Going Global

Over the last few days, many things have been happening! Last week, I presented at the WNY-PLP. I met a lot of teachers and school administrators who are using blogs in classrooms with their students. I also got to see some great things that other schools are doing. I have a lot of pictures from that day, and I even videotaped a post about it, which I plan to put up tomorrow.

This weekend, I heard from Jenny Luca and her class in Australia. I will be skyping them next week and I am really excited. My mom and Ms. Luca were thinking about having her class team up with me and some other classes to support a global cause during their next school term and I think that this is a really cool idea! I will talk with them about this over the next few weeks to learn more. Plus, my Aunt will be in Melbourne over the summer, so I will get to send Ms. Luca’s class some things from America. This is really cool.

Today, I also got an email from Troy Morris who works for Wetpaint. I don’t use wikis yet, but my mom said that Ms. Gray uses Wetpaint wikis a lot. She showed me hers, and it is really cool. Mr. Morris asked me to think about helping out the China Earthquake Relief Fund. This is an excellent cause. It is something that a small group of people started, so it fits right in with the sorts of charities that I like to support. These people are trying to raise money to rebuild schools that were ruined in the earthquake. I will be writing much more about this and doing what I can do support this fund here in Buffalo. Does anyone want to help me? I really need some help, and I could use some ideas about how to organize something here to help them.

Also, I wanted to tell you about something that a group of teachers are doing here this summer. Mr. Meader works with my mom sometimes, and he is a part of Buffalo for Africa. I wish that I was old enough to go to his summer institute, which is at Frontier High School. This is a good example of how we can make a difference for people all over the world. Please think about visiting his site!

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Thank You Kelly Genet!

A few days ago, wile I was at school, my mom and sister went to get bottles from Kelly Genet in Grand Island. She donated $10.00 in bottles! I am going to donate the money from the bottles to Suzanne’s Ride for Roswell. She is doing the Ride for Roswell in memory of my Grandpa Stockman.

We are also going to support Suzeanne in the month of June because my block sale is on June 14. My mom, dad and I have started getting ready for the block sale, and if you live locally, we hope to see you there!

Later on today, I will be doing another blog post with a special guest. Together, we will talk about who made the most difference this month, and I’ll talk about the WNY PLP presentation that Mr. Will Richardson and Ms. Sheryl Nussbaum Beach invited me to do, which was awesome.

For Tyvaier: Please HELP him!

This week, Sylvia Nadler sent me this letter about a friend of hers named Tyvaier. Tyvaier is in 7th grade. He lives in Buffalo and he goes to Performing Arts. On Christmas, when I was announcing the winners of my contest, Tyvaier was getting some very scary news. He was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. There is a fundraiser coming up on MAY 31ST for Tyvaier. I am putting all of the information below. Please think about buying a ticket, sending a donation or passing the word on. Even if you blog about this, that would be great just to spread the word. Please keep Tyvaier in your prayers.

Nekia Kemp is the New Executive Director at St. Philip’s Community Center, before her role at St. Philips she worked as an Area Director with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Buffalo for two years.  She is asking for our help in Support of her twelve year old son, Tyvaier who attends the Buffalo Academy for The Visual & Performing Arts Academy and is a theater major in the seventh grade.
 
On December 25, 2007 Tyvaier was diagnosed with a rare form of Childhood stage IV liver Cancer (Hepatoblastoma). The cancer has spread to his Brain & Lungs. Before that day Tyvaier had always been healthy and very active in school activities and participated in many sports. Tyvaier never had a hospital stay for anything!
 
Now Tyvaier is currently undergoing treatment at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo. His Treatment consists of Radiation & Chemotherapy. 
 
Tyvaier’s Family and Friends will be hosting a Benefit to help support Tyvaier’s extreme medical expenses on Saturday May 31st from 6pm-10pm. The Benefit will be held at the Niagara Frontier Post 1041 American Legion, located on 533 Amherst Ave, in Buffalo, 14207 between Grant St. and Elmwood Ave.
 
Tickets are $25 per person & includes dinner & non alcoholic beverage. Open bar will be available in addition to live performances, music, door prizes, and basket auctions.
 
Nekia is asking your support in attending the event and/or to donate a basket from your organization. Your donation will help in assisting the family in concentrating on Tyvaier’s road to recovery and not the financial burdens that the family faces on a daily basis.
 
Thank you in advance for your generous donation. Please send your check and enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope payable to: Tyvaier Jones Benefit Fund c/o Nekia Kemp, PO Box 817, Buffalo, NY, 14215.  You may also contact us by email for additional information or to donate items for the benefit : friendsoftyvaier@yahoo.com.  for more information or copies of the official flyer, you can visit the Arts Academy web site at: http://www.bavpa.org/ Donations maybe tax-deductible

Getting Ready to Present

This week, Sheryl Nussbaum Beach and Will Richardson invited me to speak at the WNY PLP Celebration. I am excited to do this and also nervous. I’ll be writing some entries this week to get ready for my presentation and to help me brainstorm things I’d like to say.

They’ve asked me to talk about what I’ve learned about from blogging. They’ve also asked me to talk about the challenges about doing my blog. Today I am going to write about all the good things I have learned.

1. I have learned about how to use Skype, like how to call and chat with other people.
2. I’ve learned about how to present. For example, I presented for my Aunt Barb’s religion class during Christmas time. I’ve also given a lot of interviews now to TV reporters and to newspaper reporters too. This is sometimes really hard.
3. I’ve learned about Internet Safety like how not to use any of my or other people’s personal information. Or like not to pt my friend’s pictures up on my blog without permission.
4. I’ve learned how to use my new web cam like how to post my videos upon Youtube and recording my videos.
5. I have been e mailing more so I can answer comments and questions  that my readers send me.
6. I’ve learned how to use Youtube to make a difference ( I will as soon as I get as my computer to upload my videos to the web).
7. I’ve learned what NING is, and I’ve joined Art Snacks and Razoo.
8. I’ve learned about internet manners. Like when people leave comments on my site, I try to comment back. When they write about me in their blogs, I try to leave a comment too. This helps me get to know other people and it is good manners. I’ve met some really supportive people this way!
9. I’ve learned about Microsoft Paint. I used this to make blog badges.
10. I get to do two of my favorite things here: I get to write and use the computer!
11. I am learning good writing traits. I’ve learned to make better titles (they are the main idea of my entry). I’ve also started learning about hooks. I’m learning to edit my work and add detail.
12. I’ve learned about blog design. I can write posts and pages. I use widgets. I uploaded my own blog header too. And I know how to use my dashboard in WordPress too.
13. I’ve learned that when I tag my posts, it helps bring readers who are interested in my topic to my page. This is how I start learning about other bloggers who are trying to make a difference too!

 

Raising Money for Suzanne’s Ride for Roswell

 I love our block sale every year. Our sidewalks are overly crowded with people and I can smell lots of fresh lemonade from our lemonade sale. We always have a tiny table filled with toys and things that we like to sell. My mom, dad and I sell bigger things too! I got to thinking that this will be a good way to raise money for my causes.

So because next month is our block sale, I will be helping my mom to get ready for it. All of the money we make will be donated to my cousin Suzanne’s Ride for Roswell. Suzanne will be riding in memory of my Grandpa Stockman (Al).

I am also going to see if she will do an interview with me too! Suzanne and my dad grew up together and they are almost the same age. I wonder if she will share some of her memories of my grandpa with me for the interview. That would be really fun.

Thank You Skype!!!

This week I got a webcam in the mail from SKYPE. My webcam is awesome! THANK YOU SKYPE!!!

So today I want to write down some things about how I can use my webcam to make a difference.

1. I can do webchats with classrooms about small ways to make a difference
2. I can post a video on Artsnacks which is something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time
3. Spread awarness on the charity of the month by announcing it on my blog
4. Announce  the winners of blog contests
5. Monthly interviews with charity directors in skype. I like to interview the people who I work with during the month sometimes. My webcam will help me do this and see them at the same time!

 If you have any more ideas about what I can do to make a difference with SKYPE and my webcam tell me by leaving a comment!

Skype News!!!

Today, while I was super bored (my little sister is at a birthday party) and leafing through an old crafts book, my mom opened my 25 Days e mail and guess what? I got an email message from Sara Schoenborn. She works for SKYPE !

HER TEAM HAS DECIDED TO DONATE A WEB CAMERA TO ME SO THAT I CAN SEE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE SKYPEING ME! I AM LITERALLY JUMPING UP AND DOWN AND DANCING AROUND MY COMPUTER WHILE I WRITE!!!!!!!! SO AS YOU CAN READ I AM REALLY HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My mom just emailed Mrs. Hernandez at 17 Chances to Help to see if she would like to Skype with me again. Is anyone else out there interested in doing this? I really enjoy blogging and Skyping about blogging and ways that kids can make a difference. This is really cool.

Supporting My Cousin, Suzanne in the Ride for Roswell

This spring, my cousin Suzanne is doing the Ride for Roswell in memory of my Grandpa Al. I am planning to spend this month working hard to raise money for her, and I would like to kick off an even BIGGER bottle drive in order to do this.

If you are willing to help me out and have bottles that you are willing to donate this month, please let me know. I can come to your house to pick them up. If you drop them off, please knock on the door to let us know or leave them next to our side door! Thank you! All of the money that I make on bottle returns will be donated to my cousin Suzanne’s Ride for Roswell!

You can also donate directly to her ride right here or you can send a check to the address below. I am hoping to interview Suzanne this month too, so I will keep you updated on all of her hard work. I think it is really AWESOME that she is doing this.

Make all checks payable to:
The Ride For Roswell
P.O. Box 644
Buffalo, NY 14240-0644
(Please note my name, Suzanne Manning, in your check memo field)

Thank You to Erie 1 Teachers

If you look at my sidebar, you will see a bunch of names listed there. These are mostly teachers who volunteered to put up posters for Compass House! Thank you VERY MUCH!

Making a Difference for Suneel’s Light

My friend Kristen works with Suneel’s Light helping to raise money to find a cure for Muscular Dystrophy. Suneel is a boy who lives near me. He is about my age, and he has muscular dystrophy. I’ve dedicated the last month of my blogging to Suneel’s Light. This weekend, I will be returning bottles to help raise money for Suneel’s Light. I had a lemonade sale this month, too, and this was my friend Emily’s idea.

Emily is the winner of this 25 day challenge. I will be making a twenty dollar donation to the charity of Emily’s choice this week, as soon as she lets me know where she would like her donation to go.

We will also be cutting card paper this week to make cards so that Suneel’s Light can sell them at the Allentown Art Fastival this summer.  I am really excited about this because I really like those two things, cardmaking and art!

I’m sad to be wrapping up helping Suneel’s Light but you spreading awareness of it would be really great, and it would be a great way of proving that even making a small difference is really making a bigger difference than you can ever imagine.