Happy Thanksgiving

Youth LEAD OKCasady Presents

Personalize your own free slideshow

 

 

 

   

Welcome and Introduction by Sidney J.'15
Moderator: Natasha S.'.15

Youth LEAD OKC expected participants
Hunter S.'15 Seondre C.'15  Carmen C'74. (Casady)., Sam K., (HH) Dane N. and Family (Douglas High School) , Daires (Westmore High School-Flyer). A.R. Tolub (Mercy School Institute), Shannon P. (YMCA), Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Spicer (Casady Parents)

A Memorable Collaborative Cyclone Experience

24-Hour Playwriting Project- Five World Premiers Created In A Day

Directors, play writers, performers, and stage crew gathered at 7:00 PM, Friday, November 15 to create, produce and perform an original script with one required guideline; a "fortune cookie fortune" had to be part of the script somehow.

 

 

Boxes and giant post-it notes held the preliminary organization of the five world premiers created in a day.  By luck of the draw, the sequence of the plays and pick of cast, the director, and the play writer were assigned.  Play writers provided a finished play to Mr. Crofton by 6:30 AM.  Mr. Crofton made copies for directors to read the play at 7:30 AM.   Plays were in rehearsals by 8:00 AM as the group enjoyed the generosity of the Johnson Family who provided doughnuts and Earl's Barbeque for lunch for the enterprising cast and crew.

Rehearsals started immediately.  I followed closely the play "School Spirit" written by Thomas Fleming, featuring Catherine Christie and Jimmy Brown and the fortune "You will receive an offer you cannot refuse." because I provided transportation for its director, 87 year old,  Marolyn Stout.  Mrs. Stout is part of the Casady Service-Learning Program because a book about her story as a garment industry leader, radio and television personality is being created by Jordan Richrds'14.    Mrs. Stout's  "School Spirit" crew finalize gathering props, costume and lights before lunch.  The final rehearsal with technical assistance by Troy and Mr. Crofton took place at 3:30 PM.  At few minutes after  7:00 PM, "School Spirit" had its world premiere as the first play featured at Fee Theater.  BRAVO!
School Spirit!

Other world premiers were

Death, "You will always be successful in your professional carer"  featured  Gabby Jones (Playwright), Sophie Bright (Director), Fiona Rendon, Philip Pippin, and Alexandra Williams (Cast)

The Interrogation, "Your exotic ideas lead to many new exciting adventures" featured Andrew Johnson (Playwright), Joe Bonfiglio (Director), Emory Hood, Lulu Abuelshar, Deja Kirk, and Turner Waddell (Cast)

A Match Made in Heaven, "Good news of a long-awaited event will arrive soon" featured Olivia Sprankle (Playwright), Bobby Sanford (Director), Kaloh Gier and Natalie Robinson (Cast)

All I have, "A gathering of friends brings you lots of luck this evening" featured Carl Albert and Conner Coles (Playwright), Preston Taylor (Director), Brenden Moss (Cast)

November 23: Family Volunteer Day

 

NOVEMBER 23, 2013

From Generation On. ORG  http://www.generationon.org/parents

Family Volunteer Day, a Points of Light signature day of service, demonstrates and celebrates the power of families who volunteer together, supporting their neighborhoods, communities and the world.

For 22 years, Family Volunteer Day has been held on the Saturday before Thanksgiving to "kick-off" the holiday season with giving and service. This year Family Volunteer Day takes place on November 23rd. Disney Friends For Change is the presenting sponsor of Family Volunteer Day 2013 and Embassy Suites is a supporting sponsor.

Volunteering as a family is fun! Family volunteering encourages the members of a family to volunteer as a unit. It can be done by the whole family together, by one parent and one child or teen, or with extended family such as grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. It can be as simple as creating cards for children in the hospital or as complex as bonding hundreds of families together in a day of service at a community park. However families choose to do it, families engaged in service can help mobilize thousands of new volunteers and instill in the next generation a lifelong commitment to volunteering.
Get Involved!
Families are super teams! The combination of ages and generations in your family means you have everything needed to effect meaningful change in your community: energy, creativity, passion, knowledge, experience and different perspectives and skills (plus practical things like a car.)

1. Find a volunteer opportunity near you! (Please note: this links you to HandsOn Network's Action Centers across the country). 
2. Want to create your own family volunteer project? Here are some examples to get you started!
3. Reflection: An important part of participating in service is reflection. Chances are that you will learn something from the experience of helping others. Download a tool to help you with reflection.

Additional Resources

 Family Volunteer Day Toolkit (pdf)

This is a guide for families to use together to plan their service projects. The combination of ages and generations in your family means you have everything needed to effect meaningful change in your community: energy, creativity, passion, knowledge, experience and different perspectives and skills.

International Education Week: 11/12-11/18

International Education Week is an opportunity to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchange worldwide. This joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education is part of our efforts to promote programs that prepare Americans for a global environment and attract future leaders from abroad to study, learn, and exchange experiences in the United States.

We encourage the participation of all individuals and institutions interested in international education and exchange activities, including schools, colleges and universities, embassies, international organizations, businesses, associations, and community organizations. Individuals and institutions tend to hold IEW events as it is convenient for them in their local communities. We want you to celebrate as much and as often as you like!

To that end, we are providing promotional materials that allow you the flexibility to promote events whenever they may be planned! Our activities will begin on November 12 with the release of Open Doors, an annual survey that provides information about international and U.S. student study abroad and will continue through the week of November 18.

See more at: http://eca.state.gov/programs-initiatives/international-education-week/#sthash.f8SMOncT.dpuf

The 2013 Institute of International Education (IIE) Open Doors Report is out! Check out the link below for the latest facts & figures in study abroad, and international education, including the top universities hosting international students, how many U.S. students studied abroad last year, and where they all went. http://goo.gl/v3h3VO #IEW2013

Support Thanksgiving Cards for Wounded Warriors

Thanksgiving and support cards for Wounded Warriors are being made by all divisions.  PD and LD are making cards in After School Care in collaboration with after school care faculty Mrs. Linn, Mr. Lopez and Mrs. Clay.  Maggie Adair'16, YAC-Youth LEADOKCasady, facilitator of this project, spoke at LD and MD chapels inspiring everyone to make cards on their own time and place them on baskets at the front offices.  The Service-Learning office located at the Woolsey Wing is also providing time and resources for any interested student or faculty to make cards.  Maggie will send cards to the Wooden Warrior program
Wounded Warrior Project http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/programs.aspx; 4899 Belfort Road, Suite 300, Jacksonville, Florida 32256 on November 20th.

 

From Point of Light Foundation: Stories of Service

On Veterans Day, three powerful stories of service

This Veterans Day, I’d like to pay tribute to all veterans by telling you the story of three people – a boy who lost his dad on 9/11, an Army helicopter pilot and West Point graduate, and a Marine coping with PTSD. All three are making a difference through their service to America’s returning heroes.

At age 5, Sean Egan lost his father, a New York fire captain, on 9/11. Today he is a senior at Monsignor Farrell High School on Staten Island and founder of Hearing Our Heroes, an organization of 300 high school students who regularly visit and help veterans. They shovel snow in winter, do yard work in the summer, and come up with a surprise every now and then.

This summer, they surprised returning combat veteran Army Private Rasheed Akbar. During his deployment in Kuwait, Rasheed's young daughter was diagnosed with cancer and underwent treatment. Like too many other military families must, the Akbars had to endure great sadness and hardship while separated. When Rasheed's tour of duty was finally complete, Hearing Our Heroes honored his service and his family's sacrifice with a celebration of his homecoming.

Sean is today’s Daily Point of Light Award winner. Read more about him here.

Erica Jeffries served in the Army for five years, flying helicopters to deliver supplies to the troops. Today she’s a diversity officer at Exelis, a defense and aerospace company in Reston, Va. Exelis partners with Points of Light and AmeriCorps to support the Community Blueprint and Veteran Leader Corps, national programs that coordinate and improve services for returning veterans and their families.

Erica is one of the Exelis Action Corps leaders who are dedicated to serving veterans and military families. Erica and her co-workers volunteer regularly with Fisher House, a nonprofit providing temporary housing for military families near hospitals where their loved ones are recovering from combat injuries.

“When I was on active duty, my mother was able to stay at Fisher House in Texas while I was in the hospital,” says Erica. “It was a wonderful gift and a blessing to our family.” Read more about Erica's story here.

Heath Cobb, a former Marine who served in the Middle East, returned home with what he calls “the scars of war.” As he writes, “Rehab and mental institutions became commonplace. My often bizarre behavior was fueled by rage and I found myself in a vicious cycle of hate.”

An aunt suggested to Heath that he get involved in the community as a volunteer. The effort turned his life around. “I found the pride I felt when serving others was the same pride I felt by defending others,” he writes. “Suddenly, almost overnight, my sense of self was restored, my identity renewed.”

Today Heath is an AmeriCorps member and a member of Points of Light’s Veteran Leader Corps serving other veterans in Georgia. Read more about him here.

Today let us remember, thank and celebrate veterans. And let us honor their service and sacrifice through our actions. Please volunteer, advocate for and support veterans and their families. Click here to learn more.

In service,

Tracy Hoover
President
Points of Light

Veterans Day

http://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp

Monday November 11, 2013

 

Casady Orchestra Performs at Epworth Villa Honoring Veterans

 

 

 Veterans Day Cards made by Casady After School Care and Boys and Girls Club at Memorial Par delivered to Epworth

 

 

Students Against Hunger Casady Cans Do Food Drive 2013

Free picture slideshow generated with Smilebox MISSED THE CASADY FOOD DRIVE:  NO PROBLEM You can make online gifts at http://www.regionalfoodbank.org/virtual-food-drive/. Every dollar donated to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma will provide five meals to our hungry Oklahoma neighbors. At the Food Bank's online virtual food drive, you can "shop" for food and actually "check out" like you are at a grocery store. When you check out,  remember to write Casady School on the form so the gift is counted towards our food and fund drive goal. The School that collects the most pounds of food per student will receive the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma Students Against Hunger Traveling Trophy (and bragging rights for a full year)! Help us CAN HUNGER.  Hope to see you at the Food Bank Saturday!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you to all the people who made the Food Drive Possible Casady Adults:  Miss Ashley Gibson (Marketing), Mr. Tim Crofton (Can Can Squad), Mrs. Megan Thompson (Can Thermometer), UD Video Production Class (The Can Can Video), Mrs. Carmen Clay (Pictures and can counter), Mrs. May (MD), Mr. Chaverri (MD), Mrs. France (LD), Mrs. Maness (LD), Mrs. Sharp (PD), Mr. Bob (PD), Mrs. Michelle Freeman, Chapel Speaker, Mr. Fresonke's Crew (Transportation of canned goods to trailer), Father Charles Blizzard, Father Tim Youmans.  After School Care staff:  Mrs. Lee Lynn, Mr. Lopez  Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma Staff:  Mrs. Laura Lang (Development Director); Angie Gaines (Marketing Director), Lacey Bagley (AmeriCorps Volunteer Coordinator)     UD UD donor  Casady YAC and Youth LEAD OKCasady Chairs of Executive Board (Drive organizers and volunteer recruitment) Seniors @ Upper Division: Emily, Katie, Myria, Tristen(PD), UD donors.  MD MD Can Can Squad Juniors @ Middle Division: Jessica(Recruitment), Sidney, Chase, Charlie, Hunter, MD volunteers and donors Sophomores @ Lower Division: Aubrey (Recruitment), Majo, Dylan, Neeley, Berry, Nadia, Pauline, Mrs. Anne France, Mrs. Dora Maness.  Mrs. Laura Lang (Food Bank Development Director), LD donors   Freshmen @ Primary Division:  Johnny (Recruitment and boxes),  Turner (Boxes), Mr. Bob, Mrs. Jane Sharp, PD Teachers, Amir (10:30 Thursday PD Walk of Hope), Lauren, Caroline, Grace, Gracie, Livy G, Nicole G. PD donors.  After School Care:  LD/PD:  Students and faculty Food Drive Posters

LD Celebrates Diwali - Festival of Lights- at Chapel

Photo slideshow personalized with Smilebox

What is Diwali?  Answers from National Geography: http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/stories/peopleplaces/diwali/

Reenita Malhotra Hora

Diwali, or Dipawali, is India's biggest and most important holiday of the year. The festival gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (or deepa) that Indians light outside their homes to symbolize the inner light that protects us from spiritual darkness. This festival is as important to Hindus as the Christmas holiday is to Christians.

Diwali, celebrated in October or November each year, originated as a harvest festival that marked the last harvest of the year before winter. India was an agricultural society where people would seek the divine blessing of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, as they closed their accounting books and prayed for success at the outset of a new financial year. Today, this practice extends to businesses all over the Indian subcontinent, which mark the day after Diwali as the first day of the new financial year.

Indians celebrate with family gatherings, glittering clay lamps, festive fireworks, strings of electric lights, bonfires, flowers, sharing of sweets, and worship to Lakshmi. Some believe that Lakshmi wanders the Earth looking for homes where she will be welcomed. People open their doors and windows and light lamps to invite Lakshmi in.

Over the centuries, Diwali has become a national festival that is enjoyed by most Indians regardless of faith: Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs.

Hindus interpret the Diwali story based upon where they live:

• In North India they celebrate the story of King Rama's return to Ayodhya after he defeated Ravana by lighting rows of clay lamps.
• South India celebrates it as the day that Lord Krishna defeated the demon Narakasura.
• In western India the festival marks the day that Lord Vishnu, the Preserver (one of the main gods of the Hindu trinity) sent the demon King Bali to rule the nether world.

In all interpretations, one common thread rings true—the festival marks the victory of good over evil.

Non-Hindu communities have other reasons for celebrating the holiday:

• In Jainism, it marks the nirvana or spiritual awakening of Lord Mahavira in Oct. 15, 527 B.C.
• In Sikhism it marks the day that Guru Hargobind Ji, the Sixth Sikh Guru was freed from imprisonment.

Five Days of Diwali

On the first day of Diwali, housewives consider it auspicious to spring clean the home and shop for gold or kitchen utensils.

On the second day, people decorate their homes with clay lamps or diyas and create design patterns called rangoli on the floor using colored powders or sand.

This is the main day of the festival when families gather together for Lakshmi puja, a prayer to Goddess Lakshmi followed by mouth-watering feasts and firework festivities.

This is the first day of the new year when friends and relatives visit with gifts and best wishes for the season.

On the last day of Diwali, brothers visit their married sisters who welcome them with love and a lavish meal.Text by Reenita Malhotra Hora

 

7th grade: Energy Auditors

Les Pace, Green Educator Award Winner, http://www.greeneducator.org/Chevrolet-GREEN-Educator-Award-Winners-2011/Les-Pace.php from Pace Applied Technologies Inc. spent a day with Mr. Sappington's class sharing the Oklahoma Green Schools Program tool kit.  Students follow-up the visit with an energy investigation of MD classrooms and the UD Casady Wing.  Students will share their findings with Mr. Pace and decide a course of action.

This photo slideshow created with Smilebox

Dig Pink @ Casady School

Senior Myria D. facilitated the Dig Pink Volleyball Team Project at Casady Upper Division this year.  Myria had a couple of chapel speeches promoting the event and the sale of t-shirts.

The goal of the Side Out Foundation http://www.side-out.org/ is to raise $ 2 million for breast cancer research uniting volleyball teams across the nation.  The project was an original idea of Coach Jim Bonfiglio who added a community connection to the Holland Hall vs Casady volleyball competitions. Mr. Steve Shelley, Casady's Athletic Director is the current faculty liaison of this project at Casady.  shelleys@casady.org.

The objectives of the Dig Pink Casady project were to unite faculty and students in a volleyball game to have fun together while tackling the serious business of raising awareness and funding of breast cancer.

The activities the Volleyball team promoted on campus were
1. Sale of t-shirts especially designed for the occasion
2. Bake sale before the game
3. A game between Varsity Volleyball and Faculty.