Service Learning Log Week 3

Shanay Cogdell

WST 3015

Professor Nina Perez

February 28, 2010

• Activism

This week we wrapped up our second half of the Penny Project with the Girl Scouts. As we did before, we informed our community partner,Mariana, of the materials we needed in successfully completed our project. For the first two hours that we were there,we taught the girls about ways to save their money. For the second half, we played the penny project game and they also painted piggy banks. We then had ice cream and apple pie with the girls for a treat! As far as our project is concerned, we are done and there is no more that we have to do.

• Reflection

In doing this project, there have many life changing impacts that it has had on me but the most important has been to be thankful for what I have in my life. A lot of these girls are living in undesired circumstances which is not their fault. By being part of an organization such as Girl Scouts, they are given an opportunity to see the world in another light and also have the chance to go places and do things that they may not otherwise be able to because of money,etc. It was a joy to be able to be someone that a seven or eight year old can look up to other than their parents. 

• Reciprocity:

Like I have said before, it it a blessing to be able to work with a group of girls that we had. They soaked everything up that we were teaching them which was a big reward because it will make a difference in their lives.

 

February 26, 2010

 

February 26, 2010

 

The girls playing the Penny Project Game

February 26, 2010

 

Penny Project Game

February 26, 2010

 

The girls painted piggy banks

February 26, 2010

Service Learning Log Week 2

Shanay Cogdell

Professor Nina Perez

WST 3015

Febuary 20, 2010

           Activism Log 2

• 
  
  Activism

This week we met with the Brownie Troupe for the first time on Friday February 19, 2010 at the Bithlo Community Center. We started the first half of the Penny Project with the girls and it was a major success because the girls enjoyed learning about types of money and what can be done with money. With our community partner, Mariana, we informed her of materials that we would need to carry out the project successfully such as fake money, coins, crayons, etc. As a result, we were able to complete the first half of our project in it's entirety. There weren't any pitfalls because everyone was on the same page and we communicated our needs and wants very well. For next week, we will prepare for the second half of our project as well to ensure that we know what is going on.

• 
  
  Refelection

It is very evident that there is a social class division within this group of girl scouts compared to the rest of the community around them. The area of Bithlo has a lot of manufactured homes which saddened me a little because for most of the girls, there are limits to how far they will be able to go as far as their future. We were able to see some of their parents which explains why they are living the lives that they are living.

As stated in the book, Women’s Lives Multicultural Perspectives, "Economic security is also an important aspect of well. Low educational attainment, low wages, having children, and divorce all work against women’s economic security, as do macro-level economic trends” (Kirk, Okazawa-Rey p 315). Most of the families that these girls represent are products of their environment and unfortunately can do nothing about it. There were a lot of single parents as well who allow their children to be in programs such as these as a way out to pursue opportunities that they otherwise would have never been able to take advantage of.

• Reciprocity

At the meso level, we are teaching the girls the use of money and ways to save their money. Realizing how much of an impact that this can have in the present will also have an effect for them for their future. That in itself is a reward to me because as I have stated before, we are empowering these young girls to be better women when they become of age.

Feburary 19, 2010

Feburary 19, 2010

 

Work Cited

Kirk, Gwyn, and Margo Okazawa-Rey. Women's Lives Multicultural Perspectives. 5th ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2010. Print.

Great News!!!

I just scored an internship blogging for a designer out of California that designs evening gowns.

I for one am excited becuase I'll be interning in the field I LOVE while also giving feedback on various designs,etc.

More importantly/relevant to this course, a portion of the proceeds of every DALIA MACPHEE gown is donated to Women for Women Int., an International Organization that assists women who have been victimized in war torn regions of the Congo and other sruggling areas.

I got very excited as I started reading the information on the website and saw THIS because it definately relates to the course as it deals with women's issues!

Take time to read, become enlightned and enjoy =)

One of my favorite designs!!!

Body/Sexuality Blog Assignment

Shanay Cogdell

Professor Nina Perez

WST 3015

February 16, 2010
    
                                Body/Sexuality Blog Assignment

        Based on the Jane Austen novel, the Pride and Prejudice movie is a classic tale of love and misunderstanding unfolding in class-conscious England near the close of the 18th century. Marriage in the movie is clearly acknowledged and wealthy men during this time were forced to be in search of a wife. Ettelbrick states that marriage defines certain relationships as more valid than all others (317). This is a prime example with the movie because the thread that sews together the lives of all the characters in this classic is the establishment of marriage. As stated in the “Making a Home, Making a Living”, Marriage is often thought to be an essential part of a woman’s life (301). Mrs. Bennet is an irritating woman whose main goal in life is to get her five daughters married in which she felt social and financial pressure to do so. Her husband's estate was entailed to his nephew, Mr. Collins, upon Mr. Bennet's death. Therefore, Mrs. Bennet wanted her daughters to have financial stability elsewhere in case of their father's death. In the time period of this story there was very little social acceptance of women who were single their whole lives. For the most part, women could not acquire money on their own without inheriting or marrying into good fortune. Women who could not find a husband were often referred to as old maids and lived their whole lives with their parents. People may not refer to unmarried women as “old maids” or “on the shelf” as much as in the past, but there is still a stigma attached to being single in many cultural groups if a woman remains unmarried after a certain age (Kirk, Margo Okazawa-Rey “Making a Living” 301). In which I can see why Mrs. Bennet felt the way she did and did not want this for any of her daughters.

       The Bennets' marriage was not ideal. Mr. Bennet had married his wife because she was beautiful in her youth and her ability to supply him with children. Eventually though, her beauty faded and so did their enjoyment of each other. He enjoyed his time alone in his study where he could be away from his wife and daughters. Mrs. Bennet enjoyed gossiping about neighbors and finding future husbands for her daughters in which it almost seems as a hobby for her! I believe that the director is showing the viewers that marrying only for physical appearance is wrong because we all know that beauty fades with time.

       A dear friend of Elizabeth, Charlotte Lucas, marries Mr. Collins just for money; Charlotte accepted his proposal for the pure and disinterested desire of an establishment. She was twenty-six years old and her family begun to worry. Upon hearing of her engagement, her brothers were relieved from their apprehension of Charlotte dying an old maid. Charlotte wanted nothing more out of marriage than financial stability and that is what she got. In Hunsford it seems that Charlotte did nothing but tend to the chores of maintaining her home and pleasing Lady Catherine. I do not believe that Charlotte and Mr. Collins were in love at all and they did not really seem too happy in each other's company. I think their marriage was an illustration of why you should not marry just for financial reasons which is a popular dream of most women these days. Lydia's marriage to Wickham was simply for romance and lust. For some time, the flirtatious teenager had had her eye on military officers. I believe that when Wickham showed her attention she fell in love and henceforth came their marriage. The sad fact is that she liked him a great deal more than he cared about her. Wickham had many debts and used the money he got from marrying her to pay them off. Therefore, Lydia is married to a man that doesn't really care for her all that much and Wickham is married to a girl that cannot really offer him anything. This couple shows that you should marry someone who feels the same towards you or eventually you will be unhappy. The marriages of the two oldest Bennet daughters were ideal. Jane had longed for Mr. Bingley for quite a while. Bingley was handsome, rich, kind, and well liked. He and Jane shared many conversations and had complimentary personalities. They were matched perfectly and I believe that they shared a happy life together. Elizabeth and Darcy's marriage was also a match made in Heaven. They were both were equally intellectual, had physical attraction and deep love for one another, financial security, romance, and companionship. This is an example of a real relationship because they would be most happy in life. In my opinion, marriage should be approached as a package deal - a package of love, financial stability, physical attraction, and happiness.



Work Cited

Ettelbrick, Paula. "Since When is Marriage a Path to Liberation? (1989)." Women's Lives Multicultural Perspectives. By Gwyn Kirk and Margo Okazawa-Rey.  5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. 317. Print.

Kirk, Gwyn, and Margo Okazawa-Rey. "Making a Home, Making a Living." Women's Lives Multicultural Perspectives. 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. 301-03. Print

Service Learning Log Week 1

Shanay Cogdell


Professor Nina Perez


WST 3015


February 13, 2010

   Activism Log 1

• Activisim

This week our group met with our community partner, Mariana Ordaz, to get information on what we will be doing for our project as well as set up dates for each task to be completed.

Sarah, Jessica and I met with Mariana face to face which worked out very well; all were present except for Kelly who had to work. Mariana gave the outline for the project and explained that we will be working with a group of young girls with ages ranging from six to eight years old. Our project is called the “Penny Project” that is a financial literacy curriculum for Girl Scout Brownies, which uses an interactive educational approach to help girls gain an understanding of money and the responsibility that goes with it. For the first official meeting, we were very successful in all efforts in setting up our dates and ensuring that it worked for everyone in our group. In efforts of completing our project, next week we will be meeting to go over the guidelines and instructions for the Penny Project in preparation for our first meeting with the young girls at the Bithlo Community Center. We also completed the volunteer application as well as a background check.

• Reflection

The young girl scouts that we will be working with are in more than one way, less fortunate. Most come from broken homes and are otherwise unable to have programs such as Girl Scouts in their community due to low funds. The Penny Project will allow the girls to become empowered and learn ways to save their money and become successful in life. As stated in the book, Women’s Lives Multicultural Perspectives,"…poor people are usually assumed to be on welfare, masking the reality of life for many working people(Kirk, Okazawa-Rey p 311) ." This holds true to the young girl scouts because most of their parents are making just enough money to pay the bills and this project will hold as a new light that is shined in their lives and will teach them ways to manage their money.

• Reciprocity

Empowering women and young girls is something that I am a strong advocate for and programs like these are positive because it teaches girls how to do things on their own and become financially stable. I am very excited to see how this project benefits them in the long run!

Work Cited

Kirk, Gwyn, and Margo Okazawa-Rey. Women's Lives Multicultural Perspectives. 5th ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2010. Print.

Service Learning Proposal

Service Learning Proposal

For Girl Scouts of Citrus Council

Kelly Hales

Sarah Jackson

Shanay Cogdell

Jessica Schwendeman

February 3, 2010

Jeannina Perez

WST 3015 – Introduction to Women’s Studies

Community Partner: Girl Scouts of Citrus Council, Mariana Ordaz, Girl Scout Outreach leader

Address: 341 N. Mills Ave., Orlando, FL 32803

Contact: (407) 896-4475 & mariana.ordaz@knights.ucf.edu

Community Partner Mission Statement: Girl Scout Mission: Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place (Girl Scouts of America).

Political and/or Social Basis for Organization: Girl Scouts of Citrus Council is a not-for-profit organization organized in 1956 - following the founder Juliette Gordon Low's guidelines - serving girls throughout Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia counties since 1956.

Community Partner Needs: The Girl Scouts of Citrus Council provide plenty of volunteer opportunities. These include fundraising, funding, and help with Girl Scout events. Adults may chaperone these events which range from camping to mentoring.

Memorandum

TO: Jeannina Perez

FROM: Kelly Hales, Sarah Jackson, Shanay Cogdell & Jessica Schwendeman

DATE: February 3, 2010

RE: Proposal to Write a Feasibility Report for a Service Learning Project

The following is a proposal to outline the needs, rationale, and feasibility for a service learning project to benefit Girl Scouts of Citrus Council. The following proposal contains background on the need for and benefits of a financial literacy project, an outline of the work we plan to do, the rationale for its inclusion in WST 3015, and a scheduled timeline. This proposal may need to be revised after beginning the project and must be flexible to meet the needs of both the Service Learning project and the community partner.

Need for: The mission statement of the Girl Scouts of Citrus Council is “Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.” Girl Scout Outreach is a special program designed for interested girls ages 6 - 8 from low-income families who might not otherwise have an opportunity to participate in Scouting. Through our assistance, these Scouts will be able to learn about money management and financial responsibility, including the importance of saving, investing, and wise spending. The goal of cookie sales is for the girls to enjoy a special reward that they earned through their hard work.

Plan Proposal: We will meet with the Girl Scout Outreach group to interact with the girls and work through the financial literacy curriculum, “The Penny Project”. After the completion of the workshop, we will work to reinforce concepts learned by assisting with cookie sales around campus and in the Central Florida area.

Rationale for Women’s Studies: Through the teaching of the workshop, we will “help girls learn and implement key concepts and skills related to personal money management” (Girl Scouts of America). According to materials provided by the community partner, 90% of all women will be solely responsible for their financial self-sufficiency at some point in their lives, and 48% of single women ages 21 – 34 say they live from paycheck to paycheck (Girl Scouts of America). Facing statistics like these, it is clearly beneficial for girls to learn financial literacy skills as early as possible. This workshop presents the information in an appealing, accessible and fun way for the young girls. Additionally, assisting the Scouts with cookie sales will help to reinforce concepts learned and will help the girls in working as a team to achieve a set goal.

Action:

• Kelly Hales researched the community partner through their national website and concluded that there was a need for this type of program in our immediate area

• Jessica Schwendeman contacted Mariana Ordaz, Program Facilitator for Girl Scouts of Citrus Council, to set up a consultation

• The entire group met with Ms. Ordaz to discuss needs for her specific troop and tentative dates

• The entire group met to write up the Service Learning Proposal and discuss expectations

• The group will meet to familiarize ourselves with the curriculum and plan for the facilitation of the workshop

• The entire group will go through the background check process mandated by Girl Scouts of Citrus Council in order to work with the girls

• The entire group will visit the Scout meeting at Bithlo Community Center on two separate occasions in order to work through the entire curriculum with the Scouts

• At different points throughout the project, group members will assist with cookie sales at different locations around campus and the Central Florida area

• Group members will also contact organizations and departments around campus to find more opportunities for the Scouts to sell cookies

Timeline:

Tuesday, February 2, 2010 Meet with group & community partner to discuss mutual expectations and goals

Monday, February 15, 2010 Meet with group together to practice workshop and familiarize ourselves with curriculum

Sunday, February 14, 2010 Assist with cookie sales

Friday, February 19, 2010 Meet with girls to present first half of workshop

Saturday, February 20, 2010 Assist with cookie sales

Sunday, February 21, 2010 Assist with cookie sales

Friday, February 26, 2010 Meet with girls to present second half of workshop

Works Cited

Girl Scouts of America. Girl Scouts of Citrus Council. 2 February 2010 .

—. "The Penny Project: A Guide For Adults." New York: Girl Scouts of the USA, 2005.

Taking a Second Look Blog Assignment

Shanay Cogdell
WST 3015
2/6/2010
Professor Nina Perez

Taking a Second Look Blog Assignment

In this is nontraditional Gucci ad, the women is promoting a purse and using her son as an accessory as well in which both characters are active. I’m not too sure as to why a child would be used in a high fashion ad like this. Both characters are positioned comfortably but the mother is making sure that her son is fine with his stance. This ad will make women, mothers in particular, feel good about themselves and bodies and can have a sense of empowerment because they can live a luxurious life as well as take care of their children at the same time. These years may be a time of self-definition and autonomy when they can resist earlier pressures to conform to dominant beauty standards (Women's Lives Multicultural Perspectives, p 208). I like the fact that Gucci took this ad to the next level because it embodies normal women because there are a lot of mothers who feel as if they are stuck and there is no world outside of having children. In my opinion, this is a positive portrayal of women because it shows that women can have a baby then lose weight and get back to their normal lives. The woman is smiling which indicates that she is happy about her life and loves her baby but by the way she is holding her baby, it seems as if she feels the baby is an inconvenience. She does not look like me and I often find that women in ads don’t look like me but I often dream of living the luxurious and fabulous life that is often displayed. The ad is realistic because women have children all the time and also multitask. Also, it displays that adult women can also be fun and playful, even with their children. In women’s and teen magazines it is virtually impossible to tell the fashion layouts from the ads (Women's Lives Multicultural Perspectives, p 236). This is a fashion layout because it is high fashion but is also an ad to sell an accessory. In advertising a product like this, I would stay away from using a child as an object because children should not be seen as objects but as human beings; the fact that the child is adorable is besides the fact. Overall, this ad embodies every day mothers living the luxurious life, not far from Real Housewives of Orange County!



References:
http://www.bwgreyscale.com/adimg10/adv_4828.JPG

Kirk, Gwyn, and Margo Okazawa-Rey. Women's Lives Multicultural Perspectives. 5th ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2010. Print.

Herstory Blog Assignment

Shanay Cogdell


WST 3015

1/30/10

Professor Nina Perez


Herstory Blog Assignment

In early 20th century England, it was a time of strife for women unable to vote in any elections. The women apart of the suffrage movement then became instrumental in winning voting rights for women everywhere. Several years later, the movement came to America but at first didn’t inspire women in America because the suffragists were too radical. The suffrage movement during this time period is represented by the “First Wave”. The first Wave of the women’s movement is characterized as the suffrage movement and occurred primarily during the 1800s and early 1900s. Originating the abolition movement to end slavery, women began working toward winning the right to vote (Fight Like a Girl, p 40). Early in the film Iron Jawed Angels, one of the many suffragists, Carrie Catt, was skeptical of the whole movement and the involvement of women coming to assist them from England due to their extreme tactics and remains passive throughout the whole movie. The main character Alice Paul of the National Women’s Party drafted an amendment to the U.S. constitution that was introduced to the senate in 1923 (Women's Lives Multicultural Perspectives, p 11). Alice Paul is most active and is a suffrage in all aspects because she fights for women’s rights and is relentless by doing everything in the name women’s suffrage. In Ironed Jawed Angels, activism is represented by parades, protesting and lobbying. In the opening scene of Mary Poppins, Mrs. Banks plays a key role of a suffrage. She sings a song that describes the women’s movement and the rights of women and to the importance of solidarity among women that is essential to the success of the suffrage movement; elaborating on the place of men in suffrage. Her feminism is opposed by Mr. Banks views of the family as the king of his home and society. Mr. Banks’ home revolves around his authority, schedule and his overall happiness and represents all males in early 20th century England. He is also seen as a symbol for male domination and oppression as well as the entire economic system since he represents the financial district as the employee at a bank. Mary Poppins takes over as nanny as well as a catalyst for change in society’s conception of equality and the Banks’ conception of family.

Both films relate to “isms” in many ways because suffragists were the minority and not the majority and as a result, they were not seen as equals to men.



References

Kirk, Gwyn, and Margo Okazawa-Rey. Women's Lives Multicultural Perspectives. 5th ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2010. Print.

Seely, Megan. Fight Like a Girl:How to be a Fearless Feminist. New York and London: New York UP, 2007. Print.