"A mentor empowers a person to see a possible future, and believe it can be obtained." -Shawn Hitchcock
My Cal High mentor is Mrs. Cranford, who is our school's principal! When I asked Mrs. Cranford to be my mentor, she so kindly accepted. She
told me she was really excited about what I was doing, and most
importantly to me she told me she knew I could do it. I picked her for a multitude of reasons. Here are my top 3:
1. She is a passionate, driven, and hard working woman who has achieved so much already, and at such a young age. I aspire to have all of these same traits; being around her inspires me.
2. Some of my largest motivation for wanting to build this school in Ghana roots from my passion for spreading education and empowering women. It is pretty clear to anyone that looks that these passions are most definitely shared by Mrs. Cranford, a woman who has dedicated her life's work to education.
3. Last but not least, Mrs. Cranford is a pusher and makes me believe I am capable of anything I set my mind to. She reminds me a lot of one of my former bosses, Jessica, whom I have mentioned in several of my blog posts. They both have helped me set high goals and expectations for myself and having expectations like this from people such as Mrs. Cranford and Jessica help me grow as a person and motivate me to work my hardest.
Mrs. Cranford not only empowers me to visualize reaching my goals, but pushes me to achieve them and through doing so she makes me believe in myself. I am very excited for more time, talks, and advice from her through out this journey!
Saturday, September 26, 2015
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Mission statement
"You were born with the ability to change someone else's life, don't ever waste it."
This quote pretty much sums up my entire life's mission. With every part of my being I am powerfully aware that my purpose here is much bigger than myself. Heidi Wills said it best when she stated, "we can choose to be affected by the world or we can chose to affect the world." More than anything, I want to positively affect the world in any way I can, at any opportunity I have. Everyday in everything we do, we make the conscious decision to either be a part of the solution or the problem; I strive to always be a part of the solution. My life's aim is to be an array of solutions that positively affect the world, and to always take full advantage of my ability to change someone else's life.
This quote pretty much sums up my entire life's mission. With every part of my being I am powerfully aware that my purpose here is much bigger than myself. Heidi Wills said it best when she stated, "we can choose to be affected by the world or we can chose to affect the world." More than anything, I want to positively affect the world in any way I can, at any opportunity I have. Everyday in everything we do, we make the conscious decision to either be a part of the solution or the problem; I strive to always be a part of the solution. My life's aim is to be an array of solutions that positively affect the world, and to always take full advantage of my ability to change someone else's life.
Monday, September 14, 2015
Time Management
"Either you run the day, or the day runs you." -Jim Rohn
As much as it pains me to admit it, time management has been a long-time veteran of all of my self-improvement lists. From New Years resolutions to the classic first day of school "get-to-know-your-strengths and weaknesses" worksheets, better time management has consistently been one of my biggest works in progress. However, I am happy to share that as of this particular moment, I wouldn't say I am absolutely terrible with managing my time. But, since this has always been an area where I have struggled, I don't want to jinx it, and I look forward to continuously improving.
Something I've noticed about myself is that I get more tasks accomplished in a shorter amount of time when I have a jam-packed schedule. This seems so counteractive, but when I know I have a lot going on, I am forced to plan out every minute of my day in order to maximize my time and get done all of my responsibilities. This summer, I had three jobs, and the craziest schedule I have ever experienced. To balance everything, I invested in a scheduling planner that literally saved my life. I have continued to use this planner through the school year as well, and if I could ever give any organizational or time management tip to anyone, it would 100% be to invest in a planner.
A new strategy that I have been using after Mrs. Gagnon's lecture, is the priority matrix. It's been about a week now, and every morning I pull up my priority matrix app and plan out my day. This allows so much more free time to fit the "wants" into my day while still accomplishing all of the "needs" and I look forward to continuing to use this awesome time-management tool!
As far as time-waters go, my phone is by far the biggest culprit. I have been working on using it less and less, and I know that I will never be at my full time-management potential until I get my phone usage down to around 1 total hour a day.
Time management is something I am done putting off, and a skill I desperately want to master. Like every other "tool" in our "tool-belt of life" time management sharpens over time, and I can't wait to look at this post a year from now and reflect on how far I have come at running my day, so that it doesn't run me!
As much as it pains me to admit it, time management has been a long-time veteran of all of my self-improvement lists. From New Years resolutions to the classic first day of school "get-to-know-your-strengths and weaknesses" worksheets, better time management has consistently been one of my biggest works in progress. However, I am happy to share that as of this particular moment, I wouldn't say I am absolutely terrible with managing my time. But, since this has always been an area where I have struggled, I don't want to jinx it, and I look forward to continuously improving.
Something I've noticed about myself is that I get more tasks accomplished in a shorter amount of time when I have a jam-packed schedule. This seems so counteractive, but when I know I have a lot going on, I am forced to plan out every minute of my day in order to maximize my time and get done all of my responsibilities. This summer, I had three jobs, and the craziest schedule I have ever experienced. To balance everything, I invested in a scheduling planner that literally saved my life. I have continued to use this planner through the school year as well, and if I could ever give any organizational or time management tip to anyone, it would 100% be to invest in a planner.
A new strategy that I have been using after Mrs. Gagnon's lecture, is the priority matrix. It's been about a week now, and every morning I pull up my priority matrix app and plan out my day. This allows so much more free time to fit the "wants" into my day while still accomplishing all of the "needs" and I look forward to continuing to use this awesome time-management tool!
As far as time-waters go, my phone is by far the biggest culprit. I have been working on using it less and less, and I know that I will never be at my full time-management potential until I get my phone usage down to around 1 total hour a day.
Time management is something I am done putting off, and a skill I desperately want to master. Like every other "tool" in our "tool-belt of life" time management sharpens over time, and I can't wait to look at this post a year from now and reflect on how far I have come at running my day, so that it doesn't run me!
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Making it Happen
"Today, stop making excuses for why you can't get it done and start focusing on all the reasons why you must make it happen." -Anonymous
With all the crazy endeavors that every day entails, it truly is hard to fit everything into the 24 hour period we are given. Especially when you put things off, and I am certainly no stranger to the concept of procrastination. However, this is one of my major goals for self improvement this year, and I want to start now! Here are 5 things I plan to stop putting off and take care of this week:
1. Email my middle school leadership teacher and see if I can start a fundraiser at that school. I am hoping to do the kind where every classroom gets a box to collect money and by the end of the month whichever class has the most funds will get a pizza party. If this works out well, I am hoping to take this idea to other schools in the district and use this as a base to show that I am serious about what I am doing! I would also like to keep looking into and adding to my files new fundraising ideas, especially ideas for a school setting.
2. A very important step that I have not yet taken is to start a Facebook campaign and to reach out to all of my contacts over social media. This isn't a simple process, and I want to finalize and make sure my campaign is as close to perfect as possible before I launch it.
3. I need to check on my shipment of bracelets from Ghana and look into different places that I will be able to sell. As of now the contacts I need to reach out to are those heading: the Liberty Project, the farmer's markets, the elementary school carnivals
4. Another very important contact of mine is my old boss. She is a part of the Danville Lyon's club, a rotary club, and expressed interest in helping me out when she heard the early stages of my ideas. I would love to contact her this week as well to set up a coffee date to pick her brain, catch up, and talk about a possible sponsorship from the Danville Lyon's club!
5. Last but not least, I plan on giving more serious thought to my second semester event. The way I have my plan set up right now, I am planning on fundraising and raising awareness through different events, campaigns, and what my Uncle Bill would refer to as "getting the nickels and dimes." Second semester is when I plan on getting the big bucks through some time of auction. This week I plan to make more plans for that, and start to narrow down between: a dinner, a silent auction, a live auction, an online auction, different raffle opportunities.
With all the crazy endeavors that every day entails, it truly is hard to fit everything into the 24 hour period we are given. Especially when you put things off, and I am certainly no stranger to the concept of procrastination. However, this is one of my major goals for self improvement this year, and I want to start now! Here are 5 things I plan to stop putting off and take care of this week:
1. Email my middle school leadership teacher and see if I can start a fundraiser at that school. I am hoping to do the kind where every classroom gets a box to collect money and by the end of the month whichever class has the most funds will get a pizza party. If this works out well, I am hoping to take this idea to other schools in the district and use this as a base to show that I am serious about what I am doing! I would also like to keep looking into and adding to my files new fundraising ideas, especially ideas for a school setting.
2. A very important step that I have not yet taken is to start a Facebook campaign and to reach out to all of my contacts over social media. This isn't a simple process, and I want to finalize and make sure my campaign is as close to perfect as possible before I launch it.
3. I need to check on my shipment of bracelets from Ghana and look into different places that I will be able to sell. As of now the contacts I need to reach out to are those heading: the Liberty Project, the farmer's markets, the elementary school carnivals
4. Another very important contact of mine is my old boss. She is a part of the Danville Lyon's club, a rotary club, and expressed interest in helping me out when she heard the early stages of my ideas. I would love to contact her this week as well to set up a coffee date to pick her brain, catch up, and talk about a possible sponsorship from the Danville Lyon's club!
5. Last but not least, I plan on giving more serious thought to my second semester event. The way I have my plan set up right now, I am planning on fundraising and raising awareness through different events, campaigns, and what my Uncle Bill would refer to as "getting the nickels and dimes." Second semester is when I plan on getting the big bucks through some time of auction. This week I plan to make more plans for that, and start to narrow down between: a dinner, a silent auction, a live auction, an online auction, different raffle opportunities.
Monday, September 7, 2015
My People
Edmund Lee once preached to, "Surround yourself with the dreamers and the doers, the believers and the thinkers, but most of all surround yourself with those who see the greatness within you, even when you don't see it yourself."
One Sunday at church about a year ago, my pastor held a sermon on BHAGs: Big Hairy Audacious Goals. He talked about how personal growth and most any large accomplishments are impossible without BHAGs. Living within your means is safe, but pushing the limits, YOUR limits, to succeed in something great, is an essential when it comes to life's largest aspirations. He also touched on how after you have made some big hairy audacious goals, you need to make sure you're equipped with a support system that's going to enable your successes. In other words, make sure that you're surrounded with only the people that are going to lift you higher, and help you believe in yourself.
As I've learned more and more about myself, I've noticed that I do my best when I am around hard-working and motivated people. Something powerful within me ignites as I feed off of my peer's drive and achievements. Although I know that I can channel the energy from these incredibly inclined individuals into the creation of my own personal BHAGs, these relationships are important to me for a much bigger reason. These are the people that inspire me to keep going, the people that make me want to be a better person, and the ones that I admire for a multitude of reasons.
If you're at all familiar with my blog or my plan for my senior year, I have on my hands quite a big, hairy, audacious goal, that is for certain. When telling people that I plan on raising $25,000 in less than a year to build a school in Ghana, more often than not, I get a, "and you really think you can do that?" or "that's so great that you want to help people, but if I were you, I wouldn't get my hopes up." However, feedback like this only makes me more motivated to prove them wrong. I don't blame people who are skeptical at all; this is a crazy, crazy goal. But, the one thing people always seem to forget is the power of a solid support system, and I would like to introduce you to some of the staples in mine.
First and foremost, my beautiful mother. I wouldn't be half the person I am today without her; I look up to her in more ways than she will ever know, and I will never be able to repay her for all the support and love she has poured into me. No matter what crazy new idea or plan I have, I always know I can count on her full support, and level head to keep me grounded, and I plan on taking full advantage of both of those things throughout this journey!
Another amazing, supportive, and uplifting person in my life is my best friend Amanda. She has been my very best friend in the whole world since first grade and I am so lucky to have her! I've been through thick and thin with that girl, and no one gets me quite like she does. We're those stereotypical best friends that can carry on full-blown conversations without talking at all, and we are often found finishing each others sentences. She, no doubt, will forever be my partner in crime.
On the complete opposite end of the spectrum is one of my other best friends, Sydney, who I couldn't be more different from. However, instead of butting heads or majorly clashing, I get along with Syd better than anyone else in my life. She teaches me new things about the world and about myself on a daily basis, and gives me perspective when I need it; her calm, cool and collected personality is a constant reminder that nothing is worth getting too upset over, because things always work out the way they are supposed to. Syd is someone I know I can count on for anything, at any time, and one of those rare and special people that you know will be a part of your life forever.
One more amazing friend in my life is Ryles. Spending time with Rylie should be on every one's bucket list. This crazy, hilarious, silly, one-of-a-kind girl is a ray of sunshine every time I see her. Ryles has one of those contagious smiles that makes you feel just a little bit better, and a joke to go along with every conversation she is a part of. She goes so much deeper than that though. Rylie's fun-loving personality is just one piece of her; She is smart, athletic, goal-oriented, motivational, and one hell of a friend. I am blessed that we will be in iQuest together all year to support each others journeys, and I can't wait to watch her prosper at her Physical Therapy internship!
Last, but certainly not least, is my Uncle Bill. I don't think one human has ever inspired me in the way that he has. From the beach-town he resides in with his beautiful family, to the crazy adventures he's had while traveling all over the world, he is the epitome of what I aspire to live up to. With lots of worldly experience, and many fundraisers under his belt, he is a very valuable resource for me this year and I am beyond excited to have him be apart of this project.
Without all these incredible people, I have no idea how I would be able to make my largest BHAG of this year come true. But thanks to the dreamers, doers, believers, and thinkers I just told you about, I know that anything is possible. Even in the moments that I forget that, I'm fortunate enough to have these wonderful people to remind me to believe in my dreams and myself.
One Sunday at church about a year ago, my pastor held a sermon on BHAGs: Big Hairy Audacious Goals. He talked about how personal growth and most any large accomplishments are impossible without BHAGs. Living within your means is safe, but pushing the limits, YOUR limits, to succeed in something great, is an essential when it comes to life's largest aspirations. He also touched on how after you have made some big hairy audacious goals, you need to make sure you're equipped with a support system that's going to enable your successes. In other words, make sure that you're surrounded with only the people that are going to lift you higher, and help you believe in yourself.
As I've learned more and more about myself, I've noticed that I do my best when I am around hard-working and motivated people. Something powerful within me ignites as I feed off of my peer's drive and achievements. Although I know that I can channel the energy from these incredibly inclined individuals into the creation of my own personal BHAGs, these relationships are important to me for a much bigger reason. These are the people that inspire me to keep going, the people that make me want to be a better person, and the ones that I admire for a multitude of reasons.
If you're at all familiar with my blog or my plan for my senior year, I have on my hands quite a big, hairy, audacious goal, that is for certain. When telling people that I plan on raising $25,000 in less than a year to build a school in Ghana, more often than not, I get a, "and you really think you can do that?" or "that's so great that you want to help people, but if I were you, I wouldn't get my hopes up." However, feedback like this only makes me more motivated to prove them wrong. I don't blame people who are skeptical at all; this is a crazy, crazy goal. But, the one thing people always seem to forget is the power of a solid support system, and I would like to introduce you to some of the staples in mine.
First and foremost, my beautiful mother. I wouldn't be half the person I am today without her; I look up to her in more ways than she will ever know, and I will never be able to repay her for all the support and love she has poured into me. No matter what crazy new idea or plan I have, I always know I can count on her full support, and level head to keep me grounded, and I plan on taking full advantage of both of those things throughout this journey!
Another amazing, supportive, and uplifting person in my life is my best friend Amanda. She has been my very best friend in the whole world since first grade and I am so lucky to have her! I've been through thick and thin with that girl, and no one gets me quite like she does. We're those stereotypical best friends that can carry on full-blown conversations without talking at all, and we are often found finishing each others sentences. She, no doubt, will forever be my partner in crime.
On the complete opposite end of the spectrum is one of my other best friends, Sydney, who I couldn't be more different from. However, instead of butting heads or majorly clashing, I get along with Syd better than anyone else in my life. She teaches me new things about the world and about myself on a daily basis, and gives me perspective when I need it; her calm, cool and collected personality is a constant reminder that nothing is worth getting too upset over, because things always work out the way they are supposed to. Syd is someone I know I can count on for anything, at any time, and one of those rare and special people that you know will be a part of your life forever.
One more amazing friend in my life is Ryles. Spending time with Rylie should be on every one's bucket list. This crazy, hilarious, silly, one-of-a-kind girl is a ray of sunshine every time I see her. Ryles has one of those contagious smiles that makes you feel just a little bit better, and a joke to go along with every conversation she is a part of. She goes so much deeper than that though. Rylie's fun-loving personality is just one piece of her; She is smart, athletic, goal-oriented, motivational, and one hell of a friend. I am blessed that we will be in iQuest together all year to support each others journeys, and I can't wait to watch her prosper at her Physical Therapy internship!
Last, but certainly not least, is my Uncle Bill. I don't think one human has ever inspired me in the way that he has. From the beach-town he resides in with his beautiful family, to the crazy adventures he's had while traveling all over the world, he is the epitome of what I aspire to live up to. With lots of worldly experience, and many fundraisers under his belt, he is a very valuable resource for me this year and I am beyond excited to have him be apart of this project.
Without all these incredible people, I have no idea how I would be able to make my largest BHAG of this year come true. But thanks to the dreamers, doers, believers, and thinkers I just told you about, I know that anything is possible. Even in the moments that I forget that, I'm fortunate enough to have these wonderful people to remind me to believe in my dreams and myself.
Saturday, July 18, 2015
New Eyes
"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." My inspiration derived from these wise words; first spoken by Marcel Proust, and later quoted by Adam Braun, the author of the book, The Promise of a Pencil.
I am your typical teenage girl; I attend high school, work my job, and enjoy spending my free-time going on adventures with my friends and family. Just like many adolescence my age, I am in the oh-so-glorious years of self-discovery. However, I differ from a large portion of my peers in the way that my self-identity crisis has been less about the desire to dye my hair different colors, and rebelliously pierce every part of my body. Instead, my inner-most, self-seeking, thoughts have always haunted me with the idea that I have a purpose much bigger than myself. Rather than my mind questioning me on who I am supposed to be, it constantly questioned me on what my purpose was to be. After lots of self-reflection, I discovered that I have a severe case of wanderlust. As defined by Websters Dictionary, wanderlust is the desire to travel. Fully aware of this intense craving to experience everything the world has to offer (first hand, of course) and the violent fire inside me for finding my purpose, my mom presented me perhaps, the most thoughtful and life-changing gift I will ever receive; the book, The Promise of a Pencil.
Without ever leaving my bedroom, I traveled all over the world, learned the importance of an education, and felt a passion so strong that it pulsated through every part of my body. I knew with each turn of a page that this was exactly what I had been so desperately yearning for. In summary, this autobiography takes you on Adam Braun's journey of world travel and the start up of his for-purpose organization, "Pencils of Promise." As a college student, Adam had an amazing opportunity to travel the world through the program; Semester at Sea (after lots of research, this has become a huge point of interest for me as well, and something I look forward to pursuing at some point in my college career.) Semester at Sea, or SAS for short, differs from your traditional Study Abroad programs because instead of spending your semester in ONE other country, you spend your semester traveling through many, and on a ship no less. This opportunity gives you the chance to experience much of the developing world, and Adam decided he would use this chance to make some kind of a difference. He started by asking underprivileged children in the different destinations his voyage with SAS traveled to, one simple question; if they could have anything in the world, what would it be? When a boy in South Asia answered that his greatest wish in the world was a pencil, Adam had the epiphany that he could really do something to help world-education, and when he got back to the USA, he decided to start Pencils of Promise. Now, what started with the goal of building just one school back in 2008, has turned into (*spoiler alert*) over 300 schools built as of this year, 2015.
After reading this book, I became incredibly passionate about world education. In fact, I discovered that education alone is what will change virtually any world problem out there, and I will publish more on my thoughts about this later on. With my newly-found excitement, I decided I needed to do something. At my high-school there is a class called iQuest, where instead of sitting in a classroom for 100 minutes, you get to live what you're learning through an off-campus internship. After interviewing into this class and securing an internship in the field I hope to go into (Business, specifically Marketing), I instead decided to take on a project that I will be using this blog to record for the next year.
Through Adam's foundation, there is an opportunity to fund-raise $25,000 and build a school in the destination of your choice (they work in Ghana, Guatemala, Laos, and Nicaragua). I have made the decision to take on this challenge of "the impossible." This next year I plan to fund-raise, hold events, and launch my online campaign to accomplish this goal. This blog will be dedicated to the process, progress, and every step toward the end goal of producing a quality school, and a sustainable education, for children worldwide, that are hungry for a better and brighter future.
Though my landscape never changed, the stories of these children gave me new eyes, and I can't wait to spend my year trying to make a difference for them!
If you would like to get involved, and help with the efforts of my campaign, please feel free to share any input at: nicoleallport@yahoo.com and if you would like to donate please visit my campaign site: Sharpening New Generations
I am your typical teenage girl; I attend high school, work my job, and enjoy spending my free-time going on adventures with my friends and family. Just like many adolescence my age, I am in the oh-so-glorious years of self-discovery. However, I differ from a large portion of my peers in the way that my self-identity crisis has been less about the desire to dye my hair different colors, and rebelliously pierce every part of my body. Instead, my inner-most, self-seeking, thoughts have always haunted me with the idea that I have a purpose much bigger than myself. Rather than my mind questioning me on who I am supposed to be, it constantly questioned me on what my purpose was to be. After lots of self-reflection, I discovered that I have a severe case of wanderlust. As defined by Websters Dictionary, wanderlust is the desire to travel. Fully aware of this intense craving to experience everything the world has to offer (first hand, of course) and the violent fire inside me for finding my purpose, my mom presented me perhaps, the most thoughtful and life-changing gift I will ever receive; the book, The Promise of a Pencil.
Without ever leaving my bedroom, I traveled all over the world, learned the importance of an education, and felt a passion so strong that it pulsated through every part of my body. I knew with each turn of a page that this was exactly what I had been so desperately yearning for. In summary, this autobiography takes you on Adam Braun's journey of world travel and the start up of his for-purpose organization, "Pencils of Promise." As a college student, Adam had an amazing opportunity to travel the world through the program; Semester at Sea (after lots of research, this has become a huge point of interest for me as well, and something I look forward to pursuing at some point in my college career.) Semester at Sea, or SAS for short, differs from your traditional Study Abroad programs because instead of spending your semester in ONE other country, you spend your semester traveling through many, and on a ship no less. This opportunity gives you the chance to experience much of the developing world, and Adam decided he would use this chance to make some kind of a difference. He started by asking underprivileged children in the different destinations his voyage with SAS traveled to, one simple question; if they could have anything in the world, what would it be? When a boy in South Asia answered that his greatest wish in the world was a pencil, Adam had the epiphany that he could really do something to help world-education, and when he got back to the USA, he decided to start Pencils of Promise. Now, what started with the goal of building just one school back in 2008, has turned into (*spoiler alert*) over 300 schools built as of this year, 2015.
After reading this book, I became incredibly passionate about world education. In fact, I discovered that education alone is what will change virtually any world problem out there, and I will publish more on my thoughts about this later on. With my newly-found excitement, I decided I needed to do something. At my high-school there is a class called iQuest, where instead of sitting in a classroom for 100 minutes, you get to live what you're learning through an off-campus internship. After interviewing into this class and securing an internship in the field I hope to go into (Business, specifically Marketing), I instead decided to take on a project that I will be using this blog to record for the next year.
Through Adam's foundation, there is an opportunity to fund-raise $25,000 and build a school in the destination of your choice (they work in Ghana, Guatemala, Laos, and Nicaragua). I have made the decision to take on this challenge of "the impossible." This next year I plan to fund-raise, hold events, and launch my online campaign to accomplish this goal. This blog will be dedicated to the process, progress, and every step toward the end goal of producing a quality school, and a sustainable education, for children worldwide, that are hungry for a better and brighter future.
Though my landscape never changed, the stories of these children gave me new eyes, and I can't wait to spend my year trying to make a difference for them!
If you would like to get involved, and help with the efforts of my campaign, please feel free to share any input at: nicoleallport@yahoo.com and if you would like to donate please visit my campaign site: Sharpening New Generations
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