Extreme Makeover: School Edition (EMSE)

 Extreme Makeover: School Edition is a non-profit organization that aims to renovate and provide resources for underfunded and neglected public schools all over America. At EMSE, we understand that students thrive the best in safe and comfortable settings, and we hope to help youths reach their full potentials by improving their learning environments.

I have had the privilege to attend private schools for all of my education. As a result, I had access to nearly any academic resources I wanted and had a plethora of opportunities – allowing me to be in the position I am today, a student at University of Southern California. However, as someone who has volunteered in overcrowded and underfunded schools, I have realized how dangerous and disheartening the learning atmosphere is and that this can be easily changed by a quick renovation.

This is where EMSE comes in. There is not a single foundation in America that focuses on renovating schools. Through renovations, schools that are in poor conditions will be safer for students to learn it, will create a more positive and motivating environment, and will encourage good teachers to stay. More so, by providing new and additional resources such as a better gym, computer labs, or a new library full of books, it can open thousands of doors for students and inspire students to achieve things they never thought was possible.

EMSE has a selection committee that will prioritize what school is in the most critical condition. Our team of highly trained construction workers and board members will then work the school and meet the students to determine what their needs are and what will benefit them the most. While EMSE is composed of a small but efficient team, we strongly believe in our mission, and we believe that even by renovating one school at a time, we can change the lives of many generations of students.

How Would I Make the World a Better Place?

There are so many things in the world that can be improved: from small issues such as my empty fridge to major issues such as Donald Trump being president (but I am not going to talk any more about him today since I have been hearing his name more than I want to for the last few months). My point is, there are so many problems in the world and I think that most of them can be fixed through education. Proper and well rounded education prevents ignorance, ignorance prevents hate/greed/a lot of other bad stuff, and that will prevent a lot of issues we face in the world today from happening in the first place. If education taught everyone how to love and accept others, there arguably will not be war, hate crime, discrimination... you name it. Additionally, fair and equal education will also help prevent poverty and increase general knowledge. So it seems like education plays a key role in making the world a better place. But where would I start? Ideally all over the world, but lets start small and somewhere more probable: America.

We would start by having:
1) Better teachers
Not a lot of people want to be teachers since its a job often looked down upon, and many teachers are not respected. As a result, you often get some teachers who do not really care or put in the effort to teach students to the best of their abilities, or have under-qualified teachers. To battle this, we should look to Finland's educational system where their teachers are highly trained, well paid, and respected (article for your reference: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/jun/17/highly-trained-respected-and-free-why-finlands-teachers-are-different)

2) More funding/resources
Maybe instead of funneling all the money into military and prisons, America should give more money to schools, especially those in the inner cities.

3) Different tracks of education for people with different interests
People always focus on the 'smart ones'. By that, I mean those who are math geniuses, wants to be a doctor, is a great writer etc. But what happens to those who aren't? Most are just kind of pushed to the side, deemed stupid/useless, and forgotten about. That should not be the case. In Holland, students have an option of HAVO, VWO, and MBO (article for your reference:http://www.expatica.com/nl/education/Education-in-the-Netherlands_100816.html). By having 3 different tracks to take, no students are left behind and everyone can find something they enjoy and are suited for them. Not everyone is meant to be doctors, some want to be a hairdresser and that is perfectly fine.

The Blue Sweater - Part 2

The more I read the more I admire Jacqueline Novogratz. In chapters 9-15 of her book The Blue Sweater: Bridging the Gap between Rich and Poor in an Interconnected World, Novogratz returns to Rwanda and continues her journey on helping people in poverty through social enterprises instead of non-profits such as those funded by UNICEF as well as how she founded the Acumen Fund. What stood out to me was when Novogratz stated that the philanthropic sector was changing, and that the word philanthropy itself "felt outdated" - something I am beginning to notice too through many social enterprises today such as Biolite or Terracycle. Like Novogratz, I believe that traditional charities are not sustainable due to the lack of resources invested (whether that be money or knowledgable staff to run it), and that by investing in entrepreneurs with great ideas to improve the world, will lead to a greater change and improvement in society.

Reading the last few chapters also reminded me of the kind spirit people could have. Despite the fact that she did have several unpleasant run in with locals, there were also those that treated her as one of their own. It reminded me of the time I spent in Cambodia where I was working with a organization called Tabitha for a year. Tabitha helps rural villages in Cambodia become self sufficient by putting them through a program where they:
1) Build their own well to start a farm
2) Sell the produce they grow and have enough money to buy farm animals
3) Make enough money to build houses instead of huts
4) Eventually move further into civilization and start more businesses to become self sufficient
I had the honor to help a village go through step 1 to 3, and as a result, I got to know many of the villagers really well. I still remember how on the first day I arrived, they wanted to share all their food with me despite of having barely anything to eat themselves. Reading Novogratz's experience just really reminded me of how through all the violence and corruption, people can be good.

While I found Novogratz's experience on how to set up sustainable and efficient financial structures for loans to be extremely interesting, I found myself awed by the level of perseverance, bravery, and commitment she had. Novogratz was physically assaulted and robbed on while running on the beach not too long after she returned to Rwanda, and instead of retreating back to a comfortable life in New York,  she kept herself composed and instead talked about "the economic conditions that would prompt young men to attack women". In addition to that, Novogratz was also disregarded by many of her co-workers, and suffered through the pain and loss after the Rwanda genocide where she lost many of her friends. With all that Novogratz has been through, she has really become one of my role models and what the definition of persistency.

The Blue Sweater - My thoughts so far

Have you ever heard of the book The Blue Sweater: Bridging the Gap Between Rich and Poor in an Interconnected World by Jacqueline Novogratz? If not, you should definitely check it out! I normally only like reading fiction books but Novogratz did an excellent job in describing her journey from a banker to the founder and CEO of Acumen – a non-profit organization that funds social enterprises that tackle issues of poverty.

I’ve only read chapter 1 to 8 so far, but I have already taken away so much from the book. The first thing that really stuck with me was when Novogratz said “ I did what I now tell young people to do: I started where I could and where I was given the chance.” This advice is something that I think people need to take to heart. From what I see in my family and friend group, there is a lot of pressure to know what you want, have a set goal, and to be instantly successful in whatever it is you decide to do. That obviously is ideal, but people forget that life is far from perfect and that sometimes the best solution is to take advantage of any opportunities present. This could be applied to looking for your first job straight out of college, or like Novogratz, learning about she could help global poverty. Without seizing the different opportunities Novogratz had, she would have never been able to figure out through trial and error that traditional charities were not a long term solution to help the poor, and that the best solution was to provide loans to the poor to start a business and become self sustainable.

Another thing that I think is important to highlight is that helping the poor and is not just about money. Stereotypically, when people think about poverty, the first thing that pops into their mind is: “let me donate some money.” As seen through Novogratz’s experience, giving money does not actually make the problem go away. To really make a difference and a change, you have to understand the culture of the people in poverty, their needs, and their goals. For example, Novogratz initially received a lot of resentment from African women despite her efforts to help because she was a white woman who didn’t ask what they wanted or needed. However, as she learned through her mistakes, she started teaching and advising others on how to run their own business instead of taking the role of the expert and telling people what to do – as seen through her work with the Blue Bakery. Doing so allowed her to connect more with the locals, and help empower the people by giving them a sense of accountability, reward, success, confidence, and therefore freedom.

So far, I have found this book extremely engaging and mind opening. If you ever get the chance, this is a book worth reading.

“I don’t want to lift heavy because I don’t want to get too bulky” 

* To the dudes reading this, I am sorry to say that this post is more geared towards women. But hey, you are already here so might as well keep reading! 

There seems to be a misconception that the moment women pick up weights heavier than 20 pounds, they will immediately turn into a gorilla (okay, maybe I am exaggerating a little and being a bit sassy). But unlike men, we have significantly lower levels of testosterone and growth hormone – making it much harder for us to put on muscle mass.

Sure, there are female bodybuilders out there that have impressively large muscles. However, they have been working towards that goal for years. To achieve such looks, it requires them to not only train intensively, but to also eat a specific diet and take certain supplements. So I can assure you, YOU WILL NOT GET BULKY FROM PICKING UP HEAVY THINGS unless you are specifically trying to. I would go into more scientific detail on why, but I am pretty sure you don’t want to read all of that. Instead, I’ll just use one of my friends that have been training with me as an example.

This is when her before picture before she started weightlifting. At 5’5, she was 173 pounds. 

This is her now at around after a new tattoo and a year of repetitively picking up heavy things. She looks pretty good right? Want to know what is impressive? She now around 160 pounds and can deadlift 315 pounds.

Trust me, if you pick up heavy things and eat healthy, your muscles will only get stronger and denser. So to my ladies, please don’t let the weights scare you!

Expert Article

Shoes That Kill

Footwear and its affect on health 

Does your feet throb after a night out with friends? Does your knee feel sore? Does your backache? Do you know why? You are wearing the wrong shoes!

Dozens of research have been published in the last few years showing that most footwear do more harm than good, including the extremely cushioned and supportive running shoe that you own! According to some podiatrists, comfortable shoes do not necessarily mean that they are healthier for your feet (Adams). Goes against intuition right? In the next few minutes, I will explain the problem with most shoes and what alternatives are better.

The problem with shoes

I will start of talking about the worst of the worst: Heels. To the guys reading this article, high heels might not be your style, but I promise that this article will be relevant to you soon, just keep reading.

In the last few years, the average height of high-heels has gone from 3 to 5 inches. As a result, doctor visits for foot complaints have increased by 75% (Voss).  Anyone who has ever worn high heels can tell you that they are hell. Walking in heels increases pressure on the knee joint by more than 26%, causes the center mass of the body to shift forward, the hips to move out of alignment, and increase the curvature of your spine (de Burca, Demelza).  Sure the extra curve on your back might make your butt look great, but is it really worth the discs on your spine breaking down? Or muscle spasms?

The effects of high-heels on the foot deformation are just as bad: bunions, hammertoes, stress fractures, tendinitis, and plantar fasciitis. I would show you a picture of an actual foot, but for the sake of the squeamish, I’ll show a drawing instead:

It’s obvious that high heels are unnatural and are no good for the body. So the solution seems to be to wear flat shoes right? What most people don’t know is that so-called supportive trainers are also just as bad.

Shoes with cushioning encourage the wearer to land on the heel first when moving instead of the ball of the foot or flat-footed.  Landing with the heel not only causes stress injuries, but also alters the natural stride and posture of the body. In other words, running with your heels first creates an unnatural walking pattern and puts a lot of pressure on your joints. In fact, according to a research conducted by Daniel Lieberman, a professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard, heel runners experience a collision force of 960 times more for every mile they run compared to those who run on the balls of their feet (Hendrick).

  

So if heels are bad for you, and so are most flat shoes, what do you wear?

The alternative

As Irene S. Davis, the Direct of Spaulding National Runner Center explains, “We’ve over-support our feet [with shoes] to the point that our foot doesn’t have to do what it’s designed to do, and when you support a muscle, it doesn’t have to work as hard. When it doesn’t have to work as hard, it gets weak” (Helmer).  The easiest way to prevent this would be to walk and run barefooted. After all, we weren’t made for shoes and our body went through years of revolution to perfect the design of our foot. By going barefoot, we naturally shorten our steps, are more prone to land on the ball of our feet, and flex more in our knees, hips, and ankles for softer landing on hard surfaces.

Unfortunately, walking around in most cities without shoes is frowned upon and even dangerous (I had to pull glass out of my friend’s foot once), so the next best alternative would be wearing ‘barefoot shoes’ or ‘minimalist shoes’. The most well known example of these would be the Vibram FiveFingers. I personally don’t like how they look so thankfully other brands have started producing similar and better looking products. I will list a few that I have heard good reviews from:

·      Vivobarefoot (this brand specializes in barefoot shoes for both sports and casual footwear):

•         New Balance Minimus
•         Inov-8 Bare-XF
•         Merell Vapo Glove
•      Toms 

I wear minimalist shoes whenever I can now, and I love it. My knees have been hurting less, my posture has been improving, and I even feel like I’ve been running faster! However, if you do plan on joining me on the barefoot shoe lifestyle, I would suggest that you do so gradually. From personal experience, I can tell you that your body needs time to build up the muscles on your feet and calves. If you stress it too much, you will be sore.

Works Cited

Adams, Jill U. "Comfort Shoes Aren't Necessarily Good for You. How to Find the Support You Need." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 11 Nov. 2013. Web. 29 Sept. 2016. <https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/comfort-shoes-arent-necessarily-good-for-you-how-to-find-the-support-you-need/2013/11/11/99846312-40dd-11e3-8b74-d89d714ca4dd_story.html>.

De Burca, D. Wear More Flat Shoes to Heel Feet. London (UK) Apr 08,2009 International Newsstand; ProQuest Central

Hendrick, Bill. “Barefoot Running May Have Health Benefits.” WebMD, n.d. Web, 27 Sept. 2016. http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/news/20100127/barefoot-running-laced-with-health-benefits.

Helmer, Jodi. “Barefoot Running: Should You Try It?” WebMD, n.d. Web, 27 Sept. 2016. http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/new-exercise-trend-barefoot-running.

Voss, Gretchen. “Are Your Shoes Killing You?” CNN. N.p., 4 Nov. 2011. Web, 27 Sept. 2016. <http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/04/health/shoes-feet-hurt-body/>

From Moo to Steak: Growing A Farmer book reflection

Gross, that’s my first impression... I never really thought about where my food came from until I started reading Growing a Farmer by Kurt Timmermeister. The first half of the book follows Timmermeister’s journey in detail about how he started his farm: his attempts on different generating profit from different products, his problems, and his failures. The second half of the book goes focuses more on how animals are slaughtered and butchered.  So if you do not want to know how animals are killed for consumption or (if you are like me) is very visual, I would skip over chapter 11-13.  The last few chapters conclude with the condition of his farm now: he gains most of his profit from artisan cheese, hosts farm dinners, and are able to produce everything that he and his guests consume.

However, while the amount of detail provided in the last few chapters did catch me by surprise, it did change my perception of food. I have a new found respect for farmers and all the work they have to put in. It also helped me recognize the luxury I have.  When I want a piece of steak, I can walk down the street to the grocery store and choose what piece I want from nice and clean packaged boxes. I do not have to deal with the struggle of taking the life of an animal, cutting it up, and cleaning it.