Home Stretch and Slide . . .

The final movie/slideshow at the assembly today was made at Animoto. The song that was used in the slide show is called "Good Life", by OneRepublic. We are not able to use a copyrighted song for the public blog, so we chose to use one of the songs from Animoto. The song used for the slideshow below is called "Faith, Hope, Love" by Beckah Shae. RUaDN learned that teamwork is key. If you are focused while working with a partner, you will be able to accomplish anything. Enjoy this final look at Winterim 2011!

The "So What?" of Winterim

Most students have expressed their Winterim experience in a positive way, with the exception of a few students who had a negative experience. Next year we hope they get a Winterim that allows them to see the positive. Here are the words we heard LA students use most often to describe Winterim:

fun

eye-opening

unique

different

experiential

new

interesting

bonding

cool

rewarding

While Winterim is coming to an end we hope that this will continue in the LA community. We are so happy that it was a success.

Statistics: The Final Countdown

This year, the RUaDgtalNativ group performed significantly better than last year in terms of blog popularity and posts. In the two weeks of Winterim 2011, as shown by the graph, the blog got 8296 page views. During last year's Winterim, the blog was viewed only 7496 times. In addition, after lots of hard work, our group produced 101 blog posts, which is ten more posts than last year's 91 posts. Most of our traffic came from the Lawrence Academy website. We also had a lot of traffic from our Facebook page, Google, and the individual RUaDgtalNativ blog. The two most popular blog posts on the Winterim 2011 blog were, respectively, "Winterim, Sharp Freedom", "What will the masterpiece be?", and "Making Best Friends Out West." Overall, the blog stats have projected increased success and more interest from last year. :)

Regarding the statistics of our other accounts, we've made good progress in those areas as well. Our Youtube account had 15 videos this year, the most popular of which being the Hit Single Machine Discussion Video, with 125 views. We tweeted 122 times this year and got 16 followers on Twitter. On the LAWinterim Picasa Web Albums account, we have uploaded 378 photos in total this year.

"Summa Summarum."

On the last day of Winterim, here is a summary of the many accomplishments of the individual groups:

All Creatures Great and Small - students communed with Mother Nature by studying the daily lives of our nearest neighbors: animals.
Andes and Amazon Adventure - students learned about a variety of unique ecosystems and conquered the heights of the Andes.
ARC Volunteers - students helped mentally and physically disabled people, bringing joy into their lives.
Baking Basics - students learned many techniques of baking and sold their baked goods to raise money for the rescue efforts in Japan.
Byways and Waterways of Costa Rica - students experienced the magic of the natural world in Costa Rica and learned about its ecology.
Chess - students learned the tricks of the renowned masters of this old game and challenged opponents from LA to Harvard Square in Cambridge.
Clay and Kiln - students covered a lot of different pottery-making techniques and are now capable of making a primitive pot for everyone in LA.
Digital Photography - students studied the importance of the transposing of light and now understand the idea of how to best capture reality digitally.
Dominican Service Project - students helped with the process of renovation of a school and worked with the local kids and community.
Fashion Statement - this group tried their hand in the hard field of design and created one-of-a-kind accessories such as handbags, vest etc.
Florida Camp and Kayak - students relaxed in the sunny waters of Florida and enjoyed the peacefulness of lagoons around them and they also fished and snorkeled. They can't take the beaches and warm water with them, but their memories are forever.
HeadStart - the group joined the important national organization - Head Start - they helped children in poverty and assisted a teaching team in the schools of local low-income areas.
Hit Single Machine - the students of this Winterim tried to succeed at one of the hardest trades - creating and selling music. Now students know the priceless knowledge about music making, recording and mixing. All money earned will be donated to LA.
Iron Forging - students experienced the daily life of a blacksmith and succeeded in understanding the techniques of the craftsman's work and learned the long history of iron forging.
Kayaking in the Caribbean - students learned kayak paddling strokes and enhanced their navigation skills. Student may now consider themselves native Garifunas.
Martial Arts - students will test today for a belt level and perform for the school. Moreover, these students are now the strongest and most mentally-stable students at LA - they are the followers of the secrets of Karate.
Mask Making - students created a full face character mask and learned the techniques of mask making and the art of character performance.
Mountain Biking in Arizona - students explored the trails of the Sonoran Desert and built biking skills as they increased their daily goals from moderate shake down rides to an excursion of 20 miles.
Objection Your Honor - students learned about the American legal system and worked on a mock trial which they acted out Friday mornday at the Ayer District Court House.
Quilting - students learned basic sewing and design skills and completed a final quilt which will be displayed.
RUaDgtalNativ - students wrote articles,took and collected photos, and videos about all other Winterims and maintained several social media sites to keep the LA community informed.
Sports Journalism - students traveled to many sporting events in and around New England and they wrote blog posts and game writeups.
Stained Glass - students learned the techniques of stained glass and then completed an individual project.
The Horror! The Horror! - students worked very hard to terrify us with their silent horror movie. This masterful piece of art will be presented to the LA community.
The System - students learned about the Judicial System, how it works, and problems facing lawyers, lawmakers, judges, and politicians in administering our system of law and justice.
Total Mountain Experience - these students learned all of the skills of managing a recreational ski mountain, including how to rescue those in trouble.
Turn Baby Turn - students were taught the art of woodworking and studied ancient techniques.
Underwater Discovery - students completed a three part training course in scuba diving and then explored the coral reefs of Belize.
Watermedia - students created art using watercolor and other mixtures of water-soluble media.
Yoga - students developed a full understanding of yoga culture, the physical benefits, and better discipline.

To Every End There is a New Beginning

Today is the last day of Winterim. Some students are excited about going home, while other students are very sad because they won't be able to see their friends until after break. During this Winterim, we, RUaDN, learned a lot of blogging skills, photography skills, video recording skills, and communication skills. All of the photos were mostly taken by RUaDN, but others have sent us photos as well, which are all saved in a Picasa account. This Winterim at least for us has taken over out lives. We have bonded but even if it's over, our friendships will remain. We are all different people with different stories, and backgrounds facing the same Winterim challenge. We came together and ended with an amazing slideshow and the work that goes with it. This was amazing and we are ready for a good break. From all of us at RUaDN have a great safe break. Goodbye til next year....

                   Love,

                       RUaDN

Our Last Day with Best Friends :(

Today we woke up to a sad thought. I (Sarah) said, "Oh no we are leaving tomorrow!" Ali said, "I'm literally gunna start crying." We took Richard, the cat that we took for a sleepover, back to CalMar. We listened to a pitbull talk - these dogs are not evil, that's a stereotype. Before having our last vegetarian lunch, we got to socialize with the dogs one more time. The last part of our day consisted of being scared of biting birds, although we made them toys and cleaned their rooms. I (Ali) even got the greeting bird, King O, to sing "I aint' nothin' but a birdy." Check out the King on Youtube - he's up to 112,000 hits.




After saying goodbye to the animals, we wrote our final thoughts on this Winterim - our thoughts were more like essays than a couple of words.

One time when we were working with the dogs, I (Sarah) walked a dog named Jingles. She is so adorable and is such a good girl. I said good bye to her today in her run when she was laying down on her bed. She loves to smile and is great with people. So come to Utah and adopt her!


Hope you all had a good Winterim!
Love,
Ali and Sarah

One vs. All

Yesterday the chess group played as a group against the leader (Lou Mcurry) simultaneously, and Lou beat them all! The Winterim leader Mr. Dawson lasted the longest out of the whole group. The group is in Harvard Square today playing chess on the public chess boards. The students will come off this HUGE loss from yesterday and hopefully redeem themselves with some victories against strangers in Cambridge today.

Second Week of Underwater Discovery

The second week of Underwater Discovery was the most interesting for the students of this group. It was not the week of practice but that of real work and investigation of the Caribbean Sea. On Monday students took a trip to a Whale Shoals. They also tried snorkeling and research at night for the first time. Tuesday was free diving day. On Wednesday they finished their marine project and summarized the data and materials. Today students of Underwater Discovery will pack up and have a big party to celebrate a great trip and an excellent time.

photo taken from here

Forever Young

LA students at both Head Start locations continue to play and learn with the kids. Their final days on the playground will be spent in the classroom where they've been working for the last two weeks. This week the LA students say they've become closer with the kids in their class and learned more about them. The kids at Head Start didn't have school Wednesday, so LA students took a trip to the Museum of Science in Boston. Having become so close with the kids at Head Start it will be sad to leave them but it was an amazing experience LA students won't forget.

Not Fire Resistant

Since the last update, Iron Forging has had an exciting and dangerous week. This week the group finished off winterim strong making some really cool and interesting designs. The group also had a bit of an accident this week as a group member set his clothes on fire. Luckily the student is fine, he only burnt a hole into his shirt.

Almost There!

We did a lot today here at the RUaDN Winterim. Earlier in the morning, Sean Collins and I went down to the Clay and Kiln Winterim to see what they were doing. We were in for a treat when we got there. They had set up three different kind of kilns and they were firing their painted products. It was a very interesting thing to watch. After that, our group chose a song for our final slide show. It came down to Sarah, Jordan, Sabina, and my song choices. Sarah's ended up winning, so we are going to use hers for the final slideshow tomorrow at the assembly. Tomorrow is the last day for Winterim, then spring break!!!

Three-Dimensional Stained Glass Pieces... Now We're Going Insane!

Stained Glass is still working hard to mass produce their amazingly gorgeous pieces, even in the last few days of Winterim. At this point, everyone has long finished their main circular pieces that I described in the last update. The students are basically trying to make as many pieces as possible of whatever they could possibly want. But Stained Glass has started to try some new things this week. For example, some students have begun to make three-dimensional pieces! I've seen stained glass boxes with ornate covers and beautifully colored sides. There are also a fair amount of people making stained glass prisms, which reflect off the light and look amazing.

3-D! Holla!

I'm going to miss writing about Stained Glass. I just loved going there and watching people work. There was something about the atmosphere, the serenity and placidity of it all, that made the Schoolhouse Chemistry Lab an enjoyable place to be. The focus of the students is at the same level as it was on the first day, if not higher. Due to their never-ending concentration and hard work, their creations are outstanding -- definitely something to be proud of and celebrated. Kudos to the Stained Glass Winterim!

Still working...

Living the Dream... for Two Weeks

The last full day of Winterim means the most work and the most pressure to completely finish everything. The Hit Single Machine, having several loose ends to tie up, has been working hard doing multiple things all day. Today consists of shooting the music video, drawing cover art for the song, and seeing if the song sells on iTunes. So, this means that recording has been finished, and the group is within moments of their reward.

Although I really didn't have much of a chance to visit Hit Single as much as I would have liked to during these two weeks, I could tell that every person in the

group had a passion for what they were doing. I could see it in their faces as I talked to them: the excitement of their voices, the light in their eyes. It was as clear as day to see how much these kids loved the project and really had the experience of making and selling music, a business that I'm sure some of them want to make a profession out of. This really was those eight students living their dream, which is what Winterim's all about.

Wooden Toys= Time + Hard Work + Wood

Today, it is March 17th (the second to last day of Winterim). Most of the students of woodworking have already finished their projects, which they've stored in this box:

Mr. Brescia is working on smoothing his piece. Andrew, Ben, and Mr. Brescia all showed me their pieces:

Thanks to anybody out there who's been following "Turn, Baby, Turn!" on this blog. This is my last update for this group, but I appreciate the support you've shown by reading my articles and commenting on my articles!!!

Dorothy Gale Trial Begins Today

Today the Objection Your Honor Mock Trial Workshop will be holding their final trial. The trial will see Dorothy Gale vs. The State of Oz, as she is being tried for Murder in the 1st and 2nd degree, breaking and entering, and theft. I went up to their classroom and was able to LiveStream the trial. If you have not seen it yet, below is the recording of the first part of the trial.

ObjectionYourHonor on livestream.com. Broadcast Live Free

Clay and Kiln

Earlier today I went back down to the Clay and Kiln group to see what they have been up to, and to see how much they have progressed since the last time I went down there. They are currently using three different methods for firing their pottery. One way is using the electric kiln inside of the art room. The second way involves using a metal trash can full of hay and wood to smoke the pottery at a temperature of 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The last type of kiln that they have is a hand made kiln. They made this kiln by stacking a bunch of special type of heat bricks in a circle. They then placed on top of the bricks a concrete top with a little hole in the top of it for some of the heat to escape. Finally they placed a flame thrower in the bottom of the kiln with a propane tank attached.

Meet King Richard

The kitty in the picture above is Richard! He is one of the many adorable cats available for adoption here at Best Friends. However, he has been diagnosed with feline leukemia, and is often passed over for a forever home because he can infect any other healthy cats he would be living with. But as you can see, he is incredibly playful and a complete cuddle bug... and would make a great companion for anyone considering adopting their first cat! (Hint hint...)

On our second to last day at the sanctuary, we started off cleaning out the pig pens. We also returned our sleepover pig, Cherry, who was a very good girl... except for her waking Kelsey and Ali up at 5:00. After working with the potbellies all morning (who are actually really clean and friendly animals), we went back to the rabbit cages in the afternoon for some poop-scooping. We are looking forward to our last volunteering day, and everyone would like to thank Mrs. Hutchinson for the treats in Kelsey's care package (including Richard!)

See you all on Saturday!

RUaDgtalNativ?

Today the group went into Boston for the day. We started the day in the Digital Lounge at Tech Superpowers on Newbury Street, we stayed there for the morning and wrote four articles about social media, which are posted on this blog under today's date.

We then headed out into the pouring rain to Fire and Ice for lunch. At lunch, Mike had just finished his meal which had the spiciest sauce offered and then he was dared by Sean to eat a spoon full of hot sauce. Everyone thought that was funny but Mike didn't think so, he said that it was like eating a fire. We also enjoyed the ice cream bar.

After that we went to the Boston Public Library, were we lost David, we found him 15 mins. later with a bloody nose in the bathroom. Don't worry he was fine. We continued to work on the LAWinterim blog and began to choose photos for the final slide show.

We headed back out into the rain and wet day to the Prudential Center.  We got to go to the top of the Prudential building, the Skywalk Observatory.  We were able to be on our own for dinner and shopping and then headed to Sheer Madness where we met up with other LA students. 

It was a wet and long day in Boston, but we got work done away from the classroom.

Pizza Love!

I went to the Groton Congregational church during lunch time last week, where the group was starting to eat the pizzas they had made that morning for lunch. They seemed to be enjoying their pizzas, and were ready to continue baking after lunch. I came back later in the week during the morning to watch the group start from scratch with their baking. That particular day, the group was baking muffins. There was a box of butter that had over twenty pound blocks of butter. the process to making muffins seems pretty easy to me, but the directions have to be followed precisely. 

Other things they have baked over the Winterim were cookies, puffed patries, biscuits, cakes and sweet pies. I wonder if they will "show off" what they have learned at assembly by bringing us baked goods!

Great Trip Eh?

Yesterday Sports Journalism Winterim went on their first trip of the week after arriving back at school from New York City and the Big East Tourney. The group got in a bus and drove 2 hours over to Springfield to see the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.


When the group arrived though, they found out the hall of fame was unfortunately closed. The group got back on the bus and drove the 2 hours back capping off an unexpected journey. Check out their blog.