Foundation website (www.chooseliving.org). Megan continues to be in contact with the Foundation and Alex Hermstad's family."
Shaylynn Conti: A 2007 JFSLA Graduate.
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I have attached pictures of me when I go to volunteer at the animal shelter. My project that I decided on at camp this summer was to help find homes for animals that are in shelters. When I got back to Arizona, I got on the internet and researched shelters that would take volunteers my age. Most of them want you to be at least 16 years old. I found a place called Arizona Rescue. They are a "no kill" shelter. This means that when they find strays or people give them their dogs, they will never put them down. They contract with several local "doggy day care" places that rent them space for the dogs. Then they find foster families and try to get the dogs adopted.
My job is to walk the dogs. I go every Friday and make sure each dog receives an afternoon walk. I often play with them and take them to a local dog park. I am responsible for signing them in and out and reading the bios of the dogs on their website. I have been volunteering with Arizona Rescue since the end of September. I had to go through a two hour training session to learn about the organization and I also have to attend a training session on proper leash handling.
I love my volunteer position so so much. It is so great to know that I am providing the dogs exercise and love and attention. It is so neat for me to get there and they are all so excited to see me. It feels so good to know that these animals are well taken care of. Even though I am sad when I find out one of them has been adopted, it also makes me so happy that they have found a loving home.
I have the slogan......"Choose to Matter" written all over my binder that I use for school.
Thank you for giving me the chance to tell you about my volunteering.
Shaylynn Conti
Emily Kramer: A 2007 JFSLA Graduate.
This is a writing that I did last year which went to the state capital and is now published in do the right thing book which is in the library of congress. I am also on the newspaper committee at my school and plan to help work on the advice column with other people. Also last year I made a shirt that says,"If you are going to fight, fight. Bullying, stand up, reach out make a difference." Another way I am doing my project is setting an example by not being the one who is the bully. But by being the one who stands up for other people when they are being bullied. I thank you very much for your e-mail. I will also keep working hard. Again thank you so much!
sincerely,
Emily Kramer
Violence is never the Answer
Everyday I walk into school with a plan in my head. A plan that I think no one wants because they are so caught up in doing things already that they don’t even realize it. My plan is to stop bullying at my school. I am tired of people turning to fists for the answer. One day I was sitting at lunch and my friend came up and asked me if she could sit next to me. Of course I said yes. I wouldn’t turn anybody down if they wanted to sit next to me. All of a sudden this girl came where we were sitting and started saying that she was going to beat my friend up. As I was sitting there hearing all of this, my friend is sitting there laughing. When the girl walked away, my friend started talking about what had just happened. She said, “It’s no use fighting her because she is not worth it. Besides I can beat her up in a heartbeat.” As everyone is going Along with this I said, “Why do you always think that going to fist fights are the answer? It doesn’t help.” (For the full version please click here)
