Global Issues Club

Me and Leila are working side by side on this post. She has written a post about next year’s events and conferences. As you know, we are really really excited of all of the them (especially the third one..). Well.. she asked me to add the video that has to do alot of the topic we are talking about right now. I’ve looked at it and I found it really interesting.
This video is named “Facing the Future”. It has to do with a school and a new curriculum that is about the Global Issues today and how to be a change in this world. Hmmm… doesn’t that sound exactly like a class we know at our school?? Teachers in the Middle and High School have started this program to let their students be more aware of the issues that are going around in our world.

Here is the video. You’ll find it very interesting and similar to our school in many ways… 

I think it was yesterday that Mr.J sent this email to over 100 people. All to people in the global Issues network. More details will come later as we get closer to these dates. Here is the email.

Greetings from ASD EduCare in Doha,

It’s time to mark your calendars for next year! Three events in the 2008/2009 school year that will move us all towards education for a sustainable future.

1) Fall Leadership Conference 

   October 23rd-26th, Amman Jordan

   EduCare Workshop

2) NESA Winter Training Institute

   January 30th-31st, Doha Qatar

   A strand dedicated to environmental and global issues in the curriculum – EduCare!

   Registration soon on the NESA website 

   Special guest facilitator Dave Wilton from“ Facing the Future”  

   Learn about them, view the video 

 3) EduCare Symposium / Global Issues Conference

                       “Be The Change”

                        March 12th-14th

   For teachers (all levels) and students (8-12)

    Each school will be limited to 12 students

    Limited number of spaces for students

    Spaces will be held by payment and registration form

    Inspirational guest speakers, student lead workshops, action plan writing and more

    Website coming in August 2008

”Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead

Have a wonderful summer break!

EduCare Doha

I guess we at ASD are more excited about the third event. Let’s talk about it.

- Leila

After reading Nabila’s “We need to wake up”, I decided to post this article.

A FIRE swept through a Doha labor camp SUNDAY April 27, 2008 –sending all valuables and belonging to 600 workers up in smoke.

The blaze started at 1:30pm, while the camp was all but empty at such time with exception of a security guard and a couple of other men.There were no losses that were reported but as the broad smoke overflowed the sky over Ain Khalid, lots of workers raced back to the camp to discover all their possessions shattered.The camp, belonging to Power Cleaning Services and the HBK Engineering, mostly consisted of brief cabins that quickly became engulfed in the fire. Strong winds made it hard to bring the blaze under control. According to the shocked laborers, who could only stand by as their things burned, a number of men lost money in the fire. One man claimed to have lost 2,600 QR. “I came home about 3pm and tried to go inside as I have money and personal belongings inside, but it was too dangerous,” said one laborer who works as a painter. “I have never seen such a fire in my five years here in Qatar.”Another worker said: “The camp is home to hundreds of people. Now they have lost everything; all their personal belongings, their clothes, and even their money. Everybody is in a state of shock.”An eyewitness said: “As the fire broke out during the day no-one was hurt as all laborers were away working. I dread to think what might have happened if this fire had broken out at night.”If only people could see what happened that day, could you imagine all those months hard work for money, food and clothing now destroyed!Though there is still hope, as ASD students from both Global Issues club and class are aiming to fulfill help for them as a goal. You can be that help by sending donations that include money, food and clothing to Global Issues club or on boxes of donations set in the middle school main lobby at ASD. Remember this people had lost their living conditions to build us a better one, it is time to make a change on theirs now step by step.  What can we do to help? - Leila   

Even though Leila has posted up some great articles on the blog… I feel that we still lack posts that are done by other members. We were more active and “blogging” some time ago. I feel that it should happen again. I feel that this blog could really go all-the-way if we all work together.

Here are some ideas of posts:

• If you are in the Global Issues elective class with Mr. J, write about the recent “Labor Camp Blaze” and what our school did to help.
• Some fundraises for ACET that we could probably do before the end of the school year
• Even though it was a couple of weeks ago… write about how you celebrated Earth Day

These are all just suggestions. You could think of more interesting topics that you want to write about. Just send it to either Leila’s or my email and we’ll check it and post it up. If you forgot our emails, just ask us and we’ll tell you. Or maybe we’ll just say it the next time we all meet.

We can all bring our blog back to life again…

If you attended last Thursday’s Global Issues Meeting in the middle school then my question to you is are you ready for the talent show?

If you didn’t come and have no idea what I’m talking about then I’ll explain. Mrs. Sikora, middle school’s amazing art teacher, decided that before we leave for our summer vacation, we should have one more fundraiser from the middle school. She had an idea for a talent show. We would have auditions and choose the top 10 to represent the school. Anyone from any grade is allowed to audition. We would then sell tickets for opening night and also have a concession stand to make more money. All the money would go to A-Cet to help build the school in Ethiopia. 

Now that everyone knows what the plan is my question is we only have 1 month of school left. Is it possible to have all this done? We have to arrange, advertise, audition and then put on the show!!!

I have heard that some students and Mrs. Sikora are going to prepose the idea to Mr. Ladd. Once approved we are going to immediately advertise. We have to make sure we peek interest so we have people to are willing to participate.

So, the key to success here is time management. So I’m asking two questions here

•  Is this possible with the short period of time?

• And if yes, how?

- Leila