New Orleans
Well, I am off to New Orleans tomorrow morning bright and early. I am going to be meeting out two esteemed Forest Foundation program directors to get to know them and to do a training with them. This trip is particularly exciting because I will be taking the Himovitz family along with me to the training and to meet these students. Support from families like the Himovitz' have been integral to the success of the Forest Foundation in Santa Barbara, and have given us a safety net here. I am hoping that when the Himovitz' share their experiences about the Forest Foundation with the two girls, it will have a powerful impact on them, and I also think that it will lend to our legitimacy.
Jordan
Marketing
Aaron and I have been working intensely today on some sweet marketing materials for the public to see real soon. We're quite the fearsome duo, Aaron and I, working on a project together. The possibilities are truly limitless.
In other news, I spoke with our first Network for Socail Change participant today and her program sounds real strong. She's just a straight shooter with upper management written all over her. I'm feeling real positive about the direction of the Foundation right now.
Logan
Look out L.A. Here comes Moishe!!
Moishe House just keeps rollin' with events happening almost every day of the calendar month. Pictured here is me, Isaac Zones, taking a big pot in the monthly Moishe House SF All In MoFo Poker Night - I almost feel bad inviting people over only to take their money but then again I really don't. Thursday I travel to LA to talk with the folks there and if all goes well we will have our fourth house in the mix. Once we have LA under our belt we will have to start oiling the pipes and getting the word out about this great opportunity to more regions across the U.S. Moishe House is going great and it just keeps getting better.
In the Field
Exciting times are all around us! A short lived winter has finally ended, it seems, in CA, with the sun shining and warming our backs. To keep you up to speed, I’m embracing my role more and more as makeshift graphic designer, helping out many different projects, my main focus the poster for the Jewish festival.
Things have been going great with my Program Directors, who are currently on Spring Break. The Foundation strives for leadership development, and what are leaders but talented people with amazing skills? Feedback and monitoring oneself is a top priority for me, and the past few days have been chock full of self-reflection and observations. It’s nice to know I’m doing a good job, but more valuable to know what I can get better at. Don’t be afraid to take risks. Challenge yourself to excel in areas you never thought possible. With a little bit of imagination, and a dream, you can make it happen.
Teamwork
Wednesday was a huge success for me, and a fun day at that. I had the fortune of leading a team-building workshop for the SBCC Women's softball team. We went through a number of activities and had some really great conversations about team work, communication, and attitude. The coach and assistant couch were very appreciative and I am hoping that I will get to offer this experience to other teams in Santa Barbara.
Jordan
Pretty Much the Best Day Ever
It is officially snowball season! Not the kind you throw, the kind you eat. For those of you out there that are not from the south, you may refer to such things as "snow cones."
I was driving down Carrolton Avenue last night when I saw a small unsuspecting sign "Plum St. Snowballs Now Open!"
I've been thinking about snowballs since 8:15 last night and finally just got over there to enjoy on. It is also perfect snowball eating weather, approximately 76 degrees.
Okay now on to business....we are having our Lakeview clean up on Saturday. Went out and hung up some signs around town this afternoon. Also just bought a digital camera so that I can take pictures a the event and all events for that matter.
Oh and I should warn you that I'm going to Spain for a week. I'll try to write next Tuesday from Barcelona but I'll be honest with you, it's probably not going to happen.
One of those days
What a day! 10:50 p.m and I'm still working, I think that speaks for itself. Now I know how Isaac must feel a lot of the time. It doesn't really help though when the power goes out for several hours during the day, which was the case today - twice. The first power outage wasn't so bad, it only lasted for about half an hour. But about a half hour after the power initially came back on, everything went out again. And it went out in style! Everything in the office turned on real fast, the lights, stereo, TV and so on, followed by a loud pop where all electronics shut off immediately. This second outage lasted a few hours.
But the point of this blog isn't that the power went out - twice - it's that its just been one of those days where it only feels appropriate that that kind of thing would happen. Yes, it's been a long day, but at least I'll probably finish this blog before the power goes out again... yeah, I think I made it.
-Logan
The Flash
So we've been working hardcore, revamping the
Flash for all its glory. The next issue, due to arrive in mailboxes on Monday morning, will feature more articles, more stories, a quiz, new pieces by more staff, coverage of the Katrina cleanup project, and more pictures.
Stay tuned.
Aaron
Moishe House off the hinges!!!
We just got mid-month reports in from Moishe Houses in San Francisco, Oakland and Seattle and things have been very exciting. San Francisco had a purim get-together this past Tuesday and Oakland is having a big bash this coming Friday. There have been numerous Shabbat dinners including one in Seattle for young adult couples - 9 altogether. Shown here is a picture of the most recent San Francisco movie night which rented a projector to show cult favorite "Army of Darkness." Moishe House is going great and looking to get bigger and better. Los Angeles is on board and if all goes well will be the newest member of the team come April. Bye for now! - Isaac
Today I put the finishing touches on the Forest Foundation High School Application. The goal is to find 10 high school students who we will hire to work for as program corrdinators over the summer. We will have weekly meetings, socials, and leadership trainings for them. The goal is to take some emerging leaders and invest in their passions and skills so that they will be effective componants of social change... now and in the future.
pretty cool huh?
Jordan
It's a boy!
Today has been a great day! I just went to Loyola University to meet with a group of students to talk about The Forest Foundation. I expected it to be 2 or 3 students but there were more like 10. It was a bit intimidating but overall a good experience. I had the chance to tell them all about the wonderful opportunities there are working with The Forest Foundation.
On Saturday I went with one of my PD's to a meeting in Lakeview which is an area in New Orleans that was devastated by the hurricane. We announced that she will be organizing semimonthly clean ups in the area starting next Saturday.
Semimonthly means occurring twice a month. Did you know that? I did not. Had to use the ole websters online dictionary. I kept wanting to use the word "biweekly" but that in fact means twice a week. So you would think the word to use would be "bimonthly" but it actually means occuring every two months. I'm a word nerd. big one.
Anyway, hope your day is going as well as mine. Oh, and my brother and sister in law are having a baby and they just found out that it's going to be a boy. very exciting stuff.
Blogging Skills
Whoa! Some quality blogs over the past few days, without a doubt. This new style's really gonna work out for the best, I can already tell. For those of you who were worried about my farmer's burn from the other day, by the way, don't worry - I but my head down and worked through the pain, and now my skin is a rich lustrious brown.
I'm going to have to learn how to post pictures in the blog like the rest. Aaron and Isaac were just trying to show off their skills. See you all next week!
Logan
In the Field
Here we go! Welcome to my official blog with the Foundation. It only seems natural that I write on Fridays, only hours before the Sabbath. My name is Aaron Small, I'm out "In the Field" (hence the title), so get ready.
On the left is a photo shot during the "A lil' bit more than Manischewitz" Wine Tasting trip in Santa Barbara. Look at their cute punims! 2nd from the right is Justin Young, a Program Director driven to create fun social and networking events for Jewish college students.
The event was amazing; over 38 students and professionals showed up and
drank tasted wine in the Santa Ynez Valley. More importantly, it constructed a positive memory, and affected and changed people in a unique way. The Forest Foundation is on a mission of change, positive change, and
one of the ways is by creating programs that increase the surrounding happiness, and increasing it exponentially. They weren't 38 people simply riding a bus and tasting wine - it surpassed and transformed from the average to an elevated level, with proper organization, direction, and attitude. Granted, the wine could have had something to do with it. Okay, it probably did. But still....
Shabbat Shalom,
Aaron
What a Day
Sometimes I can't believe that I actually get paid to the work that I do. Today I picked up Margie, one of the UC Berkeley students I work with, around 1:30 p.m. and we headed over to the elementary school in Richmond where she works on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We talked a bit on the way over, which I enjoyed. I've known Margie since before she started high school, much less college. We were at Camp Tawonga together for a summer or two.
We got a tad lost as I always seem to when heading over to Chavez elementary and then we headed into the trailer in the school's back parking lot where Diego Garcia has his office. Diego, the head of the Healthy Start afterschool program through which Margie works, grew up in Richmond himslelf and has a wonderful track record of successful work in schools with "at-risk youth."
We shook hands and chatted for a bit and then I follow Margie to Ms. Vasquez's classroom where she normally begins her afternoons. As soon as I entered the classroom one young boy, Valdomar, asked my bluntly - "What's your name!" I repeated the question right back to him with a little bit of attitude. "Blabbermouth" he muttered as he walked over to a table to take his homework out.
Once I got situated and put my things down I headed over to the one table where there was not an adult. Margie told me to be patient and that the students would ask me for help when they needed it. Sure enough, Valdomar was staring at his blank page of math problems and then staring right back at me. Minutes later we were drawing 28 different candy bars on a piece of scratch paper and drawing lines to the four friends of his we were dividing them amongst and trying to create a concrete example of a simple division problem.
Valdomar soon grew tired of his math and wandered off. I snapped a few pictures of Margie and then we all headed out on to the playground. I got beat up at tetherball (I don't think we played regulation rules) by a 3rd grader and then wandered over to the soccer field where Margie was already trudging around in her Ugz boots. Valdomar was the goalie and I was the primary defender and we played a great game.
Before I knew it it was 5:30 and I was saying goodbye to Margie as I dropped her off at her dorm room. Margie and I had had a lot of fun and it was so clear that we had made a big difference for all the people we came into contact with that day. Is that work? I don't know - it certainly doesn't feel like it.
Things are going great up here in the Bay Area. Look for more info about Margie's "Art Makes You Smart" program in the coming Flash (3/17).
Today Logan and I went to UCSB's summer job fair. It was, to say the least, pretty fun.
We were able to talk to a number of students about the Network for Social Change and see a bunch of Program Directors who were going to class. Logan was able to develop an amazing farmers tan throughout the day, but don't worry mom, I brought sunscrean and survived the day unburned.
You can catch more of my great blogs every Wednesday,
holla,
Jordan
My first blog
Hi there. So I've never written a blog before. And I'm pretty excited about it. A little bit nervous actually.
Who's out there reading this? Are they judging me? Probably, I don't blame you.
But anyway Tuesdays are my days. So here goes....
I live in New Orleans. About 6 weeks ago we started the Forest Foundation here. I've hired two program directors and interviewed lots of potentials. There is so much work to do here it's a bit overwhelming really. But things are coming along nicely so far.
Since this is my first entry I thought I would start off slow but please don't give up on me yet. I'll be back next Tuesday and I hope you will be too.
-rachel
New Bloggers!
Get ready for more bloggers! In our neverending quest to offer you, YOU, the dear reader reading this blog at this very moment, an entertaining and informative blog, the likes of which you've never seen before, I'll be stepping aside and giving the other Forest Foundationers the podium. We'll have a handy little schedule so you can follow your favorite blogger whenever they write, every single day of the week. It'll be Logan on Mondays, Rachel from New Orleans on Tuesdays, Jordan on Wednesdays, Isaac from the Bay on Thursdays, and Aaron wrapping it up on Fridays, and the list coming right back at you again and again week after week. Is your forehead sweating? Are your fingers shaking? Are your knees trembling? Your excitement is palpable. Try to calm down, though, cause it's all starting now. Enjoy!
Logan
Goings on in the Foundation
It's been an amazing few weeks here with the Foundation. We're coming strong off influential and helpful Jewish Business League speakers like Roger Himovitz and Cheri Steinkelner, with Jeff Arch next week. 'A lil bit more than Manischewitz' Wine Tasting was a blast, with 36 students and professionals from all walks filling up a bus and heading over into the Santa Ynez wine country.
This Thursday is opening night of the Santa Barbara Jewish Film Festival, giving Paige Mueller her time to shine. A Bowling Tournament is also set for next week at Zodo's. A lot of events, a lot of memories, a lot of fun = tons of community!
-Aaron
