Oklahoma Teens Plan March

Posted: Feb 25, 2018 10:04 PM CST Updated: Feb 25, 2018 10:04 PM CST

BY: NEWSON6.COM

EMAIL

OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma -A group of Oklahoma teens is joining a national movement to stop school shootings.

The event is part of the March for Our Lives, a national movement sparked by the shooting in Florida.

They'll gather at the state capitol on March 24th to ask legislators for solutions to protect students from school shootings.

"We're demanding action through the March for Our Lives for our leaders to step up and protect students because that hasn't happened in the past and we don't want any more kids to die," said Doran Walter who is helping organize the march. 

Right now, the group is using social media to garner momentum for the event all while applying for permits and planning speakers.

Minutes of 2/27/2018 meeting

Advisory confli cted with  YAC so it wasn't attended very well.

Attendees:

Seniors:  Sharun P

Juniors: Claire R., Katherine S.

Minutes: by Miss Smith and Mrs. Clay

Stanley Hupfeld Positive Directions Last Mentoring Day:  March 7th.  

-SH pizza party next Wed - Sharun will get cookies and drinks, Katherine will come up with a game to play together, Ms. Smith will order pizza and get Mcdonald's gift cards to give as gifts to kids.

-Expected Attendance:  All six mentors

-No mentoring session on 2/28/2018 due to Parent Teacher Conferences

From Marketing Communication

The Chapel Department welcomed The Reverend Nontombi Naomi Tutu as the guest speaker for our Upper and Middle Division special assemblies. Both of these assemblies are available live to our community through a video stream on the Casady website: www.casady.org/live

• Middle Division Assembly will begin at 9:30 a.m.
• Upper Division Assembly will begin at 1:05 p.m.

2/27/2018 Meeting

Suggested Agenda

Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind. - Henry James -

Thank you for making fleece blankets and keeping Project Warm ongoing.  Please send pictures of your making the blankets.  It is important to have images of kindness.  Check this out http://www.envisionkindness.org/


New Business

1. Perfect Pair Drive: Ellie Update

2. Peace House and Tulsa and OKC teens March for our Lives OKC

http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/oklahoma-students-to-join-national-march-for-our-lives-on/article_600fbfd8-857b-58fa-8b10-7566eb844624.html

3. Reflection on Reverend Mother Tutu's visit

Old Business

1. Project Warm: Fleece Blankets for Positive Tomorrows 

-Sharun P. will bring the supplies.  

-Positive Tomorrows needs to be contacted.  

contact Saundra Ogden at 405-556-5082.

2. YAC in social media update by Hannah

Please send link to Mrs. Clay  clayc@casady.org
3. YAC connection to Walkathon
a. Date of Walk-A-Thon
b. Sharun is working on bringing back HALO Dogs

4. YAC officers school year 2018-2019
Interest so far
Co-Presidents: Katherine, Sahanya, Ellie?
Co-Vice-Presidents: Hannah H.

5. PSA
-Did Father Blizzard provide a date at chapel?  National Volunteer Week is April 15-21 https://ww2.pointsoflight.org/nvw. The optimal deadline to order awards is at the end of February.

Presidential Service Awards will be ordered at the end of this month.  

Ready to order: Seniors: Quinn Bunnag, Hannah Jordan  

Juniors: Caroline Hawley, Brandon Trachtenberg 

Sophomores: Doran Waters, Saadia Nazir

Freshmen: Gabriella Karam, Grace Utz, Sophia Dystra, Ava Rangel

Possible PSA:   See Miss Smith at Harper for help creating a PSA file 

Seniors: Adam Hughes, Alexander Karam, Caleb Richards, Michael Ting, Melissa Vansant

Juniors: Courtney Melton, Katherine Schoeffler, Mason Thomas

Sophomores: Lucas Barrett, Ahmeed Hussan, Cooper Lindstrom, Nicolas Moore, Malavika Rajaram, Ellie Taylor, Caroline Terrell,, Olivia Uhland, Celine Voung, Noah Youmans

Freshmen: Neeley Patel

Reverend Mother Nontombi Naomi Tutu at Casady Chapel

Schedule for Monday, February 26 (Reverend Tutu)
Normal schedule through period 5
Lunch 12:35-1:00
Assembly 1:05-2:00
Period 6 2:05-2:45
Period 7 2:48-3:28
Double 3:28-4:00
Athletics begin ~ 5 minutes later than normal

The Chapel Department is very excited to announce that on Monday, Feb. 26 the Reverend Mother Nontombi Naomi Tutu will be the guest speaker for our Upper Division and Middle Division special assemblies.  Father Blizzard stated"I know that you recognize this to be a wonderful opportunity for our community to engage one another in a conversation around the topic of racial justice. As this is a conversation, the format for the assembly presentation will be that of an interview."

Ms. Sarah Smith, our Interim Director of Service Learning and member of the Chapel Department, will facilitate the interview by inviting our special speaker to answer grade-level appropriate questions. As this is a community-focused event, we would like to invite our teachers and students to submit questions for Ms. Smith to ask Mother Tutu during the assembly. Please keep in mind that not all questions may be answered at the special chapel assembly. If you or your students would like to submit a question, please turn them in by Friday, Feb. 23.

From http://servicelearningconference.org/2016/meet-experts.php

Nontombi Naomi Tutu: 

https://s3.amazonaws.com/newsimg.furman.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/15112617/naomi-tutu-mlk-breakfast-1116-funews-big.jpg

The challenges of growing black and female in apartheid South Africa has led Nontombi Naomi Tutu to her present as an activist for human rights. Those experiences taught how much we all lose when any of us is judged purely on physical attributes. 

Tutu is the third child Archbishop Desmond and Nomalizo Leah Tutu. She was born in South Africa and has also lived in Lesotho, the United Kingdom, and the United States. She was educated in Swaziland, the US and England, and has divide her adult life between South Africa and the US. Growing up the 'daughter of ...' has offered Naomi Tutu many opportunities and challenges in her life. Most important of these has been the challenge to find her own place in the world. She has taken up the challenge and channeled the opportunities that she has been given to raise her voice as a champion for the dignity of all.

Her professional experience ranges from being a development consultant in West Africa to being program coordinator for programs on race & gender and gender-based violence in education at the African Gender Institute at the University of Cape Town. In addition Tutu has taught at the University of Hartford, University of Connecticut, and Brevard College in North Carolina. She served as program coordinator for the historic Race Relations Institute at Fisk University, and was a part of the Institute's delegation to the World Conference Against Racism in Durban.

2/20/2018 meeting

Minutes by Miss Smith
Attendees:

Seniors

Sharun Philip

Juniors

Sahanya 

Ellison G

Katherine S

Hannah H

Minutes:

-Sharun will get blanket supplies for Project Warm and turn in receipt to office

-Ellison is setting up volunteers to collect goods fro Perfect Pair Drive

-Hannah is making social media post about the drive to share on Casady social media

-Ellison is sending us flyer to promote and announce at chapel

-Ms. Smith will contact Primary School about being involved

-Sharun is contacting therapy dogs folks for Walk-a-thon

Suggested Agenda 

1. Items form the floor- 
What is in the mind of YAC members that need to be addressed?

2.  YAC connections to Reverend Mother Tutu Visit
-Miss Smith moderator of questions
- I know Reverend Mother Tutu has been working with her dad on Forgiveness.  I am going to be learning about her work from your feedback and her visit.
-Her Father's work is the inspiration of Peace Week at Casady School.  He is one of the founders of We, The World, 11 Days of Global Unity (9/11-9/21 International Day of Peace).  
-Love Katherine's idea to call this neek, Peace Day Week next year.  This new name was provided by the Shinnoyen Foundation on an article they wrote about Casady's Peace Day Week 2017.  Check this out http://www.tutufoundationusa.org/peace3-2/

3. Perfect Pair Drive update

4. Project Warm: Fleece Blankets for Positive Tomorrows update

5. YAC in social media update by Hannah

6. YAC connection to Walkathon
a. Date
b. How can YAC help?

7. YAC officers school year 2018-2019
Interest so far
Co-Presidents: Katherine, Sahanya, Ellie?
Co-Vice-Presidents: Hannah H.

7.. PSA
-Did Father Blizzard provide a date at chapel?  National Volunteer Week is April 15-21 https://ww2.pointsoflight.org/nvw. The optimal deadline to order awards is at the end of February.

Presidential Service Awards will be ordered at the end of this month.  

Ready to order: Seniors: Quinn Bunnag, Hannah Jordan  

Juniors: Caroline Hawley, Brandon Trachtenberg 

Sophomores: Doran Waters, Saadia Nazir

Freshmen: Gabriella Karam, Grace Utz

Possible PSA:   See Miss Smith at Harper for help creating a PSA file 

Seniors: Adam Hughes, Alexander Karam, Caleb Richards, Michael Ting, Melissa Vansant

Juniors: Courtney Melton, Katherine Schoeffler, Mason Thomas

Sophomores: Lucas Barrett, Ahmeed Hussan, Cooper Lindstrom, Nicolas Moore, Malavika Rajaram, Ellie Taylor, Caroline Terrell,, Olivia Uhland, Celine Voung, Noah Youmans

Freshmen: Sophia Dystra, Neeley Patel, Ava Rangel

Youth Lead OKC Recommends for this Summer

Camp Any Town
http://www.occjok.org/programs/camp-anytown.html

For over 20 years, Camp Anytown, Oklahoma, (which began in 1994), has listened to the hopes, fears, frustrations and dreams of young Oklahomans.  Anytown has been recognized as one of the most effective human relations and leadership/diversity training programs for youth in Oklahoma. Each year Anytown sends forth a new class of world citizens.

Anytown Includes

• Discussion groups and workshops
• Culture night
• Talent night
• Campfires and singing
• Recreational activities

Anytown Enhances

• Citizenship
• Self Awareness
• Communication skills
• Leadership skills
• Cultural awareness
• Racial understanding
• Gender role perceptions
• Family relationships
• Interreligious respect

Anytown Experience

Incoming sophomores, juniors and seniors from high schools in Oklahoma come together for one week in a peaceful camp setting, bringing to each other the experiences of their diverse cultural, ethnic, religious, racial and economic backgrounds.

Respect and awareness develop, as delegates become friends, learning from and about each other.  Workshops, discussion groups, assemblies and special events contribute to the Anytown experience.  Leaders from Oklahoma’s cultural, professional, religious and educational institutions serve as resources.

Anytown delegates are the leaders of tomorrow.  Anytown prepares them to make decisions based on an awareness, appreciation, and understanding of the diversity that exists in all aspects of life.  Delegates leave Anytown with a comprehensive understanding of what it means to be a world citizen.

Delegates

Anytowners represent a wide variety of racial, religious, ethnic and economic backgrounds.

The Anytown selection process begins with the submission of an application and a letter of nomination from an adult advisor involved in a leadership activity listed on the application.

The cost of the week-long Anytown session, $350, includes round-trip bus transportation from Tulsa and Oklahoma City to camp, meals and housing, an Anytown T-shirt, and all workshop materials. Insurance is provided for the camp. Scholarship assistance is available.

YAC prepares to RAK the UD

Minutes by Miss Smith

Attendees:

Seniors:  Mariam, Safra, Sharun

Juniors:  Sahanya,  Ellie, Hannah H., Katherine S.

Freshmen :  Abbey K, Grace U

YAC worked on the Valentine's Day lolipop idea.  They put together baskets and note cards for folks to fill out and hand to their friends.  Ms. Smith will get dum dums at the store today.  The ladies decided who would be in charge of placing each basket where each class can access them tomorrow morning after chapel.

RAK someone today- National RAK Day, February 17

RAK Week

Launched in 1995, RAK Week is is an annual opportunity to unite people around the world through kindness. This year, it is observed February 11 through 17, capping off the week with “Random Acts of Kindness Day” on February 17.

Happy Chinese New Year of the Dog 2018

February 13 Meeting

News

Special Civil Rights Speaker:  Reverend Mother  Naomi Tutu visits Casady, February 23, 2018.  Miss Smith will moderate questions.  YAC members met and volunteer with her father and Mother Tutu at a couple of National Service Learning Conference.  Her father is one of the founders of WE, THE WOLD, 11 Days of Global Unity which Casady calls Peace Week since 2012.  Next year the week will be called Peace Day Week as stated in the article written by the Shinnyo-en Foundation about Casady's Peace Day Week

Suggested Agenda

1. Happy Random Acts of Kindness Week

Celebrate #RAKWeek2018 (February 11-17, 2018) by telling about the one person who inspires you to be a better human being! Was it a teacher who saw something in you when no one else did? Is it a neighbor who mowed your lawn when you were sick? What about a family member who always encouraged you to do your best? Maybe it was your friend who comforted you during a difficult time in your life?  TO CELEBRATE RAK WEEK, SNAP A PHOTO OF THAT PERSON AND SHARE THEIR STORY https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/rak-week 2. Perfect Pair Drive update 3. Project Warm: Fleece Blankets for Positive Tomorrows update 4. YAC in social media update by Hannah 5. YAC connection to Walkathon a. Date b. How can YAC help? 4. YAC officers school year 2018-2019 Interest so far Co-Presidents: Katherine, Sahanya, Ellie? Co-Vice-Presidents: Hannah H. 5. PSA -Did Father Blizzard provide a date at chapel?  National Volunteer Week is April 15-21 https://ww2.pointsoflight.org/nvw. The optimal deadline to order awards is at the end of February. Presidential Service Awards will be ordered at the end of this month.   Ready to order: Seniors: Quinn Bunnag, Hannah Jordan   Juniors: Caroline Hawley, Brandon Trachtenberg  Sophomores: Doran Waters, Saadia Nazir Freshmen: Gabriella Karam, Grace Utz Possible PSA:   See Miss Smith at Harper for help creating a PSA file  Seniors: Adam Hughes, Alexander Karam, Caleb Richards, Michael Ting, Melissa Vansant Juniors: Courtney Melton, Katherine Schoeffler, Mason Thomas Sophomores: Lucas Barrett, Ahmeed Hussan, Cooper Lindstrom, Nicolas Moore, Malavika Rajaram, Ellie Taylor, Caroline Terrell,, Olivia Uhland, Celine Voung, Noah Youmans Freshmen: Sophia Dystra, Neeley Patel, Ava Rangel

Reflective Moment by Helen Opper'2005

Helen Opper'05 is an independent curator and consultant at The Art Hall  on 23rd Street https://www.arthallokc.com/

"I am very pleased to be able to contribute to the cultural offerings of Oklahoma City through organizing exhibitions and working with artists at The Art Hall and other spaces around the city. 

The education and experience that I gained in high school, college, graduate school, and in internships and jobs in San Francisco and New York allowed me to broaden my horizons through studying many kinds of artwork and experiencing many different types of art jobs. This variety in turn allowed me to discover what I am truly good at, and to hone in on my strongest skills. 

My background at Casady has been influential in my career choice in two primary ways. The first is that I was exposed to a formal study of chronological art history in Mrs. Seitter's AP Art History course in a way that was fun and interesting. This, along with exposure to the humanities at home, was what helped me realize I wanted to work with art in some way as an adult. The second way that Casady's influence has shown through is the emphasis on helping others. While working in the arts has its occasional glamorous moments, most of us are more interested in working with other people in creative ways and using art to better others' lives, than we are in making a huge income (unfortunately not usually a reality in art jobs).   I was very involved with the Service Learning Committee, current name is YAC (Youth Active in the Community) and with several Service Learning projects during my time at Casady, and it has enriched my life as a result. I truly believe that art does improve peoples' lives by providing new ways to think about the world, and my work boils down to making art accessible to more people. Through organizing shows and helping artists develop their professional skills, gain exposure, and get their work sold, I know I am contributing to more than just those individual artists' lives. Art can change the world for the better, and I am happy to be part of a group of cultural workers and promoters."

Helen's latest exhibit is Fringe at the Art Hall https://www.arthallokc.com/fringe

FRINGE at The Art Hall, January - April 2018

Fringe at The Art Hall is an exhibition of artwork by the members of FRINGE Women Artists of Oklahoma. FRINGE, established in 2011, "is a collective of professional women artists actively working in our state to bring awareness to female artists. Wee are an alliance of contemporary artists providing various fine art mediums and provocative concepts to our communities. As a group, we work together to nurture and empower one another, gain visibility, and create opportunities, all while evolving individually as artists."

MLK Day 2018: Article by YAC Treasurer, Claire R.'19

On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous “I have a dream” speech to hundreds of thousands of people. Less than five years later, he was shot and killed, but his message lives on.

Now, every third Monday in January is dedicated to Mr. King and the truths that he inspired our nation with. His message of equal rights for all in a time when they were desperately needed, and his peaceful but passionate approach to achieving this has made him one of the most famous and celebrated Civil Rights activists, rightly so. This year, January 15th was a day intended to be spent in service and reflection.

In years past, service opportunities at Casady have been organized and provided by YAC and Mrs. Clay. Students and faculty have gone to the Food Bank of Oklahoma to sort food, the Oklahoma City Memorial to understand and spread awareness for the Murrah Building bombing, and Habitat for Humanity to build houses for the homeless. Each year, the students are asked to reflect on their experiences.

This year at Casady, we celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a trip to the Food Bank of Oklahoma. Those who were interested spent their afternoon serving their community by sorting food from 1-4. Safra Shakir, the YAC co-president, said the volunteers made over 600 meals. Not only did the Upper Division get involved, but MLK day was celebrated by the entire Casady community. Sahanya Bhaktaram, the YAC Vice President, said, “I had a great time volunteering! I got to work with not only high schoolers but kids from middle school and lower division too!”

All in all, MLK day was a success, and a day for kids of all ages to come together and engage in service to their community.