#9

I make sure to own up to any mistakes I've made and rise above excuse making. If I were to always make excuses I wouldn't be able to get ahead in life, I'd be stuck in the past. I think owning up to your mistakes when you can makes you a better leader who wants to grow as a person. I think we can encourage others to rise above blaming and excuse making by reminding them that mistakes don't mean failure. If you blame others and make excuses, you'll never reach any solutions and work as a team.

I liked that there was an emphasis on listening to others in order to be an ally to them. This article points out that it is very important to keep quiet and listen carefully to the issues of other groups even if you are not a part of that particular group. This can be applied to STARS lead because we are learning how to be leaders for underrepresented students and although we may not share the exact same experiences as them, it's important to be allies with them and listen to what they have to say. I'd say this is a strength of mine because I love listening to other people's stories and figuring out what I can do to help. A weakness would probably be to keep goals realistic. Oftentimes, I want to solve the problems of every oppressed group out there. However, this is not very realistic and it's better to take baby steps to achieve that in the long run.

Students should incorporate some personal experiences into their scholarship applications and talk about what they've learned about themselves and the world around them. Also, it's important to have activities and volunteer work to add to the student's repertoire of involvement. This can benefit the students who are part of the Empowerment Pipeline because they may not consider their personal experiences to be that unique. When in fact, they are! Additionally, scholarships contribute to my vision of social justice because they give an underrespresented group of students a better chance of attending college- whether they be students of color, low-income students, and more. I think it's very important to reach out to those students and give them the oppotunity of "free money" BECAUSE of their unique upbringings, not in spite of them.

#8

I have heard about these issues before and have even seen the entire film. However, I can't deny how impactful it is each time I watch "Waiting for Superman" because seeing how educational inequities affect a family is never something you can get used to. I think if Superman were to rescue these kids he'd get better, motivated teachers in public schools. He'd make sure the students' families were supportive of them being in school and encouraged them to continue their education through college. Many students struggle with finding motivation and inspiration. Oftentimes, they can't find a supportive force neither at home nor at school. If changes were made in the classroom through better teachers and/or improved teaching methods, then I think this could be accomplished. A good way to get parents involved is through parent-teacher interaction. Also, homework assignments that require parent participation might help involve them with their child's schoolwork.

I find myself believing that failure is bad. It takes a lot for me to realize that is only shaping who I am and allowing me to learn from the experience. I hope to improve on this. Throughout life not everything will go picture perfect and I think realizing that will open up a whole new possibility of happiness. This article can be very beneficial if I ever needed to give advice to someone who was feeling sad or stressed. There is a lot of useful information to motivate others. For example, if someone were to say they're not good enough for college I'd tell them that no one ever feels 100% ready for anything and that the only way you'll know is if you try. You don't want to regret not attending college; it provides so many great opportunities to grow!

I think this was a great article to read before our meeting with the empowerment pipeline students. This can really help us all have positive comments to add if faced with students with low self-confidence. Now I know what to say in the case of very different impressions the students might have of college.

A great way to change the unequal distribution of resources is to address how it is being done. Distributing resources based on the socioeconomic status of a region is unfair and this needs to be changed. We can change this by pushing for new policies and, most importantly, by voting for local legislature that agrees with you.  If they are pushing for the same change that you are then it will more likely be done. If you want a certain change, you must vote for it!

#7

I found the meeting activities to be very beneficial. Drawing reminded me of what I value in life and helped me to re-focus on my goals and aspirations. The front cover of my card is a great representation of the good things in my life and it helps me establish some sort of inner peace even if only for that moment when I'm looking at it. I also really appreciated the inside of the card where everyone wrote something about you. I value this because it's always interesting to see what others think of you and all of the comments in my card were positive. I was really grateful for the positive feedback given to me. I think it's important for people to know their impact on one another. Especially the positive impact!

I plan to focus on not comparing myself to others. I think this gives me a sense of despair because I feel like I haven't done enough, thus, belittling my accomplishments. If I were to focus more on my individual goals and accomplishments rather than those of others, I'd be much happier. What makes me happy is reflection. I like to reflect on the good things in my life like my family, my health, and my education and how they all make me a better person. There are so many things I am grateful for and it makes me happy. I definitely want to allow for more reflection/appreciation time for the rest of the semester. I also want to stay away from excessive negative thoughts. The article shows that this only pushes me further and further away from happiness.

The capstone project is a work-in-progress. We talked about incorporating our meetings with the high school students from the empowerment pipeline into the final video. I really like this idea because it will really demonstrate our accomplishments in the STARS program.

I am hanging out at home during spring break! It has been a blast so far. I do nothing related to school all day and I get to enjoy my mom's home-cooked meals. I missed hanging out with my family a lot so I am very appreciative of this break. AND it's right in the middle of midterms for me so it's a huge stress-reliever. I might go visit a friend at NIU this weekend so that should be fun too.

As for summer plans... they are still in the works. My family and I might either go to Mexico or Los Angeles to visit family. Plans or no plans, I'm just excited for summer to come!

#6

I found this article very interesting mainly because I practice yoga occasionally and meditation is a big part of that. I've learned the importance of controlling my breath and clearing my mind while holding difficult poses through yoga. I also took a course in high school on breathing techniques and meditation. In that class, we learned how to utilize different breathing techniques to help soothe stress and anxiety, give us energy, and ease us into sleep. I really benefitted from that course; if I ever have trouble falling asleep or if I feel myself getting stressed about something I find myself trying to slow my breath and suppress any thoughts for a few seconds. I found the part about not meditating the right way interesting because this has been a concern of mine in the past. I'm glad the article addresses this because there are times when I can only clear my head for a few seconds. Prior to reading this I never understood that there is no requirement for the amount of time spent meditating.


I truly agree with the pendulum analogy. I feel like there are good and bad things all around us but what matters is what you take away from it all. I definitely believe having balance can only improve your life all around. A balanced diet improves your overall health, balanced spending keeps you from wasting money, and balanced relationships keep you happy. I try to maintain my balance by considering all these ways I can stay balanced. I understand the things I have control over and other factors I have no say in. I try to accept things for what they are and make changes wherever I can. My friends and family help me to maintain my balance by encouraging a positive lifestyle and attitude. I plan to improve my studying habits this semester, my overall leadership roles next year, and most importantly I plan to maintain self-fulfillment and happiness over my next four years at Loyola.


This quote is very significant in my life. I have to remind myself that the only way change will ever happen is if I create it today. I struggle with procrastination at times and I think this quote is very important to keep in mind when that happens. This motivates me to make a change now before it’s too late. I think that too often we underestimate our abilities and put things off we don’t think we’re well-equipped for. However, Dubois says that “it is today that our best work can be done.” I don’t always realize my full potential and I need to apply this concept more often. Sometimes, I find excuses for why I can’t take action but really I am denying the possibilities of today and hoping for greatness tomorrow.

#5

This video gave me a sense of desperation in regards to Chicago's educational institution. There seems to be problems everywhere! The lives of children outside of school are afflicted with teen pregnancy, substance abuse, and homelessness. Additionally, the teachers are overworked and lack the resources to do something about this issue. The parents themselves cannot afford to be actively involved when they are concerned with feeding their children. Inadequate education only continues the cycle of poverty. I really liked the overall message of the video: not finding who to blame, but what can we do about this issue? This vague ending frustrated me initially because I just wanted to hear a simple solution. However, I realized soon after that there is no simple solution. Rather, there is a complex web of solutions to these problems. Family life, environment, schools, teachers, and laws all play a role in the educational inequalities in Chicago. We need to work towards improving each and every one of those factors instead of trying to pinpoint a single source of the problem.

Watching Malcolm X. London perform "High School Training Ground" brought chills down my spine. I felt the power and frustration behind each line he recited. I relate to the labeling of honors students versus regular students. At the middle school that I attended this was a big division like this. I was an honors student who hung out with regulars so I can relate to what it is like for London. However, it saddens me to think about how much more he has gone through living in Chicago. He touches on more serious incidences involving substance abuse and sadly, he is only one of many students experiencing similar struggles. He sees society as what it is and he realizes that the world around him is not right.

This video is very inspiring. Although the visuals show an athlete working out, this theme can be applied to any activity-or just life in general! I think that many times people get so caught up with their social lives that they lose track of what their goals are. The idea that stood out to me the most was about wanting something as bad as you want to breathe. This motivates me to focus more on what I want out of life and to relentlessly work towards achieving it. This is a valuable lesson that we all can learn from.

Seeing as how Malcolm X didn't mention a significant role any teachers played in his life, it seems the public education system is failing students in multiple ways. The educational institution does not provide a supportive community for children afflicted with many other problems outside of the home. Given the inadequate resources and extreme lifestyles of its students, public education has the possibility of offering a means of escape and a safe haven for these underprivileged children. However, by not establishing this positive environment for young adults, public schools fail their students. 

I hope that the students who come to visit us have open minds and are willing to listen to what we have to say. I hope to encourage them to succeed and continue on to college. After watching these videos, I see how difficult it may be to overcome the educational inequalities in this system. However, I hope that by lending an ear to these high school and by offering them support we can motivate them to strive for higher education. I hope that we can all be inspiration for them!

#4

I couldn't help but relate this article to the documentary on public education called "Waiting for Superman." The documentary discusses a similar pipeline effect that inadequate public education has on children. It saddens me that something as simple as giving a student a little extra help and time is not practiced more. We need to focus on stopping the pipeline effect closer to it's source--first in the classroom. I was surprised, however, that the zero-tolerance policies and policing of hallways are detrimental to a child's development. I never considered it this way. Throughout my years of public education I always thought it was silly to be at risk of suspension for bringing a pair of scissors to school; this article only confirms how ineffective the strict policies can be.

After watching this video clip I realized that aside from the schooling system there is a lot going on in the personal lives of inner-city African-American boys. External factors like family life and economic standing affect a young black student's mentality. Also, the issue of race affects their impression of school. A boy in the documentary claimed he was in trouble because he's black. It seems like all odds are against inner-city students in regards to them and their education. Another boy in the documentary talked about how there are so many police and security at his school but nothing to learn. Clearly, there are educational inequalities that need to be addressed.

I think the first thing I can do to address the issue of educational inequalities is to be informed and aware of what is going on around me in the public schooling system. By reading articles and watching documentaries about the pipeline effect I am doing so. Next, I'd like to get involved and be a steward to the improvement of public education. I plan to listen and empathize with others who are sharing their experiences and support them. I plan to motivate students to reach out to their peers, mentors, teachers, and/or counselors for their resources and have plans to attend college.

I have high expectations for our first meeting with the high school students. I am very excited to meet them; I want to hear all about them and their aspirations. I also have stories to share about things I've learned over the years and I hope I can offer great advice to them so they can learn from all of our combined experiences. My biggest wish is that the high school students benefit from this program. I want them to come out of this having learned about all the opportunities and resources they have that will help their transitions into college.

#3

"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly." -Robert F. Kennedy
This quote is especially relevant to my current leadership goals. A big part of what I'm striving for now is taking that initial step and taking on a leadership role. Making an effort to reach out to others is the first factor of leadership. Before you can achieve anything you must take the initiative to step out of your comfort zone. I am worried that if I take on a big leadership role I might not live up to others' expectations so usually I steer clear of any leader-oriented work. However, I think applying to be a part of STARS leaders is a big step. I dared to fail greatly unaware that this was the only way I could ever achieve greatly.

Social justice is realizing the dignity and rights of every human being, regardless of race, sexual orientation, religion, economic standing, and more. First, it is very important to be aware of your surroundings; you must open your eyes to the treatment of everyone. Once you realize that there is unequal treatment of someone or yourself, it is one's duty to set it right. On an individual basis I strive for fair treatment of others and myself by diminishing stereotypes and prejudices formed by others around me or the media. I am not afraid to speak for an oppressed group regardless of whether I am part of that particular group. I feel a deep connection and empathize with any oppressed group because I am a double minority: of race and gender. When I hear of oppression, whether it be by law or bullying in school, I do my best to be informed about how it can be stopped.

I think the Servant Leadership Workshop gave me a lot of insight on what qualities I already have and others I plan to obtain. I do believe that people are willing to share their ideas with me, knowing that I will listen to them and value their input. I am not over-bearing with my requests and I am committed to helping others grow and develop. However, I can improve my ability to anticipate the future and its consequences and prepare my organization to make a positive difference in the world.

My dream job is one that involves environmental advocacy. This career choice incorporates justice and positive change in human rights and environmental issues. By protecting the environment we protect people that are victims of environmental devastation; those that are denied access to clean water and environmental refugees.