End of the Year

As the end of the 2012-2013 school year comes to a close I can’t help but think back on all the great things that happened this year. With the student commons building opening it has brought a new life to campus giving students more space to hang out and study.  Not to mention how the SAO got some new digs to call their own.

With all these nice new things the one thing that really stands out to me is the rise in volunteerism in the school. There were lots of opportunities for students to get involved on campus, in the community, and around the world.  This was the first year that the SAO organized community projects. They gave students the chance to get involved in the community in an easy way. There were different projects every month ranging from planting garlic, to working with seniors, to packing food. 

Both the fall and winter semesters started with a bang at orientation. There was a great group of student leaders that helped introduce new students to Algonquin College along with the keynote speakers Jessie Cruickshank and Daniel Levy. A group of students also ventured to the Dominican Republic to volunteer at a school teaching English to children over reading week. 

To honor all of these great volunteers and the many more around campus there was a great volunteer gala with awards given for community impact, dedication and involvement, outstanding leadership, and volunteer of the year.

This explosion of volunteerism on campus is really great, and I really hope it continues next year.

With the last SAO events and graduation right around the corner I’m sad to see it all go but excited to move on. I will never forget my years at Algonquin College especially the last year with the SAO!

I have met a lot of great people working with the SAO and I wish them all the best! To any students returning or starting next year don’t forget to get involved and do things outside of school and work. There are tons of volunteer opportunities and events at the school, make the most of them while you can.

Signing off for the last time...

- SAO blogger Sarah Raphael

          

2013 Volunteer Awards Gala

Last night I was able to attend the second annual Volunteer Gala at Algonquin College. It was a beautiful, fun, and inspirational night. The event took place in the Student Commons which was completely transformed. All the orange chairs were pushed aside to setup a stage, tables and chairs. 

Before

After

The tables

All the tables featured beautiful centerpieces, linen and super modern chairs. I just loved how the space transformed!

I almost forgot to mention the food! It was all very good I defiantly did not go home hungry.There was a salad, then a chicken dish, and finished off with a delicious chocolate and strawberry cake for desert!  For the full menu and a list of winners please visit the SAO’s website. 

The evening was hosted by Brains4Breakfast, DJ Dario Petruzzi. After the meal he had a great speech about volunteering where he used a pool analogy to explain the different types of volunteers.

•  Those who are totally immerse
• Those who  wade in the waters they are half in and half out
• Those that wait on the edge and jump in after their friends
•  Those that walk by and think it’s lame 

Personally I would consider myself as a wader, half in half out. I became more active in volunteering since I started at Algonquin College, and after the gala I am motivated to continue helping out and volunteering as much as I can. I have meet a lot of great people and I hope to keep doing it all my life.

A group at the photo booth. 

 With such a formal atmosphere the night was far from stuffy with great music, an entertaining photo booth, and an impromptu performance by the Dominican Experience group. Even president Kent MacDonald took part in some of the fun.

There was also an announcement about the co-curricular record. This new record will allow students to track, record, and print their volunteer and leadership involvement affiliated with the college. This is an official document that will complement your transcript. To learn more about the co-curricular record visit the website and attend the official launch in the Student Commons April 8 at 11 a.m.

I just want to say congratulations to all the winners and nominees, and thank you for making Algonquin College a fun, exciting place to be.  Your volunteer efforts have brought celebrities to the school, introduced us to different cultures, and helped others explore Ottawa, so thank you.

I noticed an interesting trend that half of the winners got their start as student leaders, and take part in the community projects hosted by the SAO.  There are a lot of opportunities to volunteer and get involved on campus. If you put your self out there you never know what good will come from it, who knows you could be a winner at next year’s volunteer gala.

- SAO blogger Sarah Raphael  

Community Projects March

I expected to walk into this community project and hear another great life story from an elder like last time. But, this time I was taught how to mold my own story and gained some direction and clarity about my next steps after graduation this spring. I never expected to learn so much about myself during this volunteer project, but I did.

Sarah and Nora with journaling workshop leader Beryl.

This was a very different experience from the last volunteer session with seniors. I found that we were opening up to each other in a completely different way, and sharing our life experiences around a hobby. I was placed in a group that focused on journaling.

The journaling session was led by Beryl. She had us think and discuss what the word legacy meant to us. To her it meant “living my life every day so that people know who I am”. I have really never thought about life this way and she asked us to think, if I were gone tomorrow will the people in my life remember what I was truly like?

Students in the music section preforming what they learned.

It sparked a lot of interesting conversations about the differences between youth and seniors, life lessons, and life journeys. Beryl stated one thing she has noticed is how youth tend to live more externally worrying about looks, actions, and possessions. In contrast seniors live more internally thinking about their life, regrets, changes that could be made, and the memories that they leave behind.

To open our minds we did some journaling exercises where we were timed and had to write everything that came to mind when we saw different photos.  The next exercise we were asked to select a card and answer the question written on it. I was surprised that they question I chose was closely related to my life. For the last exercise we paired up and had to tell our partner what our legacy would be. I found this really difficult and I realized I was not used to talking to someone for two minutes straight with no interruptions. We then wrote our answers down and placed them in a sealed envelope to read at a later date. I’m not sure if I’ll ever read that letter, but I’m glad I wrote it.

Students in the scrapbooking workshop.

There were two other groups that explored different hobbies with exercises lead by other seniors. One group discussed music while another group explored scrapbooking. I was really glad I had the chance to see what everyone did in their groups, and it looked like everyone enjoyed this hobby fair as much as I did.

This opportunity was made possible by the SAO and HelpAgeCanada. They are a not-for-profit organization committed to bettering the lives of seniors across Canada. One of its’ goals is to create more opportunities for youth and seniors to spend time together, and that is where this month’s Community Project comes in. Also, I'd like to send a special thank you to The Utilitarian House for having us and sharing their hobbies!

There are different Community Projects every month with the SAO to get students involved in Volunteer opportunities around Ottawa. Don’t miss your chance to give back and add unique experiences to your resume and your life.

- SAO Blogger Sarah Raphael 

Welcome Home Dominican Experience!

On Tuesday I took a tour of the Dominican Experience students display in the student commons. It looks like they all enjoyed themselves completely! I had a great time talking to the students about their trip, the people they met, and the things they learned. All of the students I talked to had a great time and said that the trip really changed their perspective on life. it was funny to see that they were almost just as excited to hang out with each other as they were to share their experience.

"I thought I was going to change the kids but they changed me. I learned to be happy with what I have because they are happy and they have a lot less then I do," says Jordon MacLean a Dominican Experience participant.

The students were working in a Dominican school teaching English, health, art, and physical activity to various groups of local children. School runs for half the day, so around noon our students would received a new batch of kids. They were each responsible for running differently themed stations to focus on different skills with the children. Some students were group leaders, and ushered groups of children from station to station.

One of the students bought a Dominican flag from the market and had all the other students on the trip sign it and write messages. He had the flag on display in the student commons. It was really cool to read the comments and it's such a great idea for a unique souvenir for a life changing trip! I may have to borrow that idea if I ever get to go on a trip like this. There were great displays that really showed how much fun they had and how they have come together as a group

I know when they first left they were very nervous, excited, and anxious. It was great to see that they had fun and that this experience is something they will carry forward in their lives. Some of them were talking about doing it again next year, and all of them have caught the travel bug.

From talking to them and see what they brought back it's obvious that this was a huge part of their college experience and they highly recommend this for other students.

To hear more about their experiences check out the Dominican Experience blog!

- SAO blogger Sarah Raphael

Poetry Slam

Last night I was blown away by the talent of the poets! I mean wow! I have never been to a poetry slam before so I had no idea what to expect.

So I’m sure you’ve seen the posters around campus or Just Jamaal The Poet around campus.  There are eight poets, three rounds, and one winner walks away 300 dollars richer. The coolest part of the experience was that the audience votes who moves on to the next round and the poets don’t know what the order is. Each poet was given a letter from A to H and the audience decides who they see next.

This was my first poetry slam, and I have to say it will not be my last. I was so impressed by the talent that I saw last night, they were all great. On top of that, it was awesome that two of the poets are Algonquin College students. I had such a hard time voting on the best poet, that I didn’t even get my ballot in on time! 

Last night’s poets were:

• CauseMo
• Kayla
• ArRay-of WoRds
• A human experience
• Hyf GypsySun
• VNessa Ballerz
• Fatima Allen
• Ali Islam
• PrufRock Shadowrunner (Special Guest)
• Just Jamaal The Poet (Host)

The poems ranged from discussing serious topics like the treatment of women, politics, and poverty, to sex, dating, and family. One of my favorite poems of the night was by VNessa Ballerz and she talked about 10 ways to get over your ex. The Poetry Slam reminded me of the movie, Eight Mile, as it was kind of like a rap contest without the backup music. They speak with passion and truly preform their words. It was not the finger snapping, quiet show stigma that I thought when I first heard about it.

I had a great time at the poetry slam and encourage everyone to check out the emerging poetry scene in Ottawa. It would be really cool if I saw YOU performing at the next Poetry Slam! 

Movie Night: Life of Pi

Welcome back Algonquin, I hope everyone enjoyed their break! Last night was the February Movie Night featuring Life of Pi. I have wanted to see this movie for a long time I just never had the money or time to see it in theatres. I was also really excited to watch this movie after it snatched the awards for cinematography, director, visual effects, original score, at the Academy Awards on Sunday.

Life of Pi tells an amazing story about a boy on a life boat with a tiger, but beyond that it discusses religion, faith and humanity. I really loved this movie! It was a roller coaster of emotions, I was laughing, crying, and on the edge of my seat the whole time.  It was a beautiful film that makes you think about life.

I’m so happy that I got to see this movie on the big screen and it was free! This is by far one of my favorite free events at Algonquin College. I get to see great movies like Argo (2012 best picture) and Life of Pi for free and the SAO lets the students pick the movie. Polls are run on the Facebook page to decide what movie will be played each month. Remember, movie night is on the last Monday of the month tentatively! I can’t wait to see what the March movie will be.

I had a great time last night and I’m looking forward to my first Poetry Slam tonight in the Observatory at 8pm. See you there!

- SAO blogger Sarah Raphael

Dominican Experience

 

On Wednesday night I was able to sit in on the last meeting for the AlternativeSpring Break – Dominican Experience before they leave on Saturday.

It was really funny to see everyone buzzing with excitement and nerves right before they leave. Some were packed while others were just starting to. The energy in the room was really fun. For some students this is their first trip south others this is their first time volunteering abroad. They did a really cool exercise where they discussed their feelings from when they first met in October to now right before they leave.  

It has been a long journey for many for this group with applications and meetings starting in October. They have met every week from October to now, sold chocolate for fundraising, and organized events. This is a group of dedicated students that have become friends because of this project. They have a mix of ages, backgrounds, and programs that may have not connected outside of this project.

I was really impressed with the amount of donations they received from the school family and friends. They packed six suitcases full of food, books, and other donations for the school they will be working at. It is really great to see the school and community come together to support these students.

This is trip will allow the students to work with an orphanage in the Dominican. They will be working with a program called Outreach360. They are a non-profit organization with headquarters in Glendale, Arizona. In 1994, they “adopted” the Hope of a Child Orphanage in Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic. The focus of the orphanage is on education – teaching English, literacy, and public health. During the school year, you will most likely be teaching in local grade schools. The full-time on-site staff build relationships with the community to ensure they are meeting the highest priority needs of the area.

The students will be taking journals so that they can blog all their experiences when they get back. Check out their blog to see what they have gone through so far.
algonquindominicanexperience.blogspot.ca/

I want to wish them the best of luck in their travels. Remember to have fun and be yourself. You have all worked hard selling chocolates, and organizing events like Rich Meal Poor Meal, now is the time to enjoy yourself and make some memories.  As someone being left behind I would like you to bring back lots of pictures, stories, and sunshine.  

- SAO blogger Sarah Raphael

Beer and Food Pairing

This event is a must for students, especially if you have ever thought about taking a wine or beer tasting course. I like to enjoy a beer every now and then but this event has changed the way I look at beer. I normally only think about pairing food with wine, but last night I realized that beer is just as versatile and tasty!

The night started with Kichesippi blonde beer and spring rolls for appetizers as you waited for your seats. I had tried this beer before so I was eased into the experience.

The pairings for the night were:

• Kichesippi: Natural Blonde – spring rolls
• Kichesippi: 1855 – barley soup and cream of broccoli soup
• Big Rig: Lon’s ESB – pulled pork with Rosti potato and red cabbage
• Beyond The Pale: Rye Guy – Jerk Chicken with jasmine rice and pineapple papaya salsa
• Beau’s: Lug Tread – Fish & Chips with tartar sauce and coleslaw
• Beyond The Pale: The Darkness – Chocolate Cakes pops with orange sorbet

Sarah enjoying the food.

The pairing that I enjoyed the most was the Rye Guy with jerk chicken. It was a great balance between the flavor of the beer and the spice of the chicken. The pairing that surprised me the most was The Darkness with the chocolate cake pops.

I love that all the breweries featured are located in the Ottawa area.  It showcases a side of the city that I have not experienced yet. There are a few breweries that host their own tours and tastings, and this was given out as a prize at the event! At the end of the night we were given a booklet to take home, detailing each pairing and tells you where the brewery is located. 

This was the first time I have been in the Restaurant International, and I was very impressed with the food that night. I will definitely be returning for dinner, and students even get a discount.

I had a great time and this is a perfect event for a few or even a group of friends. I enjoyed each beer and dish that was served, it was a awesome night! This is an event that I will definitely be doing again.

- SAO blogger Sarah Raphael

Movie Night: Argo

After reading all the amazing reviews and watching Argo win award, after award at the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild I finally had the chance to watch this film at Movie Night in the Student Commons building.

Even though I knew how the film ended it didn’t ruin the surprise, suspense, and thrill it created. The movie is set in 1979, where the American embassy in Iran was invaded by Iranian revolutionaries and several Americans are taken hostage. However, six manage to escape to the official residence of the Canadian Ambassador and the CIA is eventually ordered to get them out of the country. With few options, exfiltration expert Tony Mendez devises a daring plan: to create a phony Canadian film project, looking to shoot in Iran, and smuggle the Americans out as its production crew.

I loved this movie and I highly recommend that you watch it. I was on the edge of my seat through the whole thing. The movie was a great mix of history and action with a little hint of comedy. If you watch the movie make sure you stay through the credits. At the end they compare the footage and actors in the movie to the real footage and photos taken in 1979. I was so impressed with how close the actors looked to the real people and how accurately they recreated Iran.

I love going to the movies but with a student budget, I rarely get to see all the films I would like to in theatres. This is why Movie Night is a brilliant idea for all college students! It was a free event that let me have the movie theatre experience, but on my budget. It was so much fun to sit down and enjoy a movie that I have wanted to see in theatres since it came out.

There is a movie night on the last Monday of every month and I can’t wait to see what the February movie will be!

- SAO Blogger Sarah Raphael

Tubing

I find that one of the best ways to get through the winter is to get outside and make the most of it. After record low temperatures of last week and the snow and rain projected for this week I took the chance to be outdoors on Sunday and enjoy winter. I went to Edelweiss with a group of students for an afternoon of Tubing care of the SAO.

When I think of tubing, it’s childhood memories of sliding down a hill on a crazy carpet that come to mind. That is not what it’s like at Edelweiss. This was going tubing down the kind of hill that you dream about as a kid. It looked like they had transformed one of their older and shorter hills for tubing. There was a mix of difficulties for the runs. The lowest intensity is was on the left with the most intense and steepest on the right.

I started on the left and worked my way over. There are staff at the top of the hill to help you set up and give you a good push, (and if you choose, spin!) on your way down.  Going down the first hill I was fine. It was the second hill that had two drops in it that was my favorite. The interesting part was that this hill was just as fun as the others, but what made a run more exciting was the push and spin that you got on the way down.

I knew I would enjoy myself at this event, but I had no idea I would like it that much! The rush as you speed down a hill with little control of where you’re going is so fun it’s hard to describe.

The worst part of tubing at other hills, was always carrying your tube back up, but at Edelweiss they have a conveyer belt that you stand on and it pulls you up the hill. This takes away the worst part and allows you to really enjoy yourself!

This was a great way to make the most of winter weather. I highly recommend you get out there if you can!

          - SAO blogger Sarah Raphael 

Stroumboulopoulos at Algonquin College

SAO blogger Sarah, and event team member Nora, with George.

I have been a fan of George Stroumboulopoulos ever since I first watched him on Much Music. He is a Toronto native and studied radio broadcasting at Humber College. George has had a successful career in radio and television interviewing important political, musical and social leaders. I was very excited to hear his stories, and thoughts.

This was a true Q and A style event starting with a few questions from a public relations and a journalism student. Then the floor was opened for questions from the audience. I was surprised how much he shared. The conversation flowed from the way he dresses, to his broadcasting and interview practices, to his childhood and his last name.  Being a public relations student I found it really interesting to hear all of his stories.

Not only did I get to watch the show but I also got to sit in on the small meet and great before the show with select broadcasting, journalism, and public relations students.

Here are some of the things that I learned from George that night:

1. He does not believe in having a plan b or goals “I just go with the flow.”
2. His news comes from Twitter. He does not follow newspapers.
3.  Labeled 'Hasn’t Hit Me Yet' by Blue Rodeo as one of the great Canadian songs.
4. The art of interviewing is in the follow up question.
5.  That a life worth living is a life lived authentically.
6.  Radio is a beautiful fluid relationship. Unlike the harsh start and stop relationship of television.
7.  A lot of crazy things happen behind the scenes at Much Music.
8.  Enjoy your time as a girl because you will spend the majority of your life as a woman.
9. George is happy if at the end of the day he can say “on this day I didn’t waste my day, I got to connect with actual people.”
10.  He is just as nice and down to earth as I thought he would be.

Not only is he a great person to talk to, he could also be one of the nicest people on tv. He took a few extra questions from the audience and stayed late to talk and take photos with everyone that lined up.

I learned a lot about the broadcasting business and heard some amazing stories about his life. It was a great night and I learned things that I will never forget.

Thank you George Stroumboulopoulos!  

- Sarah Raphael SAO blogger

Culinary Workshop

Dear starving Algonquin students, what if I told you that for only five dollars you could make three meals, big enough for two? That is exactly what I did last night at the Culinary Workshop.


This workshop is a great opportunity for students to learn how to cook. If you have never tried to make food from scratch and most of your cooking involves something from a box or can, this is your chance to learn how to make nutritious, easy meals. 

I was really nervous when I walked into the room because I’m not the most talented cook, but I was excited to make some great food. Since I went by myself I was placed in a group. There is a maximum of four people per station making this workshop a fun group activity. I spoke to one group that used this event as an ice breaker for new house mates. For the insecure cooks out there like I was, there is a trained instructor and culinary students walking you through the recipe as you go. No one taking this workshop is a pro, some may have cooked before, but the instructors adjust to your level. The first thing we had to do was clean and prepare all our vegetables. I really liked that the instructor concentrated on showing us safe, quick ways to cut the vegetables. I had never had a professional walk me through anything like that and it's a skill that I will be practicing when I cook at home. Then we started cooking!

Overall I really enjoyed the night. I was cooking with students in different programs, and learning about different types of food from Italian to Indian and Mexican. I had never tried to make an Indian dish before so it was a fun experience. If you’re thinking about joining the culinary program this is a great way to see if you would like it or not.

When I got home I tried a little bit of each dish we made and they were all delicious. I put them in the freezer for a busy week when I don’t have time to cook. I can’t wait to sit down and eat everything I created. Definitely a great workshop for students looking to learn some new skills in the kitchen, save money, and eat great food!

OH! I forgot to mention that not only do you get to take the food you make home but you also get sent home with the recipes. So if you really like them you can make them again. This was a great event that needs to be part of your college experience if not for your stomach then for your wallet!

- SAO blogger Sarah Raphael

Community Project Working with Seniors

It’s not every day that you have the chance to talk to someone that lived in Britain during the second world war, knows three languages, and has traveled the world with her African husband.

This Saturday I had the opportunity to reach outside my comfort zone and take part in this month’s community project at Embassy West Senior Living. I was a little nervous about how to act around the seniors and not sure what to expect from the whole experience.

When we arrived, we were lead to a games room and greeted by member of HelpAge Canada, a not-for-profit organization committed to bettering the lives of seniors across Canada. One of its’ goals is to create more opportunities for youth and seniors to spend time together, and that is where this month’s community project comes in.

So we were given a list of questions that could be used as talking points to get the conversation started. I decided to start doing a puzzle with three other students and we were quickly joined by one of the residents, Mary. She helped with the puzzle and was happy to share some of her life experiences.  It was really great to hear all her stories and just talk to someone completely different. I was not the only student enjoying the afternoon, when I looked around the room all the students and seniors were enjoying themselves. Everyone was playing card games, learning how to knit, solving puzzles, and meeting new people.

I think this was a great chance to step outside my comfort zone, meet new people, not just seniors but also students in other programs. I love the time I spent solving the puzzle on Saturday, and I met some great people and learned more than I thought I would. In the end I had a great afternoon, talked to some interesting people and had a great character building experience that I can add to my resume. Not bad for a Saturday afternoon. 

There are different community projects every month with the SAO to get students involved in city events. Don’t miss your chance to give back and add unique experiences to your resume. 

- SAO blogger Sarah Raphael

Nothing says welcome back like Dirty Bingo!

Me & Krystal

I was excited to go back for my second round at Dirty Bingo. No longer being a Dirty Bingo virgin I knew what to expect and couldn’t wait for all the sexual banter and innuendos. Even though it was my second time going I still laughed the first time they called “nipple 37”, or “balls 24”. I had almost forgotten what to do when they call “orgasm 69”! But have no fear for all the new faces in the crowd, and those that just forget like me, Krystal and Zelda review the rules before you start.

I did get a chance to talk to a few some people in the crowd and turns out they were enjoying the experience as much as I was. Alisha was there celebrating her 19^th birthday and losing her Dirty Bingo virginity. “I wanted to do something fun and different for my birthday. This is a one of a kind Algonquin College experience that everyone should try!”

Almost a winner.

I also talked to two girls sitting at the back. They came to Dirty Bingo for a girl’s night out. They said that even though they were embarrassed Krystal tried to set them up with dates, they were having a great night out.

I was surprised to learn that this was Zelda’s one year Dirty Bingo anniversary and Krystal’s seven month anniversary in drag. I really can’t imagine what this event would be like without them. They make the night different, exciting, and funny every time. So congratulations to both of them for meeting this mile stone and I hope they have many more to come.  I had no idea there were so many dirty words that start with the letters B I N G O!

Students playing Dirty Bingo.

It really is a great fun atmosphere to experience. I was a little disappointed that this time there were no tie breakers. I left another night empty handed but this is only the first Dirty Bingo of the year. Maybe February will be my winning month!

- Sarah Raphael SAO blogger