Emaya-Final Reflection

Prompt: If you were to imagine yourself doing some social aid work what would it be? And in comparing these models (JHC and Ometepe) what would you intentionally model from them and why?

Reflection:
Like other countries the United States has its issues, and some more than others. But being a millennial in the United States I tend to ask myself “what can I do to help?” I often feel as if I am to young to have a voice to be heard. Yet, after the destruction in Parkland Florida when kids my age began to revolt. I realized now is the best time to be a millennial in America. I am growing up in a world seeing things kids shouldn't see on the local news. And if I want to say something now is the time, so that one day when I have kids America might just be better.

Gun violence and control is something that is very interesting to me, but most importantly I am interested in gun laws. And how on a kids eighteenth birthday they are allowed to go to a gun retail shop and purchase a gun. The problems with gun violence are not just the big events we see on television, but are happening everyday in different states, cities and towns around the U.S. Children are dying because the usage of weapons by people who are unqualified. In no way should a person be able to apply for a dangerous weapon and get it the same day.
Thinking of things I could do to spread word about gun violence/laws the options are limitless. On of my biggest visions would be to organize a school walk out. During the national school walkout “March 4 Our Lives” the students at POHS were on Spring Break. I would love to plan a walk out at our school and create a giant poster. The poster would have a message on gun control and would be hung over the Montrose Bridge in front of our school. I would like to get local news stations involved and make this a televised event. Also getting signatures of people in school and around town of people who want change within gun control, to see how many people want change. Visiting the JHC and Ometepe Bilingual School I realized how completely different the two organizations are, but how they are both effective in the communities they are based in.

On of the biggest things I admire about the JHC is how they are an organization that takes input and ideas from the community they are trying to help. If I were to create my own school walkout this is exactly what I would do. I would get ideas from my fellow classmates first. I would ask them what they would want to see in a protest from violence, and if they had any effective idea that could bring awareness and engagement. JHC tries to give the community they serve what they want, and that is what I would try to do in a protest. Give my community what they want to hear and see in order to spark excitement and encouragement for a good cause.

Ometepe Bilingual School is an organization that helps the community in a different type of way. They are an organization that helps provide schooling to the children of Ometepe, and to create the school they use eco bricks. Islanders of Ometepe bring in bottles filled with trash gaining 50 cents per bottle. Those bottles are used as the foundation to build classrooms for students to learn english. The organization in way works in a cycle to provide for the community and save the community.  I would like to do this with my bridge idea. After the first protest hopefully enough media is covered to where I could challenge other schools. I would continue to challenge the community and different schools. Their task would to be creating an artistic way of spreading awareness and then they would have to challenge another school. Being in Nicaragua and seeing all the good that is being done in different communities inspired me in different ways. But I can not just be inspired for a week, and then quite. There is a seed planted inside of me that will be there forever. I am not too young to have a voice or to be heard, and the longer I wait to make change the longer change will happen.

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