The other night I attended the Falling Whistles presentation. It was a very inspirational talk that left me with a lot to think about. Right when I walked in I was blown away. The goal was to get 1,000 people there in order to have Sean talk. Not only did we reach that goal, we surpassed it. The whole auditorium was filled with people. Each person who went to the front table got a shirt with a number on it to let them know when they got to 1,000. So not only did they have 1,000 people with t-shirts on, but also they had all the people who didn’t even get t-shirts. When the time came to start the presentation, they lowered the lights and showed all of us their website video. This video’s job is to draw people into the cause and really see what is going on and what they can do to help, and it did just that. During the video I was just speechless as it talked about young kids in the Congo who were being sent to war with just small whistles to protect themselves. Nobody cared about whether these kids didn’t get to live their lives for something they didn’t even understand. As they fell they became barricades for the “real soldiers”. The video left me with this feeling of needing to do something to help these poor children. I just wanted to get up and start a movement of my own. I think a lot of people just get that rush when they listen to someone talk or watch videos on things like this, where they want to forget their lives and make a difference. However, when that rush passes, they have to step back down to their real lives and realize its not as easy as it sounds. It’s actually quite depressing when you come to that realization. Well, as the night continued, Sean gave his speech to all of us, telling us his story. He talked about all the other movements that he and his friends had started before they became aware of the war in the Congo. The fact that he had successfully made impacts with other issues just helped build my trust in him that he will actually follow through with this Falling Whistles idea and that it won’t just be another fall through. Sean showed us pictures of when he and his friends were there and stories about the people he met and it was so much better to be able to connect his stories to pictures. He was a very good speaker; he was friendly and personable. He wasn’t some saint that nobody could relate to; he made jokes and laughed at what we laugh at. The fact that people could relate to him made them more want to help. When the presentation ended, everybody stood up and clapped for him and I’m pretty sure I teared up again because it was just the sweetest thing. Sean and his fellow volunteers are doing wonders and I’m sure raising a lot of money. Right when I went back to my dorm I bought a whistle online. They’re expensive, but the proceeds go to the cause!
Cultural Event Report #1: Jeanette Walls
I recently attended the presentation with Jeanette Walls in the Emens Auditorium on Spetember 21st. Right when I walked in I was amazed. To be honest, I didn't expect that many people to attend the presentation because, frankly, I didn't think people really cared. To my surprise, the whole auditorium was filling up with people; they even had to direct students to the balcony level. It was a wonderful sight and I'm sure the teachers and Mrs. Walls all appreciated the outcome of students. The students were all very attentive throughout her speech and everyone was quiet and polite. Many people also asked questions afterward, which was so great because it showed that they all actually read her story and that it touched them enough to make them think more deeply about it and have questions. Of course, I would have loved to ask a question myself if I had the nerve to go up to the microphone in front of everybody. The lady actually had to tell couple of kids that they couldn't ask their questions because they didn't have enough time for everybody. I really hope that the atmosphere is that great wherever Mrs. Walls speaks.
Her speed was very much a review of the book with a couple of footnotes and side stories. I actually read the book, I'm sure some people didn't, so I knew a lot of what she was saying and her mini-stories weren't that shocking to me the second time around. However, she talked about her life after what she wrote in her novel and after the publication of her novel. She was a very excited and funny person, someone that would be fun to be around. She cracked jokes and was very smiley, nd it definitely helped keep the audience's attention. That optimism and high spirit had to have helped her during the darker days of her childhood. You could definitely see it in the book that Mrs. Walls was naturally a positive person, especially through her sustained believe in her father despite all of his failures. It still amazes me that she amounted to what she has and became famous after what she went through. To be honest, I don't think I could have made it out. How do yo not follow the examples of your parents? Her lazy, irresponsible, stupid parents made me so angry throughout the book. I just wanted to be in that time and slap some sense into them. Mrs. Walls talked about her feelings towards them now in her presentation and it amazed me that she wasn't angry with them for almost ruining all of their children' lives. She had realized that they didn't do it on purpose and that was just who they were and what they knew. Jeanette's grandparents didn't exactly give her parents the best lives either. She seemed very content and at peace with how her life played out; and I don't blame her, because if everything hadn't happened the way it did, she wouldn't be where she is now.
It was adorable (Probably not the best word to use to describe my elder, but whatever) when she ran back on stage when the audience kept clapping for her. After she finished speaking and said thank you and what not, not only did the audience clap, but they stood up. At this point I'm tearing up because the amount of respect for this woman from the people in this auditorium is just endless and I could tell by the smile on her face that she realized that. She is living proof that you can make something out of nothing and she gives hope to all children living in bad situations
The other night I attended the Falling Whistles presentation. It was a very inspirational talk that left me with a lot to think about. Right when I walked in I was blown away. The goal was to get 1,000 people there in order to have Sean talk. Not only did we reach that goal, we surpassed it. The whole auditorium was filled with people. Each person who went to the front table got a shirt with a number on it to let them know when they got to 1,000. So not only did they have 1,000 people with t-shirts on, but also they had all the people who didn’t even get t-shirts. When the time came to start the presentation, they lowered the lights and showed all of us their website video. This video’s job is to draw people into the cause and really see what is going on and what they can do to help, and it did just that. During the video I was just speechless as it talked about young kids in the Congo who were being sent to war with just small whistles to protect themselves. Nobody cared about whether these kids didn’t get to live their lives for something they didn’t even understand. As they fell they became barricades for the “real soldiers”. The video left me with this feeling of needing to do something to help these poor children. I just wanted to get up and start a movement of my own. I think a lot of people just get that rush when they listen to someone talk or watch videos on things like this, where they want to forget their lives and make a difference. However, when that rush passes, they have to step back down to their real lives and realize its not as easy as it sounds. It’s actually quite depressing when you come to that realization. Well, as the night continued, Sean gave his speech to all of us, telling us his story. He talked about all the other movements that he and his friends had started before they became aware of the war in the Congo. The fact that he had successfully made impacts with other issues just helped build my trust in him that he will actually follow through with this Falling Whistles idea and that it won’t just be another fall through. Sean showed us pictures of when he and his friends were there and stories about the people he met and it was so much better to be able to connect his stories to pictures. He was a very good speaker; he was friendly and personable. He wasn’t some saint that nobody could relate to; he made jokes and laughed at what we laugh at. The fact that people could relate to him made them more want to help. When the presentation ended, everybody stood up and clapped for him and I’m pretty sure I teared up again because it was just the sweetest thing. Sean and his fellow volunteers are doing wonders and I’m sure raising a lot of money. Right when I went back to my dorm I bought a whistle online. They’re expensive, but the proceeds go to the cause!
Cultural Event Report #1: Jeanette Walls
I recently attended the presentation with Jeanette Walls in the Emens Auditorium on Spetember 21st. Right when I walked in I was amazed. To be honest, I didn't expect that many people to attend the presentation because, frankly, I didn't think people really cared. To my surprise, the whole auditorium was filling up with people; they even had to direct students to the balcony level. It was a wonderful sight and I'm sure the teachers and Mrs. Walls all appreciated the outcome of students. The students were all very attentive throughout her speech and everyone was quiet and polite. Many people also asked questions afterward, which was so great because it showed that they all actually read her story and that it touched them enough to make them think more deeply about it and have questions. Of course, I would have loved to ask a question myself if I had the nerve to go up to the microphone in front of everybody. The lady actually had to tell couple of kids that they couldn't ask their questions because they didn't have enough time for everybody. I really hope that the atmosphere is that great wherever Mrs. Walls speaks.
Her speed was very much a review of the book with a couple of footnotes and side stories. I actually read the book, I'm sure some people didn't, so I knew a lot of what she was saying and her mini-stories weren't that shocking to me the second time around. However, she talked about her life after what she wrote in her novel and after the publication of her novel. She was a very excited and funny person, someone that would be fun to be around. She cracked jokes and was very smiley, nd it definitely helped keep the audience's attention. That optimism and high spirit had to have helped her during the darker days of her childhood. You could definitely see it in the book that Mrs. Walls was naturally a positive person, especially through her sustained believe in her father despite all of his failures. It still amazes me that she amounted to what she has and became famous after what she went through. To be honest, I don't think I could have made it out. How do yo not follow the examples of your parents? Her lazy, irresponsible, stupid parents made me so angry throughout the book. I just wanted to be in that time and slap some sense into them. Mrs. Walls talked about her feelings towards them now in her presentation and it amazed me that she wasn't angry with them for almost ruining all of their children' lives. She had realized that they didn't do it on purpose and that was just who they were and what they knew. Jeanette's grandparents didn't exactly give her parents the best lives either. She seemed very content and at peace with how her life played out; and I don't blame her, because if everything hadn't happened the way it did, she wouldn't be where she is now.
It was adorable (Probably not the best word to use to describe my elder, but whatever) when she ran back on stage when the audience kept clapping for her. After she finished speaking and said thank you and what not, not only did the audience clap, but they stood up. At this point I'm tearing up because the amount of respect for this woman from the people in this auditorium is just endless and I could tell by the smile on her face that she realized that. She is living proof that you can make something out of nothing and she gives hope to all children living in bad situations