All we want for Christmas is for you to Relay with us in 2011

I just got this letter from the Relay for Life co ordinatars. Thought this was a spirit booster - $3 million!

Dear Alisha,

Thank you for being part of the Relay For Life family in 2010. With your support we have raised over $3 million – Congratulations!

Every dollar raised at Relay For Life helps the Cancer Council to fund important research, prevention and early detection programs and provide support for cancer patients and their families. Every five minutes, another Australian is diagnosed with cancer. While survival rates are improving every day, cancer remains the leading cause of death. That’s why it’s so important to raise funds to fight against cancer.

Registrations are now open online for Relay For Life 2011. If you register online by Monday the 6^th December 2010, you will go in the draw to win a $1,000 Coles/Myer voucher. Forward this email to family and friends for their chance to enter a team and be in the draw to win a $1,000 Coles/Myer voucher just in time for Christmas.

Your support will make a huge difference, which is why I encourage you to register today! Alternatively call our fundraising hotline on 1300 65 65 85 to register by December 6 2010.

Kind Regards,

Di Dixon

Gold Coast Relay For Life Coordinator

Another blog

Today we are in the library on the macbooks again. Some of the people in my class are helping with Casey’s WISE Project by writing some short stories. Some of the short stories that we have been writing about have been about anything from dance classes to a story about a dog in a pound. Some of the stories were funny, sad and adventurous. But for my WISE project, I have been starting on my reflection that is due next term. Because our WISE project product is due in the first week of Term 1. I have practically finished, except that I need to glue on some more pieces of paper onto my cardboard. I have set it up so all I have to do is pick the piece of paper up and then glue it back down. I am very happy with my progress that I have done this year and this term. I think that I am on track and sometimes I secretly think that I am ahead of some other people with their wise project. I am sure that I will have my project ready in time for the start of term 4! PS: we are going on camp next week which means that I will not be able to spend any time on my wise project :( I will have to catch up next, next week after camp!

Terrm 3, Week 4

Today I had another small conversation with Mrs. Churchill. My teacher also signed off my boxes from Term one, two and three. From last week, I still haven’t glues my items and information on my poster. This is because I read over my research and found many mistakes in smelling, grammar and some of the sentences that I had put together did not make sense. I have recently printed these out and will hopefully finish my poster soon. I also might decorate my poster a bit if I have time and if I think that it would suit the nature of the poster. So far, I think that I have made very good progress on my WISE project and that I have used my time wisely. I think that I am on target and should have my project finished in time!

First Lesson of Term Three

Today I showed Mrs Churchill what I have done. We had a conversation and I had to explain to her what my project was and what I wanted it to be like and not what she wanted it to be like. In the end we compromised both our ideas which will enhance my project even more. I am keeping my project the same, but am also putting some of the information on my poster into a slide show for more information for my oral. In today's lesson, we also sorted out what we needed to hand in. In the end, we decided that we have our project that we have been working on for the whole year, and then we have our blog which is like a diary, and then we have a 500 word reflection on what we learnt, what we did, what we would improve on etc. We also need an oral, which our reflection will take part in. This is a picture of my poster. I haven't stuck down the bits and pieces yet, but I will have to do that soon!

Poster

So on the holidays I started my poster which I have been planning in term 2. I tried many different placings and colours and ideas. But finally I decided on yellow cardboard and have placed my collected items in a 'messy' but creative and formal way. On the holidays, I also did some research about Cancer and have reworded and printed out what I researched. I have included information about Cancer, the different types of cancer and some Australian and Gold Coast Cancer statistics. I also included information about the relay for life. Some of this information I got off my blog, but other information I had to look around the internet for. Next lesson I have to show Mrs Churchill my progress and see what she thinks about my poster.

HOPE

When I was doing some research, I came across this picture and I thought that it was really inspiring. This picture is not from the Australian Cancer Council's Relay for Life, it is from the American Cancer Society. Even thought this image is from America, I know for a fact that we use the word 'HOPE' in Australia, QLD, Gold Coast. On top of the stage at the relay for life, they have a glowing sign that says HOPE that is blazing all thoughout the night.

Week 6

Right now on the Relay for life website, it says that altogether, we have raised over half a million dollars! That is really good. The goal for the whole website is one million dollars - and we are half way there!!

In other news I have been working on the information for my poster, and have put some of the information on my blog (the tabs). Some of this information I will use, but other stuff I will just leave on my blog just for other information. I have planned out that I want subheadings in the poster so that it is easy to read and more fun to read than a big chunk of paragraphs.

Also, before the holidays, I plan to have all my research done and all my items collected so that I can create my final product on the holidays. That way in Term 3, I can reflect on my product and add anything else that I think my blog and product need. I will also need to plan, create and practise the oral for presentation in Term 4.

So far I have completed everything and anything possible that I can for my WISE project and have kept to my planning (as seen on my blog). I have used my time wisely, on how I planned how long I would spend on activities and what those activities are. One thing that I would change if I could, would be to raise the amount of hours I spend/spent on research for my poster. But overall, the rest of the time is fine.

In today's lesson, Mrs Churchill came around to everyone and we did a self evaluation of our WISE project for my report. We acted as a team to work out what effort rating I was and whether I was consistent, usually or needs help. I think that most of my answers were either consistently and usually. I also gave myself an effort 5. I gave myself an effort 5 rating because I do not think that I could have done much more in my event, blog, product and altogether project.

What now?

So now that the Relay for Life is over, on the day I collected some things that happened during the event. From these items, I will be making a collage of all the items and objects that I collected. This will be done on a piece of about A3 paper (I haven't decided how big I want me peice of paper yet), and so on the back, I will put information about cancer and the relay for life. I think that the coloured paper/cardboard that I might use is white, black, purple or pink. I might use other colours, but these colours are simple. White and black is effective without being to flashy and purple and pink represent cancer. I have measured an A3 peice of paper and it is quiet big, but I am not sure that this is the right size for my project. Also, I do not have any photos as the lighting was very bad and nothing in the photos came out.

Team Fundraising

Overall, the team that I was apart of 'The Caped Crusaders' raised over $4 500 for the Queensland Cancer Council! This couldn't have and wouldn't have happened if everyone didn't pitch in and do there part. Even though my little under $200 doesn't compare to the $4 500 of the team, it will all contribute to the same factor of finding cures and curing people already diagnosed. Some of the other teams fundraising ranged from hundreds to thousands of dollars and I am sure that Queensland Cancer appreciates our help.

After the Relay for Life

Last weekend was the Relay for life 2010. Here are some of the events that happened on the night/day:
- It was freezing cold at night
- I got about three hours sleep
- It rained pretty much all night
- We had a Trivia Challenge and my team won!
- A friend and I walked around the campsites at night
- A friend and I walked around and put business related items into each teams 'mail box'
-There was heaps of food to eat such as hot dogs, muffins, brownies, chips, lollies and practically anything and everything
- There was a camping tent set up for people to sleep in
- There was another tent (the type that we use at carnivals) that was set up as sort of like a living room where there were couches, chairs, tables, radio, where the food was kept etc)
- At 7.40pm there was an aeroplane challenge where you had to create an aeroplane out of nothing but paper
- I made a pledge to help prevent me and others around me to not get diagnosed with cancer
- There was a big screen with the footie and Austar TV all night
- Candle Lit Ceremony
- My team played a fun oldies radio game
- And heaps of other things!

Trivia Challenge: Some of the questions were really hard for example, 'What is the colour of the most outer ring on an archery board?' and 'What type of creature is a Grunt?'

For the Paper Plane Challenge, you had to create the ultimate paper plane. The rules were that you could only use paper.

At the Candlelight Ceremony, we were given paper bags and if you wanted to, you could write on them saying who you were walking for and just a message and anything else you wanted to write about. After that, sand was put into the bag and a candle was placed in the sand to be lit and blaze all night (until the rain put it out!)

Before the Relay for Life

The Saturday morning and afternoon before I left, I didnt know what to expect for this years Relay for life and what to pack. This is what I was thinking about and what I ended up packing:
- a warm jacket
- warm long pants
- extra warm socks
- torch
- water
- food (to share)
- fun stuff to do such as music (headphones)
- extra hairties and bobbby pins just in case
- a camera to take pictuers (I didnt take many because everything was so dark that nothing came out in the photo
- all the money had been counted and given to the team captain, so we would find out how much we raised that night
- I was pretty tired because I had already played sport that day and I dont know if I am able to stay up all night (which is my plan)

Fundraising

For fundraising, I helped the cancer council sell raffle tickets. To sell the raffle tickets, I went around the street, around a friends street, asking people at netball, and asked family and friends if they wanted to buy raffle tickets. In the end I ended up raising just under $200. This is really good and I nearly got to my goal of $200. I was really proud and I was surprised at how generous some people were. Also, I bought some of the tickets to add my own contribution and found it really fun to ask people and explain to them what the Relay for life was all about. All up I think that I spent about 6 hours selling raffle tickets to people. I didn't just go around the street by myself, to make it fun, I two different friends to come walking and door knocking with me the two times that I went. I was astounded at how fast time flied because we were having so much fun. The days that we went walking, it was really hot, and we had to go back to the house to get some water. While walking we experienced heaps of funny memories that we will keep for life and some of the people we met were either really nice, annoyed, mean or really funny. But I guess that is just all part of the experience.

Project Goal

My project goal is to raise money for more cancer research, so hopefully in the near future we will have a cure for cancer which will save thousands of people. Also to show that it can be fun and helpful to assist the community. In addition, because my Grandfather died of cancer, I want them to find a cure so that other families wont have to be saddened to have lost a loved one. And to all those kids out there who never got to meet one of their 'suppose to be important' family members (like their grandparents) like i did.

Planning

The Relay for Life starts at 3pm on Saturday and ends at 9am the next day. The time spent at the actual Relay for Life would be 19 hours. More hours would be spent on creating my collage of pictures and stuff that I collect from the relay for life (e.g. pamphlets, items from other teams etc). I will also spend time researching before hand and afterwards for my oral presentation.

My Hours:
2+ Hours – Fundraising
19 Hours – At the Relay for Life
1 Hour – Gathering all the things I collect and making a basic plan of what I want I want my final product to look like
4 Hours – Making my final product (a collage of pictures and items that show how I helped the community (e.g. a raffle ticket that I sold, information about the relay for life and about cancer in general)
3 Hours – working on my Oral.
Altogether 29 Hours
* Hours might change (how long it takes to make my collage and how long it will take to complete my oral. How long it will take to plan, and how many hours I fundraise)

When will my project take place?
The Relay for Life starts at 3pm on Saturday 17th of April and continues onto the next day at 9am Sunday 18th April (1st weekend of Term 2)

How will I apply ‘Stewardship to the community’?
- by raising money for cancer research
o The money will go towards investigating new ways to prevent, detect and treat cancers
o Educate people on the Gold Coast about ways they can reduce their cancer risk
o Advocating cancer control
o Supporting people during their times of greatest need
- it will help the global community for people around the world who have cancer, and especially people in Australia because our sun is really strong (and because of how much time we spend it the sun)
- It will be worthwhile in the long run when they find a cure and any information about the disease (W)
- While doctors are working with what they have, with the money that will be raised from not only me and my team, but also everyone else, they will be able to get to the people that cant afford it and to help get more resources that will be helpful (I)
- The Relay for life not only happens in Australia, but also places such as the UK and America host an annual Relay for Life

How will I be a ‘Character of global citizenship’?
- At the Relay for Life at night, if you know someone that has cancer, had cancer or died for cancer, you have the opportunity to decorate and light up a lantern to show respect for those people
- I will be showing dedication every time I make a lap of the course of how I want to help and how work must be done to get something in the end. I will be committed to the Relay for life (E)

How will I become a ‘Life long learner’?
- By being apart of the Relay for life, I will be learning more about cancer. This information will help me think of what to do and what not to do to not get cancer in the long run
- When I am with people and I see them doing something that might endanger them of getting cancer, I will tell them and then they can spread the word
- I will be providing a service when I tell people about cancer and when I actually do the run I will be helping the cancer community (S)

How will I be a ‘Reflective Thinker’?
- When I am researching and don’t know what something means, I will be critical and ask questions about it and find out what it means
- I will be a creative thinker by thinking about ways to create my final project
- I will be looking at the big picture of ‘cancer’

How will I become a ‘Leader for the Future?’
- I will show understanding about people who are dealing with cancer and people who know of people that are dealing with cancer (My Grandfather died of cancer and I didn’t get to meet him, and so if I can prevent something like that happening from someone else, or comforting them about the same reason, then I will.)

What will be on my slideshow oral?
- What I learned from my WISE project
- How I helped the community
- Anything that I learnt
- About the Relay for life (so that if anyone wants to do it next year they can)
- Any difficulties and challenges I had while completing my project
- Any highlights I had while participating in the Relay for Life
- Any improvements that I would make if I were to do this again (e.g. my fundraising ideas)

How will I fundraise?
- Walking on my street (last year when I went around one of the houses was having a party and they contributed a lot of money (I am hoping to catch the party again!))
- Family and friends
- Asking people at swim training
- Putting a note on Facebook telling people about what I am doing and if they want to donate to contact me
- My Netball teams (9 girls on each team times 3)
- Going around my neighbourhood
- Fundraising with my friend (also doing the Relay for Life)
o Going around her street (It takes an hour to go up one side of her street)
o Going around her neighbourhood

How will I raise money?
- The cancer council does a raffle (all money goes towards cancer research)
o I will get heaps of booklets and sell these.
- If people want to donate and don’t want to buy raffle tickets, they can (I will tell them when I sell the raffle tickets)

What will I need for my final product?
- A large plain piece of paper
- Anything I collected during the day/night
- A description of what I did on a separate piece of paper
o Information about the relay for life
o A brief summary of what my project is about
- Heaps of photos
o Of what we did
o The course
o The location
o What it was like
o What we did during the night
- How much fun we had (even though we might be really tired)
- All the activities we took part in

What Skills am I aiming to achieve with my project?
- learn how to survive without sleep for 24 hours (how to juggle with what I am given with)
- Habits of mind
o Persisting
- I will be sticking to my project goal for the whole year
o Listening with understanding and empathy
- Listening to peoples stories about cancer
o Managing Impulsivity
- I am taking my time and planning my project before I just go out and do it
o Applying past knowledge to new situations
- I will be able to know what I am doing because this is my 4th year being apart of the Relay for life, and the 8th year my family has been apart of the relay
o Responding with wonderment and awe
- I will be having fun while I am raising awareness and fundraising for cancer
o Creating, imagining and innovating
- I will have to create my final project and imagine what it will look like in my head before I do it so that I know where I am going
o Thinking Interdependently
- walking with other people when doing laps, thinking together if a problem occurs on the night
o Remaining open to continuous learning
- My knowledge about cancer can continue to grow bigger and bigger