Tuesday, April 21, 2015
April
Total Spring Hours: 35.5
Total April Hours: 4
It is so hard to believe that the program is ending! It seems like we were all just meeting each other and sitting quietly in class. We've all become such great friends throughout the year, and had some great experiences.
This month, Ruby and I continued our normal volunteering at St. Anna's and ESY. There were some long breaks due to the Easter holiday, but we were able to make it in to help out a few times.
At St. Anna's, we made granola bars and taco lettuce wraps. For our last class with them, we are hoping to make a healthy version of one of their favorite foods, ice cream! We will be using frozen fruit and a few other healthy ingredients to make a delicious snack.
At ESY, we have been helping out with the K class, who are already on the letter W, learning about watermelon, walnuts, and wild rice! We will be continuing with ESY after the Pharmacology program ends, until they leave for summer break.
I can't believe that this is it, but I've had the best year I ever could have imagined! I've learned so much, explored a gorgeous city, and made so many amazing friends. I can't wait to see what NOLA has in store for me next year.
ESY: 3 hours
St. Anna's: 1 hour
Sunday, March 8, 2015
March
This month has definitely been a stressful one, with our last block exam, and the big NBME exam. Luckily, I was able to take some time off of studying to volunteer, which was just what I needed to put my schoolwork in perspective and get geared up for some intense weeks of study.
My regular ESY kitchen classes are at Green Charter, which is a member of FirstLine schools.
Whenever any school at FirstLine needs volunteers, they send an email blast to everyone, which gives me an opportunity to get involved in different ways. On March 7th and 14th, I volunteered at Arthur Ashe Charter, helping watch and play with autistic children while their parents took a class with ASGNO (Autism Society of Greater New Orleans). I had a great time with the kids, getting to know them and learning a little more about the disorder. It was a really great experience, as a I have been learning the science behind autism as a researcher in Dr. Mielke's lab.
After my ASGNO event, I had my regular St. Anna's Nutrition class, where we had a big day! We learned how to make different types of healthy chips, including tortilla, kale, and sweet potatoes. Surprisingly, the kale chips were the most popular with the kids! We had a great time. We also picked out the menu for family night, which is in a few weeks. The students in the nutrition class will be cooking a meal for their families!
Also this month, I volunteered at An Edible Evening, which is a fundraiser for FirstLine Schools and ESY. It was a great event, and they were able to raise over $165,000 for the two organizations! Ruby and I are already looking forward to volunteering again next year. I included a short video from the event below.
March hours = 18
ASGNO 4 hours
SAAK 6 hours
ESY 2 hours
Edible Evening 6 hours
Total hours: 31.5
My regular ESY kitchen classes are at Green Charter, which is a member of FirstLine schools.
Whenever any school at FirstLine needs volunteers, they send an email blast to everyone, which gives me an opportunity to get involved in different ways. On March 7th and 14th, I volunteered at Arthur Ashe Charter, helping watch and play with autistic children while their parents took a class with ASGNO (Autism Society of Greater New Orleans). I had a great time with the kids, getting to know them and learning a little more about the disorder. It was a really great experience, as a I have been learning the science behind autism as a researcher in Dr. Mielke's lab.
After my ASGNO event, I had my regular St. Anna's Nutrition class, where we had a big day! We learned how to make different types of healthy chips, including tortilla, kale, and sweet potatoes. Surprisingly, the kale chips were the most popular with the kids! We had a great time. We also picked out the menu for family night, which is in a few weeks. The students in the nutrition class will be cooking a meal for their families!
Also this month, I volunteered at An Edible Evening, which is a fundraiser for FirstLine Schools and ESY. It was a great event, and they were able to raise over $165,000 for the two organizations! Ruby and I are already looking forward to volunteering again next year. I included a short video from the event below.
March hours = 18
ASGNO 4 hours
SAAK 6 hours
ESY 2 hours
Edible Evening 6 hours
Total hours: 31.5
Sunday, February 8, 2015
February
This month has been so exciting! I have been able to experience my first real Mardi Gras (my hometown in California used to throw a small version every year)!
Along with all of the festivities, I have been busy with schoolwork and volunteering.
With Girl Scouts, I was able to attend the Urban League of Greater New Orleans school expo at the Superdome, where we talked with girls and parents about joining the organization. It was a great way to get out into the community and get to know a wide variety of people in the area. I am looking forward to the next GS event I can attend!
At St. Anna's, we created a healthy Mardi Gras snack (no King Cake for us): fruit kabobs! We learned about all of the vitamins we can get from fruits, and then practiced our fruit cutting skills. We used Green honeydew melon, Purple grapes, and Yellow bananas for a healthy and festive snack before the parades.
At ESY, we are continuing to work with letters, learning about Q (quesadillas, quince jelly, and quinoa). It is so great to get to experience new foods through the eyes of kindergarteners!
Hours:
SAAK: 3
Girl Scouts: 3
ESY: 3
Total Feb: 9
Total: 13.5
Along with all of the festivities, I have been busy with schoolwork and volunteering.
With Girl Scouts, I was able to attend the Urban League of Greater New Orleans school expo at the Superdome, where we talked with girls and parents about joining the organization. It was a great way to get out into the community and get to know a wide variety of people in the area. I am looking forward to the next GS event I can attend!
At St. Anna's, we created a healthy Mardi Gras snack (no King Cake for us): fruit kabobs! We learned about all of the vitamins we can get from fruits, and then practiced our fruit cutting skills. We used Green honeydew melon, Purple grapes, and Yellow bananas for a healthy and festive snack before the parades.
At ESY, we are continuing to work with letters, learning about Q (quesadillas, quince jelly, and quinoa). It is so great to get to experience new foods through the eyes of kindergarteners!
Hours:
SAAK: 3
Girl Scouts: 3
ESY: 3
Total Feb: 9
Total: 13.5
Thursday, January 29, 2015
January
Jumping back into the program in January, we started off with the Endocrine block. I really enjoyed the block, as I have an interest in Endocrinology and Reproductive Endocrinology. It is interesting to learn about how the body works together in the complicated system, and how figuring out disorders is similar to putting together a puzzle. It struck me how far science still has to go in order to figure out these complicated systems. Along with taking the MCAT, it has been a really busy semester so far.
As we get started in the Neuro block and busy with our new elective classes, I have been able to fit in some time to volunteer. Along with my regular volunteer activities at ESY and SAAK, I have just started orientation to become a volunteer with the Girl Scouts. I am really looking forward to this, as Girl Scouts was an especially bright spot in my childhood. I look forward to helping girls in the New Orleans area learn valuable leadership skills.
At ESY, Ruby and I switched to working with the kindergarten class! It has been a joy to start off our Wednesday mornings with their enthusiastic faces. Last week, they learned about and sampled foods starting with K, including Kale! This week, they focused on the letter M, tasting Mango, Melon, and Mint Tea. I am looking forward to the rest of the semester with them as they work on their alphabet and vocabulary.
At St Anna's Arts for Kids Saturday program, Ruby and I have become the Program Coordinators for the Nutrition class. We are responsible for lesson planning, recipe selection, and leading the classes each week. Our first class is coming up this Saturday, where we will focus on learning food groups as we make French Bread Pizzas. It should be a very fun semester.
Hours:
Girl Scouts: 1.5 hours (orientation)
ESY: 2 hours
SAAK: 1 hour
Total Hours: 4.5 hours
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
December
This month has just started, but we are about to take our last exam of the semester! It has flown by. In December, I volunteered at ESY one more time, and also at Sci High's Science Fair.
ESY has been an incredible opportunity to interact with local students in the kitchen classroom. I have been inspired by their passion, hard work, and enthusiasm in the kitchen. The chefs are clearly dedicated to student learning and growth, and it really shines through.
I have really enjoyed each volunteer opportunity that I have taken part in, and I feel that I have gained much more than I have given to others. I am looking forward to continuing on with ESY, St. Anna's Medical Mission, and St. Anna's Nutrition Class next semester, and hopefully longer!
December:
ESY: 1 hour
Sci High: 2 hours
Total:
41.5 hours
ESY has been an incredible opportunity to interact with local students in the kitchen classroom. I have been inspired by their passion, hard work, and enthusiasm in the kitchen. The chefs are clearly dedicated to student learning and growth, and it really shines through.
I have really enjoyed each volunteer opportunity that I have taken part in, and I feel that I have gained much more than I have given to others. I am looking forward to continuing on with ESY, St. Anna's Medical Mission, and St. Anna's Nutrition Class next semester, and hopefully longer!
December:
ESY: 1 hour
Sci High: 2 hours
Total:
41.5 hours
Thursday, November 20, 2014
November
November has been a COLD month! Starting with the night of Halloween, this cold weather blew in, and I have constantly been a little bit frozen. This is definitely NOT California weather!
I've been able to fit in some volunteering while I've been busy updating my closet with some warmer clothes (and studying for the Pulmonary Exam we had in the middle of the month). Unfortunately, I wasn't able to volunteer with St. Anna's Medical Mission RV this month (all the shifts were taken!), but I am going to talk a little bit about that, as I was able to have a shift in October.
At my shift, I was oriented to the unit, and I learned how to measure blood glucose and properly use a blood pressure cuff, as well as how to interact with the patients and give recommendations on healthcare. There were two patients during my shift, and one brought his Spanish-speaking wife and toddler daughter with him. I was able to practice my Spanish first with him, during the introductory interview, and then later with his daughter as he was being checked out by the medical student. She was showing me photos of animals and we each would say the word in our own language, which was a fun little exercise in Spanish for me, and English for her! She was absolutely adorable, and helped me remember why I want to become a doctor; to help support families such as theirs, so that she can grow up with a healthy dad to take care of her. It was a great experience, and I am hoping to get back to the RV sometime in December.
I've also been volunteering with my nutrition classes at ESY and SAAK. It has been an incredible transformation in both classes, and I can't wait for their last few classes! I will write about them more in December, but I can't help but note how much progress they have made, in knowledge, cooking skills, and professionalism. I have been so lucky to work with both classes.
ESY Cooking Classes: 2 hours
ESY Harvest Day: 3.5 hours
SAAK: 3 hours
Total November: 8.5 hours
Total Semester: 38.5 hours
I've been able to fit in some volunteering while I've been busy updating my closet with some warmer clothes (and studying for the Pulmonary Exam we had in the middle of the month). Unfortunately, I wasn't able to volunteer with St. Anna's Medical Mission RV this month (all the shifts were taken!), but I am going to talk a little bit about that, as I was able to have a shift in October.
At my shift, I was oriented to the unit, and I learned how to measure blood glucose and properly use a blood pressure cuff, as well as how to interact with the patients and give recommendations on healthcare. There were two patients during my shift, and one brought his Spanish-speaking wife and toddler daughter with him. I was able to practice my Spanish first with him, during the introductory interview, and then later with his daughter as he was being checked out by the medical student. She was showing me photos of animals and we each would say the word in our own language, which was a fun little exercise in Spanish for me, and English for her! She was absolutely adorable, and helped me remember why I want to become a doctor; to help support families such as theirs, so that she can grow up with a healthy dad to take care of her. It was a great experience, and I am hoping to get back to the RV sometime in December.
I've also been volunteering with my nutrition classes at ESY and SAAK. It has been an incredible transformation in both classes, and I can't wait for their last few classes! I will write about them more in December, but I can't help but note how much progress they have made, in knowledge, cooking skills, and professionalism. I have been so lucky to work with both classes.
ESY Cooking Classes: 2 hours
ESY Harvest Day: 3.5 hours
SAAK: 3 hours
Total November: 8.5 hours
Total Semester: 38.5 hours
Monday, October 6, 2014
October
This month, I focused my volunteer efforts on nutrition and preventative medicine. After living in New Orleans for two and a half months, I have definitely noticed the huge differences in healthy food options and misconceptions about nutrition. Transplanting from Los Angeles has really been a wake up call, where health is taken to extremes, with green juices and kale chips substituting a meal, and two-hour spin classes being a normal workout. In New Orleans, I have learned that the standard of health and nutrition is much different, even among those who are working to help make positive changes in these areas. Where a green smoothie would be a standard after school snack in Los Angeles, we worked this week to help kids in St. Anna's Arts for Kids program make the switch from Hot Cheetos to celery and peanut butter or Mexican pizza. It has been really eye-opening to see how different the standards of nutrition are here in Louisiana, and I am very inspired to continue working in the community to help shift these beliefs.
This month, I have volunteered several times at the St. Anna's Arts for Kids Saturday program as a Nutrition Class Assistant. We educated the students in the class on the nutritional benefits of celery, and ways to balance their diet with things like raisins and peanut butter, as opposed to the nutrient-deficient Hot Cheetos option. The next week, we helped make Mexican pizzas, learning about the nutritional value of beans, salsa, and cheese. My co-volunteer and roommate Ruby and I are going to be working with the director of the program to design future curriculum that will teach the students about making healthy food choices.
I have also been volunteering at Edible SchoolYard at the Samuel Green School, working with seventh graders that have chosen cooking as their elective. This class is geared toward teaching them cooking techniques that can help them pursue a future in the food industry. We have learned how to make deviled eggs and mac and cheese from scratch, as well as ice cream! I have learned a lot already about cooking, and have been very inspired by the enthusiasm of the students.
Next month, I will cover more about working on the St. Anna's Medical Mission mobile healthcare unit.
Total October: 8.5 hours
ESY: 3 hours
SAAK: 2 hours
SAMM: 3.5 hours
Total: 30 hours
This month, I have volunteered several times at the St. Anna's Arts for Kids Saturday program as a Nutrition Class Assistant. We educated the students in the class on the nutritional benefits of celery, and ways to balance their diet with things like raisins and peanut butter, as opposed to the nutrient-deficient Hot Cheetos option. The next week, we helped make Mexican pizzas, learning about the nutritional value of beans, salsa, and cheese. My co-volunteer and roommate Ruby and I are going to be working with the director of the program to design future curriculum that will teach the students about making healthy food choices.
I have also been volunteering at Edible SchoolYard at the Samuel Green School, working with seventh graders that have chosen cooking as their elective. This class is geared toward teaching them cooking techniques that can help them pursue a future in the food industry. We have learned how to make deviled eggs and mac and cheese from scratch, as well as ice cream! I have learned a lot already about cooking, and have been very inspired by the enthusiasm of the students.
Next month, I will cover more about working on the St. Anna's Medical Mission mobile healthcare unit.
Total October: 8.5 hours
ESY: 3 hours
SAAK: 2 hours
SAMM: 3.5 hours
Total: 30 hours
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)