Message from Ryan Block (NRE-Baltimore) - CLTC 4
Posted on 07/13/2011 @ 04:40 PM
CLTC…The Experience of a Lifetime CLT C is the perfect opportunity for many things. Because of CLTC, I have gotten more in-touch with my jewish identity, learned many life lessons, met many other jewish teens from around the country, and how to get more involved with BBYO. At CLTC I have came up with many program ideas. I am trying to plan a council program about the 1972 Munich Olympics. The program idea was originally from a program I did with my mock-chapter. I also met someone at CLTC from a different chapter that is close to my chapter. At CLTC we talked to both of our S’gans, and now we are doing a co-chapter program. In CLTC, I have became more in-touch with my jewish identity. I went to minyan almost every morning. It has helped me to become a little bit more religious. At a Shabbat program, we learned the prayers from different tunes from around the world. In life, there are many different people from many different backgrounds. CLTC has helped meet and respond to different types of people in different types of situations. CLT C is the perfect opportunity for many things. Because of CLTC, I have gotten more in-touch with my jewish identity, learned many life lessons, met many other jewish teens from around the country, and how to get more involved with BBYO. Fraternally submitted with undying love for BBYO, CLTC, and Patuxent AZA. I remain Aleph Ryan Block
Message from Halle Herman (KIO) - CLTC 4
Posted on 07/13/2011 @ 04:40 PM
Hello everyone! My name is Halle Herman and I am from the region KIO (Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio). Where do I even begin? First let me start off by saying that CLTC 4 is nothing close to what my expectations were when I pulled up in my mom’s awesome mini van with three of my closest friends. I came with my friend Sammy from Maryland along with Hilary and Emily who are from Columbus, Ohio just like myself. Let me just say that when we pulled up, we were way more nervous than excited literally begging to turn around and go home like little babies. But our wise (but not old J) mothers encouraged us to stay and told us that we would have an amazing time. For once in my life I will honestly and openly say that my mom could not have been more accurate. Take it in mom, me admitting this is a once in a lifetime chance- a once in a lifetime chance just like CLTC. Today I am sitting here writing to all of you during my eighth day at CLTC 4, 2011 and I am so glad that I did not turn around and go home. BBYO’s summer program motto is “find yourself here”. These past two weeks, I have not only learned who I am as a leader but also who I am as a person. I’ve made lifelong friendships with people from California, Connecticut, North Carolina and so many more. My new friends have taught me more about myself in the past eight days than I have learned about myself in past fifteen years of my life. Through every aspect of CLTC my fellow leaders and I have truly realized that this was an opportunity of a lifetime. I could tell all of you amazing stories of my experience here at Bethany College in West Virginia (a.k.a. the middle of NOWHERE), but you will never understand the value and importance of this short and meaningful two weeks. It’s something that you need to experience in order to truly understand that BBYO is a place where you can find yourself.
Message from Kami Salman (NSR) - CLTC 4
Posted on 07/13/2011 @ 04:40 PM
Shalom! I’m Kami Salman from Nassau-Suffolk Region. The past 9 days have been life changing. Honestly, CLTC has allowed me to become a nicer person by accepting all types of people and standing up for anti-bullying and most importantly inclusion…nobody should ever feel as if they don’t matter or that they are left behind. Another trait that CLTC has allowed me to adapt are the traits for becoming a better leader by setting an example of who I am and most importantly representing bbyo. There were all these unique rotations on public speaking, learning how to market your events as well as thinking on the spot by using out of the box ways to create ideas, for example lets say you are really stuck…you can have two people think of a word and then base a program off of those two words. Another main aspect of learning leadership is by following the seven highly habits of effective teens. We started with being proactive and learning how to take responsibility for your life and then we end with sharpening the saw and educating yourself that is okay to take me time and renew yourself regularly. This habit increases our capacity to live all the other habits of effectiveness. CLTC allows you to change not only for the better of your chapter but even more as a person. Instead of drawing to conclusions you need to begin with the end in mind and control your own destiny or someone else this allows you to define your goals in life. I am so thankful for having this amazing opportunity to go on CLTC. I will never regret learning how to work with people in difficult situations and most of all using all the positive traits that cltc enforces!
Message from Seth Samowitz (CVR) - CLTC 4
Posted on 07/13/2011 @ 04:40 PM
Greetings from West Virgina. My name is Seth Samowitz from Connecticut Valley Region. Before coming here I was skeptical about going to a small town with only 985 people. I have never been so wrong in my life. Coming to CLTC 4 was one of the best experiences of my life. The friends that I have made are friends for life even if they are from all over the country. When I came here I was immature and searching for my Jewish identity, but I was able to mature and find my religion while at CLTC. I was scared to do Israeli dancing, but I soon found out that it is the best kind of dancing. The last nine days have been the best days of my life and I wish it did not have to end. Hopefully someday I can come back as a staff member or even a coordinator.
Day 3: Plant It Now, Dig It Later
Posted on 07/13/2011 @ 01:22 PM
Today in Milwaukee, our IMPACT group helped Chaplain Regina Williams plant a suburban farm/garden with the Plant it Now, Dig It Later Program. Something known as a “food desert” is a common thing in not-as-wealthy parts of Milwaukee. There are not enough supermarkets in neighborhoods, and things such as fresh produce have become a rarity. Families are forced into getting fast food to try to get healthy food they need, often resulting in starvation of nutrition. The planting of urban gardens, such as the one we worked on today, helps in the effort to bring fresh produce, and therefore nutrition into the community.
We planted in the small plot of soil in Regina’s yard, digging rows and putting down fertilizer. The thing about this service project was that the results were immediately visible, in that we had planted all these flowers and vegetables and made Regina very happy. This experience has really helped me in thinking of ways to help my community, and I’m inspired to learn more about IMPACT Boston and DC.
- Jake McCoy, Cotton States
Today we helped make a spin garden, with the coolest lady of all time, Regina Williams. The program, Plant It now, Dig it later which was made to make food more accessible for people in under privileged neighborhoods, who are in the Milwaukee food desert, which is miles without good fruits and vegetables. I felt like I was having a impact because, I always thought, that either you have food or you don’t, not that even if you have food you are still not getting the right kinds of it. It also opened my eyes seeing what it’s like a poor neighborhoods, which is something a lot of people don’t get the chance to experience.
- Yours truly, Ben “El Guapo” Walters/AZA Southern-Atl
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