Thank You So Much, I Couldn't Have Done it Without You!

I just wanted to thank everyone for helping me with this massive project, I know it was such a pain to put together but I love you so much for not even thinking twice about helping me, and giving me help even when I didn't ask for it.

Thank you Cheryl, Natalie O., Gohan, Ivy, Victoria, Joe, Jesse, Joey, Elijah, Priscilla, Xavier, Dominic, JD, Zhailah, Andy, Rene, Nicole D., Lucas, Jesus, Grandpa, Diego, & my Mom

I love you so much!

Blog 21: Independent Component 2

Literal

• I, Angel Campos, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work
• All the kitchen staff of URM, (especially Humphrey and Andre)
• Independent Component 2 Log

Interpretive

• My independent component shows 30 hours of work, because I volunteered at URM for an additional 30 hours. While working here I got very few opportunities to work with the children, but on the days I did, I got to play with them during free-play  Most of the children there are 7 years old or younger so we mostly just played with hula hoops or tag in the big gym which was really fun. On the days I worked in the kitchen; I got to help prepare, cook, and serve meals to all the men, women, and families in the shelter. Working in the kitchen has been amazing because everyone is so extremely good-hearted and we all treat each other like family.

Applied

• Working at the URM has helped me understand what better ways I could help homeless youth break the cycle of homelessness, by talking to the other volunteers in the kitchen who are also in the URM program. Hearing their stories and what struggles they faced growing up and living on the streets really enlightened me further as to how youth homelessness can be prevented or changed. For example, Mr. J* had been homeless since he was 16 because he was kicked out by his stepfather due to their constant fighting. Since he didn't legally have to go to school anymore, he decided to drop out but now says he regrets it because he believes if he stayed, he would have a strong sense of direction on life and probably would've been able to get at least a decent job to support himself. These conversations and more provided me with strong foundations as to why I chose my answers, because I had heard the suggestions from primary sources themselves.

*name changed

Blog 15: Independent Component 2 Approval

1. For my second independent component, I plan on hosting art classes and events for the children at URM. The activities will have different themes such as: Who is your hero? What is your favorite memory? What do you want to be when you grow up? etc. I also have an idea of getting other people who know particular trades to volunteer their time to teach it to the children (kind of like a free talent of the masters). I then want to convert the MPR into a gallery of all the kids' artworks and stories, to show to anyone who wants to see. (Ivy Jordan also suggested she'd help me with the creation of the gallery).

2. This will meet the 30 hours of required work because I will not only be volunteering at URM more, but I will also have to do a lot of planning and assembling for the gallery.

3. This relates to my working EQ because my next answer to my EQ was going to be education/ teaching the children a specific trade, so that way they can have a strong educational foundation or skill that will keep them from having to return to the streets again.

Blog 14: Independent Component 1

• Literal
• I, Angel Campos, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work
• Main source used: http://www.dosomething.org/teensforjeans
• https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AvyNhJ5LSQ5AdFNaeVpTa3NBNl9RT3FMV0VQNXNGZGc#gid=0
• For my independent component, the Teens for Jeans campaign, I first started by communicating with my TFJ team- Lauren D., Clara A., Victoria Y., and Alissa M. I held a meeting with the team on Jan. 10 to discuss the basic goal of the campaign and what materials we would need. I then assigned Lauren to be in charge of the senior donations, Clara to be in charge of the juniors, Victoria to be in charge of the sophomores, and Alissa to be in charge of the freshmen. I then asked them to each bring a box to collect their donations in and place them in the history class of the the grade level they were in charge of. Once that was established we all signed up on the website listed above and we then received a banner to hang in the school (I had to turn it over to ASB for approval, which Jordan says it has received this past Tuesday, but has unfortunately been misplaced. Jordan has a good idea of where it is though). Next I met with ASB to pitch them the idea of the campaign, which got approved as well. I then proceeded to make flyers for the campaign to better explain the idea of the campaign since there seemed to be some confusion with the name. (Sorry!) Victoria also made vibrant posters.Today I also folded and counted the jeans to see where we are, and so far we have 15, but that's only with the Juniors and Seniors combined, I am awaiting the results of the Freshmen and Sophomores tomorrow.
• Interpretive






• Since my topic is homeless youth I decided to run this campaign at school, because while the jeans collected may be donated to homeless men and women as well, their focus is donating them to homeless youth-since they are collecting the jeans from other youth. I am still in charge of the committee (since it ends Feb. 8), which involves meetings with my team, organizing/folding/collecting jeans, meeting with ASB, talking to the history teachers, and creating flyers. The entire preparation and execution of the campaign extends over a month which represents my 30 hours.  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Applied
• It made me realize that homeless youth need resources more than money, which is something they greatly lack due to their condition of not being in "mainstream living conditions". For example, once I signed up for the campaign I started researching as to why the campaign called for jeans only and learned it was because jeans were the most requested item from the homeless because they need something durable. Also, the homeless only have about 1-2 pairs of jeans a year, which made me realize how much of an effort will need to be made in order to transition homeless youth into mainstream living conditions- which can range anywhere from having enough food to eat to just having enough jeans to last them through a week.

Blog 7: Independent Component 1 Plan Approval

1. For my independent component I am going to be organizing the Teens for Jeans campaign at iPoly.

2.  I believe my plan will meet the 30 hour requirement because I will be spending a lot of time organizing, communicating, and advertising the campaign.

3. My EQ is: What is the best way to help assimilate street children in Los Angeles into mainstream living conditions? I believe the campaign relates to my senior project because the campaign revolves around the idea of clothing all those who are homeless with jeans, because it is the main item that is most requested from shelters and homeless people. I believe that being adequately clothed, is an essential factor to mainstream living conditions.