As many of you know, the 20th "Bonnerversary" event will be held this June 2-3rd 2010 at Berea College. In an effort to capture the impact of the Bonner Program and share it with others we are asking all of you to participate in a reflection. In reflecting on your experiences with the Bonner Program, you will be doing so with a wide network of individuals who have been affected, in some way or another, by the Bonner Foundation. Reflections from individuals across the national network will be shared with the Bonner Foundation, and a representative sample of them will be compiled into a book that will circulate as part of the 20th "Bonnerversary" event.
We ask that you use this time to reflect on your experiences in the Bonner program during this past year, and also as a chance to to plan and look towards the future. Please use the following questions as a guide to your reflection:
1. Describe a significant (perhaps transformation moment) for you during your experience in the Bonner Leaders Program.
2. As the Bonner Leaders program launches into its third decade of service, what should be done to make it a more effective program (you can answer this on a personal, program, campus wide and national level)?
3. What are you prepared to do to help make the Bonner Leader program more effective?
Submissions may take many forms, including written, photographs, songs, artwork or video.
Blove!!!!!!
Monday, April 26, 2010
Reflections on the Bonner Program: Celebrating the Past, Planning the Future
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18 comments:
1.
The Conference we hosted was great. To be able to meet all of those amazing people and I learned a lot from them.
2.
Maybe there could be some place online where all Bonners could put there stories, experiences, and themselves as a Bonner. The Inspire 2010 was great because i met Bonners and service leaders from all over. To meet all of them would be amazing.
3.
I am prepared to take my service to the next level.
1. I suppose my whole experience as a Bonner has been significant for me. Being able to look back upon how much i have grown in the past year at my site, in the program, and as a college student has been great.
2. I think the site based teams at some sites could use some work. I know the USCRI team consists of two and sometimes I wish it was a little bigger and either had a VISTA or an upperclassman for guidance.
3. I am prepared to help in recuiting new team members for my site and become more fully involved in my service.
1. A significant transformation moment in my experience in the Boner Leaders Program would be when my site supervisor asked me to take over the Keystone Club at the Boys and Girls Club. This showed me that my supervisor knew that I was responsible enough to take on a leadership role. It also showed me that she trusted me and that she knew I could handle the challenge.
2. As the program launches into its third decade of service I think that campuses nation wide need to continue to get their entire schools involved in service and make it long-lasting rather than just one day.
3. To help make the program more effective I want to continue helping the Boys and Girls Club become more organized within the teen program. The need for volunteers in the teen program is a necessity and it is my goal to make that change.
1. Through the Bonner Service Leaders Program I have gained a lot of insight and learned a lot about myself as a person. Money used to mean the world to me-or so I thought-until I started doing service at the next level through this program. I have learned that I care a lot more about than I do about money. Therefore, since I always wanted to be a lawyer, I am now considering being either a child advocate lawyer since I absolutely love children or maybe a lawyer for a non-profit. I would like to use my personable skills as well as my ability to prove my point to help other people. Service is my passion and applying my education is the key.
2. As the Bonner Foundation launches into its third decade it would be nice to come closer as a nation of schools. I know that the conferences are one way to do that, but I think that there should be other ways. Also, the Bonner Congress Advisory Board is beginning to take some initiative on this idea, it would just be nice to see that it is carried out and beyond and that there is input from every school.
3. To make our personal program more effective I am prepared to work more on community building. As the year progresses I notice that our team seems to grow apart and I hope next year that even though we will be an even larger program that we are able to carry out the year in a more family like fashion.
always b looovin,
aprilll <3
1. I really enjoyed my orientation. It opened my eyes to all of the opportunities that Bonner has to offer. It showed me what a wonderful program Bonner is and the things I could to take my life to the next level.
2. Getting the word out there more. I think that not enough people, including friends, family, students and employers, know about the Bonner program. The more they know the better they can participate and/or support it. Also, the more employers know about it the more likely they are to hire a Bonner. It's a win-win for everyone.
3. I will do the best I can at my site and support my teammates in everything that they do. A team where everyone supports each other and tries their hardest is a strong team.
1. Describe a significant (perhaps transformation moment) for you during your experience in the Bonner Leaders Program.
A significant moment for me was when I walked into the YMCA after school program and 15 kids ran up to me yelling "Mr. Mike what science experiment are we doing today?!" I felt that i actually raised these kids' interest in science which is what my goal was in the first place. They had a great time with the science club.
2. As the Bonner Leaders program launches into its third decade of service, what should be done to make it a more effective program (you can answer this on a personal, program, campus wide and national level)?
Make it more well known. I never heard of Bonner before my sophmore year of college. My friends at family at home have never heard of it. It would be nice for others to realize how important the Bonner program is and for it to be recognized on a larger scale.
3. What are you prepared to do to help make the Bonner Leader program more effective?
I am prepared to work as hard as i can at my site to form an even stronger relationship with it and Siena College. I want the site to know how important our work is to them.
1. Describe a significant (perhaps transformation moment) for you during your experience in the Bonner Leaders Program.
Although I'm only in my first year as a Bonner, I have had a few signifigant experiences during my service thus far. I think one occassion that has stuck with me as something inspirational was our trip down to Richmond, VA for Bonner Congress. It enabled me to understand just how powerful we as a group our (and the sheer number too!) I liked knowing that I was a part of something larger than myself.
2. As the Bonner Leaders program launches into its third decade of service, what should be done to make it a more effective program (you can answer this on a personal, program, campus wide and national level)?
As a campus, we need to continue implmenting our Big Idea- people need to know what we do! On the national level, I think we should try to coordinate more group meetings/service. For example, if the Foundation selected a particular event (something huge!) and all Bonners came together to work on it. It would help to bond us as well as have a giant impact.
3. What are you prepared to do to help make the Bonner Leader program more effective?
I am prepared to create more ties with our Siena Community. I have done a significant amount of networking this past year and have formed strong bonds with administration, and would like to utilize these connections next year for our program as well as at my site.
1. When I had the chance to facilitate workshops during orientation I underwent a transformation, because before this time I never would have thought that I was able to speak in front of a group of people.
2. I think the structure for next year's site based teams, with senior interns overseeing them, as well as site-based team leaders will really help to make service at each site much more effective.
3. I am excited to step up next semester and take responsibility for site-based team effectiveness and training. I really look forward to getting to work on a project as big as this, and truly committing myself to my teams' success.
A very significant moment during my experience in the Bonner Leader Program was when I first started off being Coordinator of American Mobile Dental. American Mobile Dental is a mobile dentist that gives dental care to people who don’t have access to it. I was making calls and trying to schedule people for appointments when I called an elderly lady to schedule her and found out that her insurance did not cover American mobile dental. My job was simply to schedule patients however, it broke my heart to listen to this women tell me how she needed dentures. I took it upon myself to call her health care and find out why she wasn’t covered. They explained to me that they had various health centers in Albany that they did cover and didn’t feel the need to cover American Mobile Dental. I did my research and found out where these centers were and when I called the lady back I explained to her where she could go and get dental care near home. This experience really made me feel great because I saw the effect of my service directly and it made me want to continue to make a difference.
To make Bonner more effective I would say to broaden the community partners we have to fit more peoples majors and wants in life. For example give more opportunities for people who might be interested on law or business.
I am prepared to serve my community with the best of my abilities so that the sites see the great impact Bonners can do in the community and want more and more Bonners at there sites. Then Bonnner will expand and we will find Bonners in every state.
As many of you know, the 20th "Bonnerversary" event will be held this June 2-3rd 2010 at Berea College. In an effort to capture the impact of the Bonner Program and share it with others we are asking all of you to participate in a reflection. In reflecting on your experiences with the Bonner Program, you will be doing so with a wide network of individuals who have been affected, in some way or another, by the Bonner Foundation. Reflections from individuals across the national network will be shared with the Bonner Foundation, and a representative sample of them will be compiled into a book that will circulate as part of the 20th "Bonnerversary" event. We ask that you use this time to reflect on your experiences in the Bonner program during this past year, and also as a chance to plan and look towards the future. Please use the following questions as a guide to your reflection:
1. Describe a significant (perhaps transformation moment) for you during your experience in the Bonner Leaders Program.
The most significant experience for me has been to becoming a Bonner. Bonner has allowed my college experience to be the best. I have met the most wonderful people and I have been taught many lessons. I see the Bonners as a family, as support, and as a major part of my life. Also through the Bonner I have learned the true meaning of service and I have been able to truly understand the significance of it. I have been able to comprehend that service is not just spending a day or a couple hours helping out. Service is a way to learn and to teach as well as a way to further expand your knowledge of the world and what surrounds you and it has extended my knowledge of the world.
2. As the Bonner Leaders program launches into its third decade of service, what should be done to make it a more effective program (you can answer this on a personal, program, campus wide and national level)?
In order to make the Bonner program more effective I believe we should be able to build more effective communication and take retreats and building experiences further by making them extraordinary. We should extend the program nationally and internationally and make others more aware of it.
2. What are you prepared to do to help make the Bonner Leader program more effective? Submissions may take many forms, including written, photographs, songs, artwork or video.
In order to make the Bonner more effective I will further combine my academics with my service. Provide awareness and take my service farther by taking initiative and being more independent.
1. Describe a significant (perhaps transformation moment) for you during your experience in the Bonner Leaders Program.
When i was given the opportunity to travel to New Orleans and learn about the gulf coast reconstruction act and witness first hand the devastation that was faced by those who live not only there but all in the gulf coast region. I was then given the opportunity to report back on what was learned to my fellow bonners. This gave me an opportunity to explore on my own a new city and work on my public speaking skill and presentation skills.
2. As the Bonner Leaders program launches into its third decade of service, what should be done to make it a more effective program (you can answer this on a personal, program, campus wide and national level)?
more interaction with other bonner schools would be great. i think opportunities like the inspire conference were great tools for networking and would be extremely useful in the future if they occurred on a regular basis.
3. What are you prepared to do to help make the Bonner Leader program more effective
I would like to contribute more to workshops for meetings and think that everyone should help facilitate at least one meeting in the year to offer their skills and experiences and this in turn will help this person improve their public speaking skills, organization, planning, facilitating. So it gives students an opportunity to use skills learned in previous meetings.
1. A transformation for me is being in a leadership role as the team site leader of the Boys & Girls Club. I was able to actually use my leadership skills.
2. On a campus wide level, I would like to know how can the Bonner program became a Bonner Scholar program.
3. I am prepared to spread the word about Bonner on campus and in our community.
1. The first conference that i went to, which was Engaging Our World Conference, was a transforming moment for me because it gave me a chance to meet hundreds of other people who care and are passionate about the same things. I met so many interesting people and their stories inspired me to grow more and continue on my Bonner journey.
2. I think Bonner schools should be able to connect more often than just at conferences. We should collaborate more on different projects that can better our schools and our service sites. Every school has different approaches to the way they run things so we should be able to bounce ideas off of each other more often.
3.I want to spread the mission and message of Bonner to other students who are not in the program. You don't have to be a Bonner to be part of the national service movement so I think it is important to get other students engaged through such things as service learning.
Describe a significant (perhaps transformation moment) for you during your experience in the Bonner Leaders Program. I have not been a Bonner for a very long time. However, in the short amount of time that I have been hear I have learn just how great it is to be a Bonner. As a Siena student I think it is very important to survive and contribute to the Siena community. I have only been around for a short period of time but I have meet wonderful people that I considered to be unique and special. Every day I learn something new to share with the rest of the community. I think that the one instant one I felt a transformation so to speak, was in the Bonner inspire conference. The weekend was very unique and I will never forget it because for that weekend I was able to share Siena College with people that I never meet. We had one commend goal and that was to be an impact at our communities. I was fortunate enough to have my own workshop. I was very happy about this workshop and I gave it my all. I felt very comfortable speak to the people that came to my workshop and I felt like I was really making a difference. This is was a great time for me because it was my first workshop and I think I did really well. I learn that I can be a great leader and really teach others about my experience as an HEOP student. I have grown as a person because of Bonner and it is hard to think that in such a short amount of time, because of Bonner, I have learned so many new things.
2. As the Bonner Leaders program launches into its third decade of service, what should be done to make it a more effective program (you can answer this on a personal, program, campus wide and national level)? I think on this campus Bonner need to increase its presence on campus. I think it should be able to partner with other groups on campus and teach them about how they can help. Utilize the multicultural groups on campus and many other organizations that are strong on service.
3. What are you prepared to do to help make the Bonner Leader program more effective? I would really like to create new workshops to help the Bonner students more productive and have more exiting activate in the Bonner program and out. I think it is very important that we are not only unitized because of Bonner but through long lasting friendships. I would really like to establish more Bonner outings and get together.
1. for me i think the most transforming moment for me as a Bonner would definitely be the last day at the Boys and Girls Club before Christmas break. The kids in my 7 and 8 year old group were really broken up about the fact that I would be gone for a month and a half. In that moment, seeing their sad eyes, i realized what an impact I have at the boys and girls club.
2. I think we need to have more group activities to keep our bonner group close knit as it grows larger.
3. i am willing to help plan events that will keep us close together and keep the support system strong.
1. I feel the most significant time for me as a Bonner has been recently. Being a first year Bonner I feel like I wasn't expected to do to much besides adjust to college life but in the process of rising up to an upper Bonner I feel like now I have responsibility and am being given oppportunities to grow. Knowing that I will be given responsibilities and will be held accountable for a site and others has really made me feel important.
2. I feel that to make the program more effective there needs to be more connections between campus's. It was so great to meet everyone at the Inspire conference and to hear what they are doing and I think if we could all be involved in each others activities and events they would be so much better.
3. I would like to coordinate something to bring Bonners together. Even in our own Siena Bonner community we have all seemed to drift apart and Bonner dinners don't exist anymore and we don't serve together ever and so it would be nice to get those things back together.
1. 1. Describe a significant (perhaps transformation moment) for you during your experience in the Bonner Leaders Program.
During one of my nutrition club meetings, I was just catching up with my 4th graders. We were talking about their weeks and one of them asked me where I’m from and what it’s like where I’m from. Tiffany then went on to ask if it was safe where I live and if I ever got scared. So we began to talk and before I knew it, these 4th graders were completely opening up to me. They were talking about how it is scary growing up in Albany, and how they wish they grew up in a place like where I grew up. They taught me how where you grow up can really make a difference in who you become. I never was scared in my town as a kid, and I never saw violence, unless it was in a movie. But these kids live with it every day and struggle to stay away from it as they grow up.
2. As the Bonner Leaders program launches into its third decade of service, what should be done to make it a more effective program (you can answer this on a personal, program, campus wide and national level)?
On our own personal campus, we are finally starting to get the Bonner name out there. Students finally recognize what Bonner is and what we do. We still need to educate our campus about who we are so we can get them more involved. Overall, our campus has a lot of students doing community service, but it would be great if we could help them to get involved with more consistent service. One time service opportunities are great, but a more long term service benefits the volunteer and the people receiving help.
3. What are you prepared to do to help make the Bonner Leader program more effective?
As Bonners we have presented who we are to student clubs and organizations on campus. To take this further, we need to show our community what we really do; by connecting them to our service site through service opportunities. Also making connections between different local colleges would expand our ability to grow each program individually.
1. The INSPIRE Conference, although was filled with early and long hours of work and preparation, was awesome. It was great to be around so many people who share the same ideals as me, and it was even greater to have a little dance off with Wayne at the Bonner dance.
2. Bonner definitely needs to get its name out there, not only on this campus, but around the nation. It'd also be great if more travel/group service events were organized.
3. Anything I can.
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