Hi there,
Our first meeting for Summit Park class was on the night on January 27th. During this class period we had a guest speaker from Drury University’s counseling center. The guest speaker did a presentation about communicating with others. I learned some helpful tips in order to become a better listener. I know that sometimes working in the Food Pantry at the Salvation Army can be difficult at certain times, but these helpful tips will allow me to better my communication skills. I also learned to paraphrase a story or something that a person is telling me to show the other person that I am actively listening and engaged in our conversation. I am an elementary education major and I believe that the tips that the guest speaker will be extremely important when I begin teaching. I know that I will use some of the skills that I learned in Summit Park class.
I believe that during this class period it really made me aware of other’s feelings or beliefs. We played cross the line, which is a game that helps people communicate with others without using words. I can definitely say that I learned some information and facts about other individuals in the Summit Park Community that I did not know. I felt as if this class was a bonding experience for the entire class. This has been my favorite Summit Park class thus far.
My group works with the Salvation Army. The mission statement for the Salvation Army includes:
“The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.”
Other information about the Salvation Army can be found at:
http://www.usc.salvationarmy.org/springfield-mo
Stay classy Drury University,
Haleigh Brown
On January 27th, we had a guest speaker from Drury who came to talk with us about making connections and diversity. I thoroughly enjoyed the class presentation on making connections and diversity. I strongly believe that in order to be successful in life, you have to be able to make connections with people and it is also important to be a good listener. I also enjoyed this class presentation because of the “Cross the Line” game that we played. I felt that I really got to know more about some of the people who I live with in the Summit Park Leadership Community. The handout “35 Dumb Things that Well-Intended People Say” was the most valuable thing that I got out of this presentation. I feel this way because I looked at the handout and realized that I have said quite a few of the phrases listed on there. I did not realize that what I have said before could have been taken offensively or that it was not appropriate to say some of those phrases that are listed. This is helpful because I would hate to be in the workforce and say one of those phrases that would offend one of my co-workers or even my boss. The handout could even be useful now while I am working at The Salvation Army because I deal with different people from time to time when I am working in the Food Pantry. This class presentation is my favorite that we have had so far. It was extremely beneficial because I gained several great tips for being a better listener.
We work with The Salvation Army and its mission is the following:
“The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.”
Information about The Salvation Army can be found at the following website:
http://www.usc.salvationarmy.org/springfield-mo
Until next time!
Mariah Fulbright
This past Friday we meet as a Summit class and had a guest speaker talk to us about how to better communicate and make connections with people that may be different from us. I gained a lot from listening to her talk, and by doing the activities in class. I think that communication is one of the most important skills to have, no matter what career path you may choose. I am wanting to go into the medical field one day, which is going to require an incredible amount of communication on my part. I am going to have to be able to listen to people and clearly understand what they are trying to convey to me, I am then going to have to communicate to other nurses and doctors what needs to be done for the patient in order for them to get the treatment that they need. One of the activities that we had in class was to listen to someone talk about a hard situation they have been going through and then we were to ask specific questions to make sure that we fully understood what they were trying to say and to also find out how they were feeling. I will be able to use this exercise in the future to make sure that I am communicating efficiently with my patients. Another topic that we addressed in class was how to better work with people that are different than you are. We learned that you might not always know what is going on in their life or what situations they have been through. I think this is something that everyone over looks at some point or another. It is easy to look at someone that may have done something bad, and judge them for it. I know that I am guilty of this without even realizing it. I think that listening to the speaker was a good eye opener, and made me think about how I need to stop and think before I judge someone. This will be applicable when I am working at the Salvation Army. Sometimes when we work in the food pantry there are men that are working there as part of the program with the Harbor House (a mens shelter.) It is easy to think that they must have done something bad to get into that situation, but that is not always the case. I definitely enjoyed this class and look forward to our next speaker!
-Erica
Hello again! I am one of the members of the Salvation Army Summit Park Group. According to their website, the Salvation Army’s mission is, “an international movement is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.” The Salvation Army provides food to the needy, shelters for the homeless, toys for parents in need during the holidays, thrift shops, worship services, child care and many more services for those in need. The Salvation Army always needs many volunteers during the Christmas season for their annual bell-ringing event, as well as people to help at their Christmas Toy Shop. If you would like to volunteer year round, helping with the food pantry or after school program are two great opportunities to help out the Salvation Army!
During our Summit Class on January 27th, we had a speaker from the counseling center come and speak to us about connecting with others who appear to be very different from ourselves. Sometimes it can be hard to relate to other people, but I learned from this speaker that we are all human. We can all relate to feeling happy, sad, mad, or frustrated. Some people have very large, very serious problems in their lives while others may appear to have very simple issues.
During Winter Break, three of us worked at The Salvation Army’s Christmas Shop. Parents who could not afford toys for their parents came and could “shop” for their children for free. We had direct interaction with these individuals and at times it seemed hard to relate. As an only child, my parents have always gone “all out” on me for Christmas. Seeing these moms and dads get so excited about being able to give their children TWO presents, really puts things in perspective. After listening to the speaker, I have realized that the parents at the Christmas shop are not completely unlike me. They have had happy moments, sad moments, angry moments, and everything in-between. Every human being can relate on that level. Now that I realize this very simple idea, I feel next year when I go back to work at the Christmas Shop, it will be easier to talk to the parents and really make them feel comfortable.
Talk soon, stay warm!
Katie
