Comments

• spencer

  In my communiy Service group, we are trying to assist the earth club with the recycling in Norwalk High. One thing that we are trying to do is attempting to raise money for a machine that can pretty much get rid of any garbage. This item is almost 3,000 dollars. the success that can come of this is hopefully soon to be determined. Grom this project, i think that i can learn that if everybody recycles, then the world or in this case, Norwalk High will be a much better place to live.

  3/6/2009 4:54:34 PM
• Anna Theodoridis

  Over all, my journey with the “Pay It Forward” project has been a slowly escalading progress. Once my group and I individually shadowed a developmentally handicap student in our school, our main concern was the aspect of paying forward the kindness. My partners and I tried our hardest to explain to our students the purpose of our visit with them. While hoping to make clear how important it is to be kind to those around us, we simply asked our students to pass on the act of thoughtfulness that we provided to them. Personally, my experience with Sandra was an extreme success. Spending a day with her not only opened my eyes to the social and mental interactions a developmentally handicap faces, but she understood the intentions I had hoped for her to pursue. One other goal my group and I wished to accomplish was to show our peers how aware they should be about who is in our surroundings. Hopefully as more students see what my group and I have done to make our school a better place, they too will contribute and continue to aid who ever they see needs help. After all, we all are human and should treat each other in the same mannor.
  
  
  
  

  3/7/2009 2:34:19 AM
• Rachel Hamilton

  Doing this project made me realize how much of a difference a small group of people can make. For me, the project was much harder than I originally anticipated, mostly due to poor communication within my group. However, once we started, new opportunities to help arose quickly. When we went to Ms. Verel, she came up with a huge list of things we could do to help her. And now, having seen how passionate she is about helping the earth, I will continue to help her and work with the Earth Club on my own time. Before, I only helped people with visible problems. But now, I realize that there are so many things that anyone could do to help out with the smaller, less noticeable problems. It’s a shame that more people in our school aren’t involved. If they were, they would recognize the things our school needs and could help get them. There is strength in numbers, and if enough people want a certain thing done, they can achieve it. Knowing that I am one more person was the most rewarding part of this project. Although we were disorganized, had poor communication, and started our project rather late, we still got things done and (hopefully) made a difference in our school. If we can bring people together to fight for one common cause or get the school excited about one certain program (for us, Earth Day activities), then we have made a difference. And I believe that the people for whom we have made a difference will pass it on.

  3/7/2009 11:09:06 AM
• stephen ivan

  After watching the actual pay it forward movie, this assignment really seems like just another project to do. The movie worked so well and people spread the idea and everything worked in the end because it was a movie. I think what we have done is kind of like a scab. our efforts will remain around the school for a little while but eventually they will go away. The success of the project is that a few people may have been surprised or happy when something was done for them and if one persons day became better because of any ones project then the project was worth it but i don't think that we can expect the nation wide commitment like in the movie.

  3/7/2009 12:16:17 PM
• Sailaja Shri

  We started our project last week and wrote a good deed/ inspirational quote on it every day, hoping that it will motivate others to help others and also inspire them to be better. Every morning a member of the group went in to write the deed and observe the students who walk in the building to see if they have noticed it. The morning that John and I went in, we did not see many students paying attention to it. The only students who bothered to ask about the board were Honors English kids which was a disappointment. I also asked some of my friends if they have noticed it or have done any of the deeds, they replied they barely noticed it. From hearing their comments, I realized that we should have made it stand out more. I am extremely disappointed that so far none of the people I have interviewed have done anything. However, I feel as though I gained from the experience because I made an effort to try to change the school. Also, I have tried to do some of the things on the board such as helping out classmates and being friendly with others I don’t normally speak to. If I had another opportunity to do this assignment, I would definitely do the same project because it has potential but make a greater effort to make it stand out.

  3/7/2009 3:35:11 PM
• Lindsay Wrinn

  The "pay it forward" concept is a heightened one that I think about a lot--to implement it into a school project was enjoyable and exciting. My group is in the final stages of completion. We had many creative ideas to brainstorm, so the development of the concept wasn't difficult. However, the implementation of each service piece was unnecessarily stressful and a bit overreaching. Part of me feels like we bit off more than we could chew, but after talking to the cafeteria workers who participated in our service, I felt encouraged to make the service reach its highest potential.
  
  My group lacked with communication and we were rarely on the same page--new ideas and changes to the service's main concept hindered our progress, in my opinion. However, the individual participation in our group wasn't a problem, I think we all contributed equally in creative ways.
  
  We successfully implemented the steps for our service without the added stressor of administrative guidelines and protocol, something that had potential of being our greatest roadblock. The cafeteria workers that Barbara and I interviewed were really happy with the project and encouraged our own enthusiasm. Ultimately, I think that the service concept depends on strengthened enthusiasm and encouragement throughout its entire progression, and despite the inevitable stress we managed to contribute something that I hope encourages others to "pay it forward."
  
  The ultimate gain that I have received from the project is the reminder to make the "little things count." I have a new found appreciation for doing kind acts of service without receiving any gain. During the service, I heard many staff members comment on the project as a whole, something that proves the difference we are making in the school.

  3/7/2009 4:02:17 PM
• Zayna F

  I think that this project was difficult at first because it took my group a while to come up with a good idea but once we had one i felt that the project was a bit easier. It was still stressful at times but i think the outcome will be great because we hope to better the school's enviorment. I am some what happy that we have completed the assignment

  3/7/2009 4:25:56 PM
• George Bellos

  Our most difficult part throughout the project was actually the beginning where we had to choose what we were to do in the project. This was the hardest part becuase when we finnally got an idea it was not aprooved because the focus was on the grand prize and not the big picture of doing good deeds. After that we couldnt really decide and wedidnt really get a chance to have some sort of meeting, but we came up with our idea for the project. We were going to put a poster of good deeds in the front of the school and people were to see the good deed and think on how they would do that during the school day. This took effect on the student body because they would notice the posters and some would do the deeds. However i think it wouldve taken a greater effect if we put more posters around the school for other people to write good deeds on or if we had done it a little bit earlier. From this project i learned that something very little like on person doing something good that no one expected can make a chain reaction of good deeds. The big picture is that what kind of world we would live in if everyone where to do what we have done in the last month. If this where to happen our world would look completely differnt then what it is today. Thid project was more then just a project because it couldve been a life changing experiance for some people.

  3/8/2009 10:09:36 AM
• John Sornatale

  The Pay it Forward project had its up and downs. It was a big effort to try to make the school a better and more inviting and friendly place. There were some good ideas and from the sounds of it from certain teachers, it might have helped a little bit.
  
  With our project, I really wish we got started on it a little earlier than we did. We put out a board in the front lobby with a quote or maybe a good deed for the day with our understanding that people would see it and follow the board and do the various nice acts on it. I do believed that it helped. I've heard a couple of complements about it, and teachers speak of it. My art teacher actually told me that this project was the best one he's seen yet.
  
  Over all, I feel that this project may have made a difference. Maybe not a huge one but a noticeable one, and thats all we were really going for. I feel most people took a good feeling out of this and hopefully it carries on to next year.
  
  

  3/8/2009 10:22:58 AM
• Greg Berger

  As the project due date nears, I realize how far from finished my work with Victor is. While motivating me to become more fit, he has motivated himself to do the same. Initially, Victor definitely was in “bad shape,” both physically and mentally. Failing to tell us of his diagnosis of “exercise induced-asthma,” the group and I felt quite worried of the possibility of no progress throughout the weeks. However, keeping his head up, led him to making great strides in his confidence, physical appearance, and health.
  The first workout, I couldn’t tell if the task was to help or almost kill him. He lacked any endurance, and his asthma clearly played a huge role in slowing him down. Ironically, he had a special drive in him, which made him not want to stop running. However, for safety reasons, we stopped. But as the weeks went on, his endurance increased dramatically. In fact, the last work out, he stated that he couldn’t feel any effects of the asthma. Not only is that heart-warming success for him, Victor told me about two friends who also have asthma, and how he has been talking to them about becoming fit.
  Success on the project did not just jump out for us to grab; it came through perseverance, and did have many struggles. Aside from the asthma issue, Emily and I found it difficult to integrate the freshman in our activities. Whether it was their lack of rides or communication, we can not blame them. If I could take back time, I definitely would have tried a lot harder to get them “in the loop.” During the last week, we all came together and contributed. Although we should have done this earlier, it was accomplished. One created a journal, one made a meal-tracker, and another wrote reflections, after he was “burned” while running bleachers with Victor. (We share the same name, he carries a duffle bag instead of a backpack, and his favorite group of words is “um..uh..yeah, so..”)
  Personally, I gained a lot from this experience, not only from my group’s project. I was enlightened by the fact that if a group creates a plan and puts time and effort towards it, the focused area will become a better place. I have seen many “Pay it Forward” occurrences throughout the school day these past weeks. As many groups seek to follow the helping path that they initiated, this project will never have a “real” due date.
  

  3/8/2009 11:40:50 AM
• Sara Ruggieri

  i feel that this project was a great success. i really enjoyed completing little tasks that brightened peoples days. Difficulties that my group came across were agreeing on ways to conduct our experiment. It was also hard for everyone to get things done together due to different schedules and the lack of time we had together. BY communicating through facebook we were able to keep in touch in an efficient way. In the end we were all able to complete our tasks. It was nice thanking those in the school that aren't given the credit that they deserve everyday. During the project i realized that the smallest thing can make someones day and that paying it forward is something that you should do everyday.

  3/8/2009 11:48:20 AM
• Kristen Cordero

  During our day off from school last Monday, I was beginning to have some serious doubts. I didn’t think we were going to be able to finish our project in time, and because this project is also a grade, it was freaking me out even more. We were able to finalize the spot in which we wanted to put the mural though, so that was one less stressor to deal with, but it still hadn’t given me the relief I was looking for. On Tuesday we most of us stayed after to try and primer the wall to get it set for painting, but it took us a while to begin because of the fact that we hadn’t actually gotten administrative clearing on our project, or the potential spot, so we couldn’t begin to primer. After some time, we were finally given the okay, and got the wall primered in a relatively short amount of time. That night we also created an event on Facebook, which we used to invite the people who we wanted to participate in the project. We were projecting that about 50 or so hands would fit on the wall, but we ended up inviting around 80 people to the event. As the night went on, we were starting to get a bit more optimistic as more and more people said that they would “attend” the event. Though we had a substantial amount of attendees, only a handful of them wrote on the event wall saying that they would definitely be there. That’s when we started to worry again. Regardless of how many people we got to accept our invitation, we knew that we were going to be creating thee mural after school on Wednesday, and we hoped that we would get the turnout we were wishing for.
  
  I can now whole-heartedly say that for my group, this project was a complete success. We ended up finishing on Wednesday with over 80 hands on the wall, freshman, sophomores, juniors, and seniors alike. We were also able to get the handprints of several teachers, which I think, made our project even better because we were able to reach out beyond the student body. In order for each person to put their handprint on the wall they had to take a slip of paper with a good deed written on it out of a bag, and ultimately perform it. Although there really is no way of knowing whether or not each person will perform his or her deed, everyone was happy to take a slip and didn’t make a fuss. Some even expressed a form of gratitude when they picked their deed because they were happy with the one they had chosen. What I had also realized was that other groups who had handed out good deeds may have had “give someone a compliment” as one of the possible choices, and when people were walking by our mural telling us that it was “looking good” or that we were doing a “great job”, they were complimenting us and technically “paying it forward” without anyone making them. So not only were we reaching out to the people who participated in our mural, we were also affecting anyone who laid their eyes upon it.
  
  What made me the happiest was when people would walk by and ask to put their hand on the wall. It may just be because they thought it was fun and wanted their handprint on the wall for everyone to see, but nonetheless, they didn’t think the idea was stupid or meaningless. Even after the project was complete, I had people coming up to me asking if they could still contribute their handprint. If it was up to me, I would have everyone in the school put their handprint on the wall, but there just isn’t enough space within our mural. This does give me some hope though that if not my group, someone else’s in years to come will decide to carry on our idea and pick another spot in the school to allow students to leave their mark.
  
  As of this point in time, in order for our project to be completed, we have to paint the title on the wall as well as the names of each person who contributed on their handprint. This shouldn’t take too long, as we are hoping to have it finished after school tomorrow. The only thing that I’m unsure about is whether or not we are going to get the follow-up reflectio

  3/8/2009 12:16:33 PM
• Stephan C

  This project from the start (when we watched the movie, Pay It Forward) considerable changed the way I view life. I truly believe I am a better person as a result of this project. A great success was when the breakfasts were delivered to the NHS Guidance Dept., they were all filled with joy and completely surprised. There were also struggles throughout the project. Our idea came to the group fairly quickly, however putting the plan into action was difficult. We had to wait until one of us had a license so that we could actually get the breakfast because we didn't want to make our parents have to lug us around for the project, as it would be selfish. Another difficulty was communication between the juniors and the freshmen. However, despite all hardships and successes, I feel that the project changed me as a person and that I will look forward to continuing these random acts of kindness.

  3/8/2009 12:33:39 PM
• Michael I.

  I'm doing this earlyso i won't forget like i did last time. This entire project has really been an uphill struggle. We started with an idea that we all liked, but it slowly fell apart as we learned we couldn't do it. This led to less and less communication as the deadline neared. However, after talking with the group we are back on if just a little late. We are underway to accomplishing our project which will finish on Monday. Looking into other peoples projectsw i have learned that people can do great things when they are faced with a simple challenge. Our overall goal may not be a large one, but it is a good one. To help people in your school is a noble quest that i am glad we embarked on as a class.

  3/8/2009 12:47:44 PM
• Jessica Schmidt

  Throughout the journey of completing the Pay It Forward project everyone has overall learned a great deal. Even if our projects failed, we understood the concept enough to alter our outlook on life. I think that we have all realized ways in which our world is imperfect, and merely thinking of ways to fix it makes a considerable difference. The concept is always in the back of your head now that you have seen the movie and been assigned a projet to reflect upon it. You see someone stuggling to open their locker, and your brain flashes with the Pay It Forward idea. Even if you don't help them this time, you will help them eventually.
  Through the process of completing the assignment my group struggled with coming up with ideas. We found that there were so many ways in which the society of Norwalk High School needed help. In the end, we targeted the student body and how to brighten up their day. We devised a plan to hand out anonymous Valentine's Day cards to randomly selected students with instructions to do something positive for the school community. At first, we struggled with getting people to take the valentine seriously and actaully carry out the tasks and to pass the card on. I handed one card to an individual in the hallway and the student looked at me and handed it back. It was frustrating that people that I didn't know wouldn't take the card just because they didn't know me. After that encounter, I degraded to students who I knew. They took the card and read it and smiled. Even if they didn't do what the card instructed them to do, I got a smile. They kept the card and one card made it's way around a lot.
  In one of my classes I saw one of my groups' cards on another student's desk. It was flipped upside down and on the back were a bunch of names. At first I didn't understand. A girl walked into the room and dropped a few papers from her binder. The boy who had the card got up and picked them up for her. He signed the card and then handed it to her. I was so impressed! This was just how the card was supposed to work. There were at least eight names on the back of the card by the end of class and dropped items were being picked up, compliments were being given out and help was being offered to other students. I honestly thought that students would blow it off and ignore the instructions on the card. I didn't think that the project would actually work, but it was working inside this very classroom! That was the only positive reinforcement that I witnessed, but it was enough for me.
  On the back of the card it said "Return to Mr. Simonsen's class on Friday, the 27th". Friday came and went, and there were still no cards to be found. At first I was disappointed that I wouldn't be able to see whether or not my project had worked. But after thinking about it for awhile, I realized that my cards were still out there somewhere, and that people may still be doing nice things for one another. Not getting my cards back seemed like more of a success to me than a failure.

  3/8/2009 1:41:09 PM
• Elizabeth Jenkins

  Pay it Forward has been a really cool experience. For our group, the project changed a lot. After talking to teachers from the science department we realized that cleaning the green house was not something that was realistic to complete in the given time restrains. Cleaning the greenhouse is more of a long-term project that requires a lot more time and money then we originally thought. We then decided, that we could really help out the earth club and then they continued the green house project. I know that the people in our group would still like to continue to help in the greenhouse project even if we would not use it for the pay it forward project.
  Some things that we really could have improved would have been group communication and time management. If we had better communication the project would have gone a lot smoother. Also the freshmen could have been more involved. The freshmen did not really seem to be that interested in the project. Also we put this project off to the last minuet, we did not realize how quick the due date was going to come.
  Through out this project I really came to understand how many great things that the Earth Club has planed for the school and how they want Norwalk High School to be green. I really think this project really helped to show me, that the school has some very passionate people that have some really good ideas. They really want to make Norwalk High as green as possible and many other people would love to see the greenhouse be fixed. With passion and ideas great things can happen.
  

  3/8/2009 2:00:46 PM
• Brenna

  So the end is near with pay it forward but hopefully not. My group has made lots of changes since our original idea. Now everyone in the group is creating 20 note-card sized cards. it is a picture on the front with an inspiration story or quote on the back then explain pay it forward. The other four in my group are bringing them to me tomorrow so i can laminate them. our idea is that once you've read and thought about it you pass it on so if it looks nice people will have a harder time just getting rid of it. Tuesday we are going to hand it out to our teachers and friends and well we will know it's working if it gets passed to us or in fact we see it being passed. I'm really excited now that it is going through and being initiated.

  3/8/2009 2:07:45 PM
• Stefani Gospodinova

  The Pay it Forward project turned out to be a lit more difficult than i expected. I think one of the biggest problems was communication with the rest of the group about executing out plans. I think after we wereall able to get in touch the project really started to feel like it was going to work out. At first i really thought we werent doing enough, that our idea to help appreciate the lunch staff, but once we started talking to them i finally began feeling productive. Getting to knwo them changed my perspective of the school completely and changed my mind about a lot of things i have always believed. It has actually helped me see that people are not so bad as long as you take the time to understand them.
  With the finally of our project coming up tommorw i am really exicted to see the feedback and i am hoping that it is successful!

  3/8/2009 2:08:59 PM
• Emily Bonebrake

  When I first started this project, I was not too confident that we would do well. I felt that I was not approaching the project correctly. Other people condemned our idea, and it made me feel as though my group was not approaching the project correctly. At first, it was hard to communicate with the freshman, and it was hard to involve everyone, but over the course of our project we figured new ways to get everyone involved. We wrote out sheets with “tip of the day”, an inspirational quote, and a journal entry spot for Victor to fill out. This way, we were able to see what his thoughts were about his progress. We have noticed both physical and mental improvement in Victor. Victor seems much more confident, and even informed us that his asthma had not been bothering him as much as it used to. I am so proud of Victor’s success and achievements, and I am looking forward to working out with him after the project is due.
  This project taught me about teamwork. Five kids, all different ages, with different friends and hobbies were able to get together to change something in someone’s life. This project allowed me to see that you can make a huge difference by doing something small. Just by working out with Victor after school, we boosted his esteem, improved his health, and also made a friend.
  
  

  3/8/2009 3:06:11 PM
• Andrew Krasnavage

  The process of completing this project has had its ups and downs. One of the hardest things to do was to actuall get the ball rolling. From what to do for the project, and then how to get it started once we decided, our group struggled the most with initiating the project. It was also tough to organize and coordinate the whole group. Everyone has different, busy, schedules so it was difficult to get conversations started about the direction we wanted our project to go in.
  
  After our group got through the struggles that threatened to stop the project before it started, we had success. For our project, a main goal was to involve as many other people as possible. To measure this, we held meetings and had the attendees sign-in. The amount of people that attended visibly increased at each successive meeting. Another success of ours was the dialouge that we opened up with Mr. Mones, the Athletic Director. Because our project is focused on the sports community of the school, this was important. We included a current leader of the Bear Pack, Jake Passero in the talks with Mr. Mones. During our meeting, we learned of things that the Bear Pack could raise money for and be involved in.
  
  I gained a lot from this project. But one important thing was the satisfaction of organizing a group and succeeding in it.
  
  

  3/8/2009 3:09:54 PM
• Kenzie Bess

  Over the past few weeks, my group worked hard to put together a project that would better our school. We decided to show our gratitude to the guidance counselors since they are very hard working, but are not necessarily appreciated. We made up a survey which asked about their favorite breakfast food, then handed it out to them. The following school day, we collected them. I took them home in order to make the order for the breakfast. This became challenging, since a lot of people were not specific with the information we needed. The next morning, Megan and I went to Dunkin’ Donuts to pick up the food. We all paid for the breakfast. When we got to the school, Megan and I passed out the food to all the counselors. We asked them to pay it forward by buying a cup of coffee for a co-worker.
  It was incredible to see how happy each person got when they figured out that we had bought them breakfast. They all talked with us for at least a minute, and thanked us a lot. One person had a five minute conversation with us in which she recommended a book to read and told us a little about herself. When we were deciding on the project, I was not sure if this would be enough. I figured that we should make them breakfast so it was clear we put a lot of effort into our project. But, once I saw their reactions, I knew this had been enough. I loved the feeling of everyone being so happy. Even though our project was not necessarily taxing on us, it was definitely enough. I am very glad that we chose to do this.

  3/8/2009 3:10:50 PM
• Gina Cunsolo

  For 4/5 of my group, this project was a success. I found myself eager to get up a few minutes early to arrive at school at 7. Handing out lifesavers helped us break out of our comfort zones and confront people we wouldn't usually talk to. My favorite part was after asking people if they would like a lifesaver, hearing them reply, "Oh I don't have any money." This provided a perfect opportunity to happily exclaim, "They're free!" Seeing people smile at this surprising fact and ask me again for reassurance brightened my day. It helped me realize how appreciative people are of kind deeds and how willing they are to accept a little help.
  The three juniors in the group certainly learned and matured a great deal from this experience, but the member of the group who matured the greatest was one of our freshman, Michele. We witnessed her develop into a sweeter, kinder, more helpful person in only a few short weeks. Being a part of this maturing process has made me so proud! However, our other freshman hasn't been attending class very often or communicating back with us. I have learned that when you are put into a group with someone like this, there is not much you can do but to hope that they will learn from our actions and be more helpful in the next group project they are assigned to.

  3/8/2009 3:13:16 PM
• Ryan Touger

  My “Pay it Forward” project has been a great success in many ways, and has also opened my eyes to how such a small gesture can have such a great impact on someone. Starting out, I was a little hesitant as to how my project would be perceived, and if it would turn out as I had expected. However, once I released my card to the teachers, and I saw that four people had signed it within the first day, I was immediately confident in the future success it would have. Since the card just had to be started off and then there would be little to no work left on my groups’ end, I did not expect there to be too many complications with this project. The only roadblock we encountered was when a substitute teacher was in possession of the card for two days, and did not pass it along. This frustrated me, but I intervened and re-routed the card along as soon as I could. The beauty of this project was that it had a powerful message, but it required minimal work on our part, after the card was created and passed along, that is. If I have gained anything from this project, it is just me knowing that I bettered the days of each person who received the “Have a Nice Day” card. My ultimate goal would be for every faculty member in the school to have been a recipient of the card, so that no one would be left out and everyone would know they were being thought of.

  3/8/2009 3:21:07 PM
• Sara Costa

  
  Now that our Pay It Forward project is coming to an end, I am really happy with the progress our group has made as a whole. Most of the members in my group have really benefitted from this project and want to continue it even after the project is over. Despite some rough patches in communication, our group has been able to work through these obstacles and have become good friends during the process. From this experience, I have learned that doing something nice for someone else does not take much effort. If every person did their part, people would have much better days and feel better about themselves. Just by distributing lollipops and lifesavers with inspirational quotes to various students and teachers throughout school, I have seen the firsthand results of what random acts of kindness can do for someone. Just by telling someone to have a nice day or giving someone a reassuring smile can make a huge difference to a person. People just want to feel loved an accepted, and that is what my group and I hoped to accomplish through our Pay It Forward Project. Within the past couple weeks, I have had students and teachers approach me during school and have told me that they believe in my group’s Pay It Forward cause and are grateful for the positive messages we are sending out. Hearing that the staff and students at Norwalk High are receptive to this project, makes me feel that the hard work that my group and I have put into it is all worth it. During these last two days of the project, I can walk away knowing that I gave my all and that my members and I could not be happier with the results we have recieved.

  3/8/2009 3:21:29 PM
• Marisa Shields

  My journey through the project has had its up and downs. My group initially struggled to get a good idea on how to spread our message through NHS, but once our plan was formed I really came to enjoy the thought behind it. The project overall was extremely stressful at times. The pressure to get things completed on certain dates while relying on the goodness of other students, some strangers to myself and my group mates, was very worrying. Our project may not have gone exactly according to plan but as long as someone’s life was affected in a positive way, our goal was achieved. Just from the thought alone of the project, and by watching the movie, I was deeply inspired to Pay It Forward not only for this assignment, but throughout my life. From the project I have learned the great impact that can come from performing small acts of kindness. This project has influenced my life in a positive way and I only hope that I have spread the message on to others to influence their lives as well.

  3/8/2009 3:33:27 PM
• Sara Cybart

  This pay it forward experience is one to remember to say the least. Throughout the whole process my group struggled at times but in the end we succeeded. One of our main struggles was finding a place to put our handprint wall. We wanted to find a place we all agreed on, but overall we needed to put it where Mr. Mecca agreed. Our group was considering key spots in the cafeteria or hallways where our work would not only be noticed but also appreciated. We ended up picking a spot near Mr. Simonsen’s classroom, across from the career center. We actually didn’t have the approval of Mr. Mecca for that exact spot, but with time running out we had to make progress on our project. Kristen, Sarah and I stayed after to prime the wall where the handprints would be. Within the first fifteen minutes or so, I’d say five teachers asked us what we were doing. They were curious and after an explanation they smiled and walked away, proud that we were trying to make a difference. After an hour or so of painting the wall was primed, and we were ready for handprints.
  We sent out a facebook invitation inviting random people we were friends with to come and put their hand on the wall, but in the end out of 70 or so invites, only 25 people said they would definitely come. We were a tad discouraged, well I know I was, but I was still excited to see the final product. We set up the materials the next day, and we had a waiting room in the lower library. Those people put their handprints up on the wall. Students and faculty walked by asking about our project and asked if they could put their handprint on the wall as well. Everyone wanted to leave a mark on the school. Mr. Mecca even participated and loved our idea. We ended up with having around 80 students and staff put their handprint on our wall.
  We had a nice system going. Kristen and I painted the hands, Tiffany handed each person their slip of paper with their pay it forward task, while Sarah wrote names in the notebook and numbers in their handprint, so we can keep organized. We still have to write the title on and their names, but the wall is looking great.
  I love the feeling of walking by the wall and seeing kids react to what they see. I’ve seen students show others where their handprint is and others say they wish they were a part of it, but the handprint wall certainly isn’t going unnoticed. I loved meeting new kids, even if it was just for a second, and it feels great to know I made a difference in the school. If I could do this project again, I certainly would. I forgot in the process that I was being graded for what I did- I was more concerned about completing it and making a “handprint” on the school.
  
  

  3/8/2009 3:40:44 PM
• tyler hiller

  i think that the project brought our group closer together as friends. It felt really nice to help the nurse out, even though it wasn't much i think that it will make a difference. it will let the nurse know that while she is taking care of the students, the students are taking care of her. we made a display for the nurse with purell, cough drops, tissues, and pay it forward stickers. the display would have been up a couple weeks ago but the stickers came very late. i think this display will help many students out as well.

  3/8/2009 3:43:40 PM
• Mike Welch

  The conclusion of this project came quite quickly. We began only a few weeks ago, and now we come to a close. The road to the completion of this project was littered with struggles and successes.
  
  Most of our struggles in this project stem from a simple issue that all groups face. Finding the time to speak or act together to complete the projects. All of our schedules were quite incompatible. None of us had the time or resources to get together at all. Thus, our communication was done solely on either AIM or the phone. In the end this worked perfectly and we completed the physical aspect of our project, the card. For the most part it was lack of togetherness that strained our efforts but we were able to overcome and succeed.
  
  On our successes there were many. The first and most obvious of our successes was that we completed it. It seems frivolous and obvious now but, rereading our struggles, it is easy to see this wasn't easily accomplished. We had to work very hard to make contact with each other if it was in school or outside of school. Eventually we got through and the card was created in all of its Orangeness. Another success we had is one we didn't know until recently. We discovered that our card was lauded by a faculty member! He/She/It stated that we "finally did something to improve the school". To hear that made me feel ecstatic, and so I believe that to be our greatest success.
  
  In the aftermath of this project one thing is certain. I feel like I've done something that matters. Not too often does one get to experience the feeling of helping something/someone for the greater good. I felt that in this project unlike any other project I've ever been involved in before. Overall I think I gained the ability to think on the level of helping others before myself more than I had before. I've always known that it is better to put those you love before yourself, but never have I thought of doing it on that scale or scenario. It helped me become a better member of the Norwalk High School Community. Thanks Simo.

  3/8/2009 3:45:01 PM
• stephanie gonzalez

  overall i think this project was a success. my group decided to gather simple supplies such as personal packs of tissues,cough drops and purelle and make a display in the nurses office. we decided to help the nurse since no one really pays attention to her. i enjoyed this project because it brought me together with a group of people i would never imagine myself hanging out with and at the end of the day we had a lot of fun. carolyn ordered pay it forward stickers and although the shipping delayed the maount of time we had to do the project..still the were an important aspect because it will help spread the message of helping out someone else with getting nothing in return

  3/8/2009 4:03:23 PM
• Devin Long

  When this project was introduced, I thought of it was inspirational and that it had the potential for several people in the Norwalk High School community to get something out of it. During the brainstorming process, there were some creative ideas, but my group struggled to find one that could be successful in motivating people to “pay it forward”. A couple of these ideas included washing someone’s car, decorating the locker of someone lacking recognition in the school, and using tape to organize traffic in the hallways. The idea we decided on was to write a quote of the day on a bulletin board, but nobody seemed very enthusiastic about it, as it was a sort of last-minute plan. As the due date drew closer, I attempted to contact the group members to plan the project and put it into action. Although the members responded, a few put little effort into planning a date and time to meet and organize it more thoroughly. To add to the stress it caused me, Alex Miller and I were not contacted when the remaining group members chose to proceed to do the project with out us, if I'm not mistaken. The overall outcome was a disappointment because we have not gotten much out of a project with the potential to make people do good or even become better people.

  3/8/2009 4:05:17 PM
• Barbara Richard

  I think that the idea of pay it forward was great. at firt when i heard of it i thought that it wouldnt work because its too idealitic but as me and my group started the project i realized how important it was to make the world a better place. we also noticed that all our targets were very excited about this project and wanted to help us make this possible.we didnt really struggle much because every thing was going the way we planned. overall it was successful and the thing i realized from this project was that the project will be the motivating factor for paying it forward at NHS now onwards.

  3/8/2009 4:07:20 PM
• Sara Adams

  When Mr. Simonsen first proposed the idea of an assigned volunteer project, I was unsure of how successful it would be. However, in the final phase, I fully support it.
  It was a bit hard getting started in the beginning. Our first idea didn't work and coming up with a second idea was difficult. The stickers late arrival was another obstacle. However, with all our supplies gathered, our nurse's office display should be a success.
  We finally settled on an idea to make a free sample display in the nurse's office of cough drops, tissue packs, mini Purells and personalized "Pay It Forward" stickers. These samples will hopefully brighten up a sick student's day (and promote good health!) as well as inspire them to spread the generosity. We chose the nurse's office because although it is one of the most important spots in school, their help often goes unnoticed and unthanked.
  I am proud of our project. I think our efforts will be appreciated and will help to keep Pay It Forward alive. Working to better the school while connecting with lower classmen was a fun experience. I think it will inspire students to be unselfish and kind, which will build a sense of unity in the school.

  3/8/2009 4:20:43 PM
• Nicole Monahan

  Since the last blog follow-up, my group has skyrocketed with our progress and the overall project has gone very successfully. I am very proud of what we have accomplished. The beginning of this project for my group was a battler, and there were many communication issues. We struggled every day to reach each other, and as time became less and less, it felt the distance within the group grew larger. Even larger than the communication issue was that we were having problems coming up with an idea that we felt had a powerful enough message. We had a difficult time grasping the “pay it forward” idea, but we now realize that all of the hard work and stress was worth it. We spent many days trying to find some big, elaborate idea, and it now has become very clear to us that power really lies in the simple things.
  I believe that my group, as well as the women that work in the front office, have gained more than anticipated from this experience. When presenting the front office with the personalized cards, which had been signed by many students, we really had the opportunity to see how much they appreciated what we had done for them, as well as the bystanders who seemed just as enthusiastic. Because the project was simple and we presented them in a very subtle, yet unexpected way, we made a very large impact. We walked away feeling great about what we had done because we personally saw that even with a simple idea, we were able to really brighten someone’s day. From this project, I learned that in order to help someone, it does not have to be an extreme project, or going far out of your own way. At the beginning of this process my main concern was how big our effect was going to be, but I now know that the small things can hold just as much power, and I would definitely like to do something like this again.
  
  
  

  3/8/2009 4:25:20 PM
• carolyn knowles

  i really liked this project. i was nice to make friends with the freshman, who were pretty cool. our group ended up being friends. the project was nice in the way that we got to do something positive and productive for the school. the stickers really delayed our project because they took longer than expected to come in. but i enjoyed the project and thought it was a positive expierience

  3/8/2009 4:31:23 PM
• Kimberly LeDuc

  After a ton of changes since our original pay it forward idea, the final due date is approaching. My group and I have decided to create 20 cards with inspirational pictures and ideas on the front, and on the back it explains the whole pay it forward concept. Our idea is that the cards will be passed around, we will know it is working if it gets passed to us or if we see it being passed.

  3/8/2009 4:32:52 PM
• Kuba Nowicki

  The Pay It Forward project is very different from any other that I've ever done. When it was first assigned, I thought it was a great concept, but I was unsure about how it would turn out. However, over the past few weeks, I've came to accept it as a success, since almost everyone has been very willing to support the project.
  When my group first started the project, we had trouble coming up with a good, concrete idea. After some deliberation, we finally came up with a project, but after it was reviewed, it was decided that the idea was too weak and wouldn't work. Alas, we were back to phase one, and once again we were having trouble thinking of something. In this process, there was some trouble within the group, since we had trouble communicating due to our different schedules and busy lives.
  However, we finally managed to come up with an idea that we were all satisfied with- we would make Thank You/Appreciation cards, which we would pass on. Then, the person who received the card would be asked to pass it on to someone they appreciate, and they could add on to the card if they wanted to. We believed that this way, people could get the opportunity to thank someone they appreciate when otherwise they would've never thought to do so. In doing so, both parties would benefit from the trade, since the giver will feel better since they thanked someone, and the receiver will feel appreciated and thanked.
  Upon handing out the cards that we personalized, I was nervous about what would happen to them. I was unsure whether other people would see how good the cards were, and if they would be willing to pass the cards on. In essence, I was scared of the cards failing to do their purpose, and having them end up as unwanted trash in someone's hands. However, once we received two of the cards back, I realized a couple of things. First- most people are willing to help make the community a better place, and they just don't know what to do to help it. If they are given the chance, though, they will most likely jump on it and help out. I noticed this from observing the plethora of projects that were springing up throughout the school. Also, I realized that people really appreciate being recognized, and if they are, they are extremely willing to pay it forward. Overall, I have gained from this experience. I feel as if I have managed to make a positive impact on how some people feel, and that people who normally would go unthanked and unappreciated were recognized. Also, I feel like I have bonded with my peers, and overall, with the school, by doing this project. I feel like by trying to make the school a better place, others have seen our attempts, and they will try to continue what we started.

  3/8/2009 4:40:09 PM
• Alexandra Miller

  To me, this project was supposed to be about working together to make our school a better environment to others and having the students and teachers do something nice for other people, not in return but for kindness. My groups project didn't end up the way i thought it would. The first day that we heard about this project I was excited to think that I might make a difference in the school. When our group got together to think of an idea of what we would do, we thought of a couple good ideas but we ended up using the idea of writing a quote of the day on a bulletin board. Some people in the group werent very excited about this, including me. As days and weeks past by, we never got together to work on the project. One day, Devin and I tried to figure out a day that would work for everyone in the group by messaging them on facebook, but that didn't work since it seemed like noone had time. A couple days after this, Devin and I were never notified by our group that they were meeting up to work on the project. This got me a little frustrated because we were apart of this group and they left us out. This project taught me that you can't always depend on other people to get the job done.

  3/8/2009 4:42:57 PM
• Juliana Cole

  It took a while for my group to come up with an idea for our service project. We were really stumped, and it seemed like anything we came up with either wasn't logical or just wouldn't work out. We finally thought of one that seemed to be a pretty good idea--to set up a program where we would write letters to students with disabilites and they would continue to write letters to others. Although we thought this was a good idea and would bring students together, Mr. Simonsen and Mr. Segers said we couldn't do it. So having to start over was pretty hard, but we seemed to come up with another idea fairly quickly. We ended up printing out deeds that we thought would be easy for students to follow through with on little pieces of paper and handed them out during school with chocolates. Although some people did not take what we were doing seriously, for the most part, it was a success. I hope that it brightened a few peoples' day and connected some students with others that they normally wouldn't even talk to. Overall, I think this "pay it forward" project was a really good way to open up our eyes and make a difference in our school and community. Also, it helped connect some of the upperclassmen in our school with the lowerclassmen, which I think was deffinitely a positive thing.

  3/8/2009 4:43:53 PM
• Allie Koukides

  At first, my group had a difficult time thinking of one topic that we really liked. At the second meeting in class we thought of two really good ideas, but by the end of class we thought about trying to make the Bear Pack better. We have been having meetings after school and talking about how to make the Bear Pack better and try to get more people to go to the games and help motivate the players. Most of the members of the Bear Pack are seniors and juniors. In two years they will all be gone so we are trying to get more underclassmen involved. Every meeting we bring more and more friends with us. In all, we did pretty good with getting people to come to the meetings. Now we have to do is get them to go to more games and cheer on our teams and wear green and white to show our school spirit. By doing this, we hope to help the players feel more motivated at games.

  3/8/2009 4:45:05 PM
• Lepoutre

  I am pleased to say that my group's efforts to recycle and raise awareness of the need to recycle hit home with some students in the school. I was somewhat surprised to see students taking our "recycling cart-mobile" seriously. Rather than joking about our project they respectfully gave us their recyclables. I was also pleased to see the interest that some kids took in joining our efforts. I managed to get a fellow NHS soccer team member, freshman Jake Ross, to walk around with myself, Eloise, Pauldine, and Carly during the lunch shift to collec the bottles. I also had a complete stranger, a freshman football player, ask a lot of questions about what my group was doing. Overall I can say that our group accomplished what we set out to do, but i would like to add that our project isn't finished, and it will never be completed. That's why i plan on continuing to walk around during the lunch shifts after the grading portion of the project is completed.
  
  From this project i have learned that i need to put more trust in other people. Aside from my core group of friends, i don't really ask other people for help or assistance. When eloise brought up the concept for our project i was skeptical of how effective it would be. Also, the reactions of from our freshmen weren't too convincing either. However, throughout this process the freshmen, and other NHS students showed me that i can trust them if need be. All in all I'm glad to say that my group made a difference in our school and will continue to make a difference in the future.

  3/8/2009 4:50:11 PM
• Jaleesa Davis

  In my opinion, the Pay it Forward project was a great idea. It gave the juniors and freshman a chance to work together to make our school better in any way of our choosing. Our group knew what we wanted to do from the beginning, and our target wasn't one person, but the student body in general. My group is a great group and we put our heads together in an effort to complete this task to the best of our ability. It was difficult at times because we never had time to meet, and everyone had things on their own plate to worry about, but in the end we found a way to work everything out. We realized that this project was not an easy one. It seemed easy on the surface, but the opportunity to change something was in our hands. And for that reason alot more work had to be put in. Between facebook messages, we figured everything out. This project has been so inspirational to us, and hopefully it inspires others as well. Our goal was to make a difference, and hopefully our project will. Not only will this project have an effect on the students, it has had an effect on myself as well. This has opened my eyes to the idea that pay it forward doesn't have to end here and now with the closing of this project. Pay it forward can be continued outside of this school because this world needs changes, and we can take the first step to doing it. Overall, I am glad for the direction that our groups project went.

  3/8/2009 4:56:35 PM
• Constantino Papadopoulos

  We have completed our project, and I fell that it was very successful. Along the way, our group faced many struggles in communication, especially with our freshmen group members until our group met during English class, even though all group members exchanged e-mail addresses, and other forms of contact information. Another struggle that our group faced was thinking of a project idea. After our first idea, that we would each compliment five people, and then give them compliment suggestions to give to other people at school was rejected, progress was rather slow. I proposed a project idea of helping our guidance counselors, however, in the end we agreed to do Emma’s idea, after she took the initiative to e-mail the other group members with a thorough project plan: Face to Face Book. I have experienced much success performing this idea, and I found it to be a wholesome, inspirational experience; definitely one of the most meaningful projects that I have ever completed. Basically we would speak, and befriend three students from our classes, and invite them to a Face Book group, in turn they would each befriend and invite two more people to join the group. Today the group has thrity-four members and is still growing. At first I had doubt about the amount of change that the Pay it Forward project would cause, however, now I truly feel that the Pay it Forward project is changing the school for the better; since I know that our group project alone has made Norwalk High School a friendlier environment.

  3/8/2009 4:57:25 PM
• Dom

  As the final deadline of our “Pay it Forward” project nears, I am satisfied from the results that my group managed to achieve. Not only did we impact the sports department, we increased the size of the Bear Pack and started a new era of freshman supporters. At the first meeting, our project was looking dull; we had five people in 216D who were there just to attend the meeting, having no interest in the Bear Pack and not even knowing what it was. However, as our group organized more meetings, the attendees grew exponentially, successfully completing the principle of “paying it forward”.
  Another great success of our project was getting the Norwalk High School committee involved. We contacted Mr. Mones, the Athletic Director, and proposed an idea to raise money to install an expensive net which would benefit the lacrosse players, as well as the track runners. Despite the price of the installation, our group will continue to raise money and hold meetings after school even after this project is due.
  Through the ups and downs, our group has managed to successfully enlarge the Bear Pack and encourage fellow students to attend games and support our team, an act of kindness that will encourage our players. We will continue to consistently hold meetings throughout the year, demanding that our Bear Pack attendees bring more friends, ultimately supporting the “pay it forward” concept.
  

  3/8/2009 5:00:14 PM
• Alexa Cordero

  From the day this project was assigned, my group and I thought that this project was almost impossible. We didn’t understand why we were having this responsibility put on us and we didn’t understand what values we would get out of it, especially because we had no amazing ideas. They would all be either impossible or wouldn’t follow the guidelines of the assignment. Finally, with little time left, we were able to come up with an idea. We took chocolates and handed them out with slips of papers. As we gave the person a chocolate, they were directed to try and go out of their way and perform the task written on the paper. Once that person followed through, the idea was that they would pay it forward and the deed would be never ending.
  Once we handed out the deeds, the reactions of the receivers varied. Some people took it seriously while others took advantage of the free chocolate they were given and blew off the whole idea of the project. On a more personal note, I loved handing the chocolates out because although it was for a project, I felt I was able to finally feel the values of the assignment.
  Throughout the time period of this assignment, I felt like there was a lot of pressure and competition between each group. People were trying to have the best project and were comparing their ideas with other groups’ ideas. In the end I finally realized that although our idea wasn’t “the best idea out there”, it is the smaller things that count. I really enjoyed doing this project and it did have a great effect on my life. I think that we did reach our goal and we did make a difference in other people’s lives.
  

  3/8/2009 5:07:08 PM
• Emma Lott

  I had a very mixed reaction to this project. It took my group a long time to come up with a good idea, so I was kind of stressed out about that. Once we came up with our idea and started to put it into action, I was very excited (because a. we had an idea and b. it was a pretty good idea). However, our project is, to a large extent, driven by other people. There is only so much that my group and I can do to make it work, and then we just have to depend on others (which is a more-than-slightly stressful situation to be in when it comes to agraded assignment). RIght now I am happy with the way that it is progressing At first I felt that my group struggled to collaborate, and so I think that overcoming that was a big success. I also think that our idea can continue to grow at Norwalk High, and I am hoping that it will continue to expand after this project is due. If we can connect the school in that way I will count it as a very big success. From this experience I have learned that it may be possible to connect our school, despite the diversity that it contains. Also, from watching the other groups' projects as well as my own I am learning that a small group really CAN have a big impact on the school community.
  

  3/8/2009 5:15:03 PM
• Nick Quadrini

  During this project, I had a lot of time doubting what I was doing before we started. I kept thinking to myself, "Is this going to work? Is it worth trying? I'm going to feel so awkward." But when we started our day with our kids, things felt a lot different. Walking into 201A, I saw Anthony Rey-Hall(I know him from swim team) and we started talking about what I was doing there and what he was doing that day. Slowly but steadily, everyone else at the table had come and started introducing themselves to me, shaking hands and saying "hi." Everyone was so friendly, and they reminded me of Curious George- filled with curiosity and innocence. Eventually I got back to my group to and found out what was going to happen that day. I was going to follow Antohny, except that we knew eachother. At first, I was bummed that I wouldn't be with someone I felt comfortable around. I was going to be with Zach, and I got his schedule. My group and I all gathered to see who shared classes with one-another, and where we were going. They day started, and I headed up to art. I met Zach, and he was a man of few words, busy coloring in his triangles rather than draw the little triangles inside. I felt like a teacher sitting behind him, not like a friend or a mentor. But as the day progressed, I understood him better and he talked to me more (in his own way). I came to find out that Zach loves lighthouses, and isn't a bad shot at soccer. It was weird spending the day with him, with everything so stuctured. I wasn't used to it, but he clearly knew what was next, and kept asking when we were going to see Ms. Morshaw again.
  
  I felt at first like it would be weird and maybe even a waste of time, but spending the day with Zach helped me to see what kinds of challenges he faces everyday, and by talking with his teachers I learned about how much a tiny bit of progression means to him. He's a great kid- and so are all the other DH(developmentally handicapped) kids that I met and talked to. I've seen Zach in the hall since, and although he doesn't really remember me I still say hi and he says hi back. It was a fantastic experience, and I can't wait to Pay It Forward to others.

  3/8/2009 5:20:21 PM
• Ellen Foster

  Although I found this project frustrating at points, I also think my group and I learned a lot. Initially I believed that my project was insignificant. However, I was surprised by how many people were interested in continuing it, and how many people's days were brightened because of it. I love the concept of Pay It Forward, and any negative thoughts that I had about this project were solely based on my group's trouble starting our project. We communicated a lot, which was one of the most important things I took away from this experience. I learned that freshmen have better ideas than Cameron. I liked working with them. We built off of each other's thoughts and created what I think is an interesting project. I think we all learned something different from each other. I enjoyed working with people who I normally wouldn't, and I also liked brightening other people's days. It was a great way of reminding people of the weight of little actions. The other groups had great ideas as well, and I think that this is one project people won't forget. If classes do it next year, I'm excited to see what ideas they come up with.

  3/8/2009 5:20:47 PM
• Eloise L

  Seeing the movie "Pay It Forward" was both an eyeopening and intimidating experience. Walking out of class that day, I was overwhelmed with emotion; a million inspired thoughts ran through my mind making me really want to make a difference. I was VERY anxious to get started with the project.
  The brainstorming process was fun. I think everyone in our group enjoyed bouncing ideas off of each other and hypothetically painting smiles on hundreds of faces. However, when push came to shove, the task became a bit more daunting. Merging four busy schedules and finding mutual free time was more than challenging. Motivating all the group members wasn't as easy as we would have liked, either.
  When we finally solidified our plan and began to put it into action, the positive feedback gave us more motivation. Pursuing a campaign to enhance environmental friendliness, members of our group walked around with recycling bins during our lunch shifts, encouraging people to not become victims of their laziness and just throw away a water bottle when the custodian brings them a garbage can. This approach certainly began to raise awareness and encourage utilization of the bins.
  In the second part to our project, we decorated the cafeteria with posters on the pillars and notices of surprising recycling facts on the tables. Hopefully these will continue the cycle of recycling, as the flyers encourage students to keep inspiring their friends to recycle. I am interested to see what effect this has on the student body, especially in the cafeteria.
  Throughout the project, I was constantly surprised by the people we were clearly reaching. I have begun to hear questions raised by students and faculty alike as to what can and cannot be recycled, etc. I have noticed that slowly, ideas are clicking in NHS heads. Despite the bumpy road to get to this point, it makes me feel accomplished, that I have actually started to make a difference, however small.
  Still I think back to the movie and am always moved. As we continue the project at school by walking around with the bins during the lunch shifts, I am constantly on the lookout for those who could use a smile. When I can see that smile spread across a face, I am overcome with happiness myself. I am so glad that we watched this movie and launched the project. I hope it serves as an eye-opener for years to come.

  3/8/2009 5:23:48 PM
• Alexandra Oviedo

  The overall project was a new, fulfilling experience for me. At first I was skeptical of the project being successful because of the sheer difficulty of coming up with an idea and putting it all together. But as my group's project progressed, I found myself excited about it and enjoying it. Our group had a hard time coming up with an idea, but once we all agreed on something, it was a much easier ride for all of us. My entire group agreed on the idea of passing on a letter of gratitude because we felt that people don't know just how meaningful their presence is in this school and how important they are. But we wouldn't pick just anybody; it had to be someone who has made a difference in our lives and in the entire school.By thanking them and letting them know just how much we appreciate the things that they do, that person could have a brighter day and know that they are valued and cherished. When we gave the letter to the person that we picked, that person would then write an inspirational message of appreciation and pass it on to someone else whom they cherished. It is my hope that people will now go beyond and make sure that everyone feels appreciated and valued for what they do. Pay It Forward was a new experience that helped me see and understand that anyone, when they put their mind to it, can make a difference for the good of everyone. Even it is a small and simple act of kindness, it can have a life changing effect for the individual receiving it.

  3/8/2009 5:48:23 PM
• Cameron Fuller

  Okay so my group has made alot of progress since the last time we had to write in the blog. Our plan has finally been put into action and i feel like it might actually workbut i guess it all depends on the people, in the end they make the decision to help or not but i could see this turning into something not entirely big but just something good that will make people's days nicer.
  Like i said before, we struggled the most with just trying to come up with an idea that would work but once we had a good idea things kinda fell into place. Also our project included handing things out to our peers which i find a little awkward i mean you arent supposed to take things from strangers but luckily for our group most people in our school dont seem to remember this lesson from their childhood.
  I think one of the things we actually succeeded in during this project was just staying connected with everybody in our group. I think we all knew what was going on with our project and if we didnt it was very easy to reach somebody and find out whatever you might have needed to know.
  As for what i have gained fromt this project i find that the amount of effort you put into the things you docontributes one hundred percent to how much you gained from it. In the case of this project the amount of trouble i had with coming up with an idea that would be accepted paired with the fact that i didnt really like the project in the first place contributed to me not really gaining a whole lot from this project. There is still a small amount of time so you never know i could have a life changing experience i just think the odds are pretty low.

  3/8/2009 5:54:25 PM
• Katie Baritz

  When my group and I finally decided on an idea for this project, I wasn't too sure that it would work as well as we wanted it to. I felt like our idea wasn't going to achieve what was required, and that in the end we could be faced with many problems. Luckily though, our project worked out much better than I expected. We came up with an idea to use sheets where Victor could write down how he was feeling; there was also a "tip of the day", and a motivational quote. We began to realize Victor's confidence go up, and we were glad to see his willingness to always work out. Victor also told us that his asthma has not been bothering him as much as it used to. Victor's success has caused me to realize that even the simplest things can impact another persons life. Also, it has shown me that people who are differnt in many ways can join together to make a difference.

  3/8/2009 6:16:11 PM
• Sarah Zezima

  The first day my group and I found out our task of paying it forward, we were confused and stumped. We had no idea what we should do. Then we discused the problems we see around the halls, a majoir problem we all found was the bullying of the handicap students. The sad thing about this was the students didnt notice it was bullying, they would wave and say hi as if they were friends. My group decided we would go and shadow them for a day to see how its like to be in a diffrent situation in the same enviroment as every other "normal kid".
  
  The day finaly came to meet my new buddy for that day and for the four years at Norwalk High School. As mixed emmotions went threw my head I had enterd Mrs.M's room. I was scared that my buddy would be affraid of me, I was nervous as to what other students would think of this, and I was excited to have an eye-opening experience.
  
  Mrs.M gave me Maripaz as my buddy. I stayed with her the whole day, it was alot of fun. We drew pictures, I helped with her assignements, we had some laughs, played bingo and even sang happy birthday to a fellow classmate. Lunch time came and all the emotions I was feeling earlyier came back, esspecaily the feeling of what other students would think. Maripaz and I got to the caffeteria and I invited her to sit with me. I introduced her to my friends and we had a great lunch. Everyone thought it was a great thing to do. When Maripaz and I got back to the room, a teacher came up to me and thanked me for having Maripaz sit with me and my friends at lunch, she went on by saying "these kids never get thoese kinds of experiences" once she said that it hit me, these kids just want to feel normal.
  
  It was yet again passing time and we went into Mrs.L's room, when i got there we sat down to start her project. Bill and Mrs.L's told me about what goes on threw out the day, and how they became special ed teachers. It was a true eye opener, trying to keep my tears in I just wanted to help Maripaz out to try and make her feel normal. This was time to explain to her about paying it forward, I explained that we made drwaings for eachother and that was a nice thing to do, we both felt good about it. I also said if you spread it around more people will feel good, and you'll meet new people, I told her its not only about drwaing picutres or singing happy birthday but also doing other kinds of acts of kindness. She nodded her head, but I wasnt sure that she knew what I was saying. The end of the day came so I helped her clean up and pack but, we said our goodbye's and left.
  
  This experice was great. I found out that they appricenat the littlest things in life and I should do the same. Also not to worry what other people think, its about you not them. I really hope everyone had a great time, I sure did. Met new people and gained friendships. I will be apart of the Bestbuddies when I am a Jr.

  3/8/2009 6:29:37 PM
• Meghan Mulvehill

  I think that this project has been a great success. I know in my group we had a lot of problems from start to finish but in the end I think things worked out better than I thought they would. We had quite a few communication problems in my group and it was a constant struggle to keep the group together on task because of that. At times it seemed like not everyone really wanted to help out and get things done but somehow we did it.
  
  This project surprised me at the end because I knew that people appreciate it when you do something nice for them but I didn't realize to what extent. My group made thank you notes for the people who work in the front office and I was happily surprised at how much something little like a card could do to make someone so happy. I've gained a lot from this experience and it taught me that little things can make a big difference, especially if your motives are genuine. When you want to do something to help someone and go past just wanting to finish a project I think you put more effort into whatever you are doing and it shows. I hope that the effort everyone put into this project doesn’t stop now just because we won’t be graded for it anymore and the school continues to “pay it forward” just because they want to make NHS a better place.

  3/8/2009 6:38:07 PM
• chris vallerie

  when we first got this assignment, i thought it was asking for a lot. my group brainstormed ideas about what we could do. we finaly came up with the idea of making a big card and sending it to one teacher and they send it on. in the end, it felt good that i knew the card was succesful because so many teacher had signed the card.in the end it felt good to just give teachers a little note that might have helped them get through the day. overall it was a good project

  3/8/2009 7:10:56 PM
• Sally

  The Pay it Forward project is coming to a close, but only in respects of due dates and classwork. I feel as though this project will leave a shadow much bigger than the assignment alone, and that what's been done throughout the school has had an impact. It's been hard to communicate with my group, and the result of our distance was that this became a very independent project. Though that aspect was tough, it provided for more personal growth. I've seen the power in such a simple thing as a thank you card circulated around the school, and it has motivated me to make the effort to verbalize my appreciation. My favorite part was seeing the reception of the card I sent around, not only in the reaction of who I gave it to, but at the end when I saw what everyone wrote on it. I was happy to see the power behind what I did, when it felt like it took very little effort.

  3/8/2009 7:24:30 PM
• Alexis Noonan

  When I was first informed about the project that we would be doing this year, I didn't think it would work. Everyone kept talking about how this project could help change Norwalk High School, but I didn't think it would work. However, after my group and I completed the project, I saw good results and I realized that this turned out to be very rewarding. My group had a lot of trouble completing this project because we couldn't agree on one good idea that would really help the school. We had to come up with many ideas, as well as different versions of them, before we were able to decide on one set idea. In the end, we decided to write thank you notes to the people in the main office because we felt that they work very hard but not many people appreciate what they do. They do many things to help the school but yeat people are always criticising them. I think that our project turned out to be great. When we gave our thank you notes to them, they seemed so happy and I felt that we had made a difference in their day. We passed on the "pay it forward" message and hopefully they will help someone else the way we helped them.

  3/8/2009 7:24:38 PM
• Even Trejo

  i am one of the members in Anna's group, i shadowed a student that is developmentally handicaped. The student that i shadowed was Anthony. The goal of visiting the DH kids was to get them to make positive contributions to the environment and helping make the world a better place, by doing simple nice things. For example, somebody drops theres things, lets say their notebooks and pencils, help them by picking up their things and given them back to them. -which i have to say, Anthony is a very nice person. He basicly says "hi" to everyone and talks with each teacher after class. Shadowing Anthony was a good experience for me.

  3/8/2009 7:37:51 PM
• Evan Lester

  The entire experience of Pay It Forward has given me the ability to witness to true human caring and devotion. My group's project - Walk For a Cause Club will remain a staple at Norwalk High School for as long as possible. I can take solace in knowing that the people receiving the support and funds from the club will hopefully be able to live their lives regularly, giving them the ability to help other people as well. It takes a leap of faith to hope that these people help other people, but its leap that my group and myself are most willing to take.
  The struggles involved with the project have been kept to a minimum. For the most part, students and teachers at Norwalk High School have openly accepted WFCC's cause. The only major problem that the group faced was the fact that there are little to no charity walks in the month, that the club could participate in. That being said, the club still found a cause to raise awareness of and give funds to. On behalf of my group and myself, I would like to thank you to all the people who have donated to our cause of the month - leukemia.

  3/8/2009 7:39:14 PM
• Brian Manby

  I realized I posted on the wrong blog before because I'm an idiot.:D
  Now for the CORRECT post.
  
  I think the project as a whole made everyone benefit significantly. It brought together potentially four individuals who may not have never really associated together for the most part and it allowed us to get to know each other and find commonalities to allow us to work together. The best part about it, in my opinion, was that we had the experience to meet new people, while cooperating for a common cause and benefit as well. I liked the idea and concept of our project, because we really reached out of the walls of Norwalk High School to hopefully help people all over the world. I thought this project originally was nearly impossible, but I realized that it was a lot easier than I thought with multiple people and we got our work done for ourselves and everyone we were trying to help.

  3/8/2009 9:04:53 PM
• Lea R

  Throughout the duration of this project I have been so worried about the aspect of passing it on. WIth the world hectic and rushed the receipt of a letter may not phase a person at all, let alone make a difference. Then after further contemplation I realized that this project is not only an effort from the students, but it also tests the kindness and the attitude of the schools staff. There are many projects going on and they are not all going to be successful. I doubt the objective was for a 100 % better school. I do believe that pay it forward has been given attention. With all the flyers and people putting their projects into play we are being notices. I was skeptical since the beginning that it was going to make any impact at all. Seeing and hearing people talk about the projects makes me feel a lot better about everything. I still think that when people don't pas it on it shows their true colors. Just knowing that a good portion have tried to pass it on makes my whole outlook on people a lot better.

  3/8/2009 9:48:09 PM
• Shark Week tonylato

  The first struggle that we faced as a group was finding something that we felt would be a good thing to do that would change someone's life and not be superficial. Since we could not seem to find something that would be that good at first, no one was enthusiastic at all about the project. When we did decide on something, communication was something that broke our group. It seemed we could never agree on a time to implement our plan, and then discuss and review it, to change it. This was probably due to the lack of enthusiasm aforementioned. I have gained the ability to try to be more accommodating to other people's schedules, and rearrange my own in order to make things work, because how often are five kids who are all very much involved in school academically and extracurricular activities supposed to get together otherwise?

  3/8/2009 10:40:08 PM