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Clark College students make a difference
When Clark College (Vancouver, Wash.) students enrolled in Deena Bisig’s Humanities 103: Popular Culture class, they thought they would be studying celebrities like Britney Spears and Brad Pitt. But Deena had more expansive goals and challenged her students to discover how they, as individuals, could make a difference in their culture.
Deena asked her students to visit the REAL. LIFE. Exhibit and do four things:
Photo courtesy of Deena Bisig
- Write a reflection paper on their experience in the exhibit.
- Create an “I can make a difference” project.
- Write a letter to Medical Teams International and suggest a new vignette for the exhibit.
- On the final night of class, share their project and vignette idea with REAL. LIFE. Exhibit staff.
The students brainstormed about various ways they could raise awareness, collect donations and bring relief to the people they learned about in the exhibit. On the final night of class, students shared their ideas for a new vignette as well as their creative “I can make a difference” projects. Students raised awareness about the exhibit by creating:
Other students presented Medical Teams International with donations of:
- $617.69 in cash
- Hope Kits [PDF] of personal care items as well as educational items
- stuffed animals and toys
- boxes of other hygiene items
L-R Tutrinh Dang, Katie Martin and Sarah Brooks (Photo courtesy of Deena Bisig)
The REAL. LIFE. Exhibit staff awarded three students I can make a difference donation certificates. These certificates allowed the students to chose a place and a need where they would like to donate the amount of money designated in the award.
Tutrinh Dang was awarded a $50 I can make a difference donation certificate for the best work in both the “new vignette” category and the “I can make a difference” category. Katie Martin was awarded a $25 I can make a difference donation certificate for the best work in the “new vignette” category. Sarah Brooks was awarded a $25 I can make a difference donation certificate for the best work in the “I can make a difference” category.
Send us your I Can Make a Difference stories about how you, your school, youth group, or family is making a difference.
I'm only one person, but I can make a difference!