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(music)
>> TODAY, WE HAVE 250 STUDENTS COMING TO GRCC
TO COME OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND DO RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS.
THIS EVENT'S CALLED "PASS IT FORWARD," AND THE IDEA IS JUST THAT.
YOU DO SOMETHING POSITIVE FOR SOMEONE ELSE,
IN HOPES THAT THEY'LL GO ON AND DO A GOOD DEED IN TURN.
>> IT TAKES WHAT THEY LEARNED IN THE CLASSROOM...
AND THEY APPLY IT OUT INTO THE REAL WORLD.
AND THEY'RE GIVING BACK.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT STUDENTS AND EVERY HUMAN BEING
LEARN TO GIVE BACK.
>> WE WANTED TO DONATE TOYS TO THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL,
AND WE THOUGHT THAT IT'D BE VERY SPECIAL TO THEM,
SO WE NEEDED TO FIND A DOLLAR GENERAL.
AND WE WERE WALKING, AND IT TOOK US A HALF HOUR TO GET THERE
AND, LITTLE DID WE KNOW, THERE'S ONE THREE MINUTES DOWN THE ROAD.
>> WE STARTED OUT BY GOING TO GOODWILL AND WE PURCHASED SWEATSHIRTS
AND SOME SOCKS AND SOME MITTENS, AND WE DISTRIBUTED THOSE.
>> WE WALKED UP TO SPECTRUM.
WE ACTUALLY WENT INTO THE CAFE AND PAID FOR SOME MEALS,
ACTUALLY, FOR A NURSE WHO WAS TOTALLY SHOCKED,
BUT HOPEFULLY, SHE'LL PAY IT FORWARD
THROUGH HER PATIENTS THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
AND THEN, ANOTHER FAMILY WHO'S DAUGHTER JUST GOT OUT OF SURGERY FOR CANCER.
>> WE WENT TO GUIDING LIGHT...
AND WE MADE 68 BUNKBEDS
FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT COME TONIGHT,
SO PEOPLE GET BACK FROM EATIN' AND BEIN' IN THE COLD ALL DAY,
AND THEY WON'T HAVE TO MAKE UP THEIR OWN BEDS,
BECAUSE WE MADE THEIR BEDS FOR THEM.
THEN, WE DONATED $20 TO GUIDING LIGHT,
SO THAT THEY COULD BUY MORE SOAP POWDER OR BLEACH
OR WHATEVER IT IS IT TAKES TO TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE THERE.
>> WE ALSO WENT TO BIGBY COFFEE AND BOUGHT ONE OF THOSE, LIKE, THOSE BOXES
THAT YOU CAN JUST TAKE.
IT'S TEN CUPS OF COFF-- OF HOT CHOCOLATE--
AND WE WENT TO ROSA PARKS CIRCLE FIRST,
AND THEN, WE WALKED AROUND ALL OF GRAND RAPIDS--
WELL, AS MUCH AS WE COULD, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY HARD TO GIVE 'EM ALL AWAY.
I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE REALLY EASY, BUT IT REALLY WASN'T,
'CAUSE I THINK EVERYBODY WAS DOING IT.
>> WE WENT TO GOODWILL, LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE,
AND WE BROUGHT HATS AND GLOVES, AND WE PASSED 'EM OUT TO HOMELESS PEOPLE IN NEED.
AND WE ALSO HAD A GROUP MEMBER WHO HAD COATS AND STUFF IN HER CAR
THAT SHE HAD INTENDED TO DONATE BUT HADN'T DONE SO YET,
SO WE HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE STUFF.
>> ALONG THE WAY, WE STOPPED AND BOUGHT SOME COFFEE AND HANDED IT OUT.
SOMEBODY ASKED FOR A BOTTLE OF WATER.
WE GLADLY BOUGHT THAT.
PAID FOR SOME GAS.
>> WE WENT TO THE HOPE LODGE... AND WE MADE SOME BEDS...
WE WENT THROUGH THEIR FOOD PANTRY AND THEY GAVE US A LIST OF ITEMS
THAT WERE NEEDED FOR THEIR COMMUNITY.
THEY'RE ENCOURAGED TO BRING THEIR OWN FOOD
BUT, IF THEY DON'T, JUST BY DONATION IS WHAT THEY'RE GIVEN,
SO SOME OF US WENT TO THE GROCERY STORE AND BOUGHT SOME FOOD FOR THE PANTRY.
>> WE BROUGHT FOUR OR FIVE DOLLAR GIFTCARDS
AND WE JUST RAN BACK TO THE NEAREST PLACE
WHERE WE COULD FIND SOMEONE THAT PROBABLY NEEDS IT--
SO, WE FOUND THREE HOMELESS PEOPLE AND WE GAVE 'EM THE GIFTCARDS.
>> WE WENT TO THE WOMEN'S CLINIC,
AND THEY WERE ACTUALLY HAVING A PARENTS SEMINAR THERE,
SO WE HELPED OUT WITH SOME KIDS.
AND WHAT IMPACTED ME THE MOST--
THERE WERE LIKE A FEW SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS THAT WE COULD ACTUALLY,
LIKE, PLAY WITH THEM AND INTERACT WITH THEM.
>> WE DECIDED TO GO OVER TO GOODWILL.
AND THE PLAN WAS JUST TO TRY TO BUY SOME GLOVES AND HATS,
AND THEN, JUST GO PASS THEM OUT TO PEOPLE EITHER STANDING AT DEGAGE
OR GOD'S KITCHEN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND WHAT WE ENDED UP DOING IS WE ENDED UP FINDING PEOPLE
JUST STANDING OUTSIDE OF GOODWILL.
UH, A COUPLE OF HOMELESS GUYS.
THE FIRST GUY WAS DAVE.
I ENDED UP CHATTING WITH HIM.
HE HAD ON TWO PAIR OF GLOVES, UH, HOLES IN ALL OF THE GLOVES--
HIS FINGERS WERE STICKING OUT.
I SAID, "CAN I AT LEAST JUST TAKE YOU IN AND BUY YOU A PAIR OF GLOVES?"
HE DID NOT WANT TO DO THAT.
HE DID NOT WANT TO GO IN.
BUT HE ALLOWED ME TO JUST GIVE HIM MY GLOVES.
>> OUR GROUP WENT TO A GROCERY STORE AND PAY FOR A COUPLE PEOPLES' GROCERIES,
AND HELPED THEM TAKE THEIR GROCERIES TO THEIR CAR.
>> OH, GRACIAS.
(music)
>> THIS IS REALLY A PERFECT EVENT FOR US,
BECAUSE GRCC WORKS TO EDUCATE OUR STUDENTS
AND GRCC WORKS TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY,
AND THIS IS THE PERFECT BLENDING OF THOSE TWO IDEAS.
>> EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IS CURRICULUM, AND IT AFFECTS US.
SO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE IN A CLASSROOM TO LEARN ANYTHING.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE IN A STRUCTURE OF A COLLEGE
OR A STRUCTURE OF A PAROCHIAL SCHOOL OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WE LEARN EVERY DAY LIFE BY DOING THINGS AND INTERACTING WITH PEOPLE.
SO, THIS IS ALL ABOUT THAT.
AND THE LESSONS WE CAN TAKE AWAY FROM IT ARE THE LESSONS OF HUMANITY--
THAT WE CAN TOUCH ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL'S HEART AND SOUL
BY LOOKING THEM IN THE EYE AND DOING SOMETHING KIND FOR THEM
AND, IN RETURN, ASK THEM TO DO SOMETHING ELSE.
AND THEN, IT SPREADS.
I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER LESSON THAN THAT.
>> WE WENT INTO GOODWILL.
WE TOOK TIMOTHY IN WITH US-- THAT WAS THE GUY WE BOUGHT THE COAT AND THE HAT FOR,
AND WE WERE RINGING IT UP,
AND THEY WERE ALL STANDING THERE WATCHING THIS TRANSACTION TAKE PLACE,
AND THE COAT WAS $9 AND THE HAT WAS $1.
AND WE GOT OUTSIDE-- AND THE WHOLE TIME, TIMOTHY WAS JUST GOING,
"THAT'S TOO MUCH MONEY, THAT'S TOO MUCH MONEY.
"YOU SHOULDN'T BE SPENDING THAT MUCH MONEY ON ME."
AND I SAID, "NO, IT'S THE PERFECT PRICE.
"DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT."
AND WHEN WE GOT OUTSIDE, AND TIMOTHY AND US PARTED WAYS,
ONE OF THE YOUNG MEN HERE SAID, "YOU KNOW WHAT?
"I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD EVER BE DOING ANYTHING LIKE THIS."
HE SAID, "MY COAT COST $200.
"THAT GUY WAS FREAKING OUT ABOUT $9."
SO, IT AFFECTED OUR GROUP AND IT AFFECTED THE YOUNG MAN HERE
IN A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT WAY.
JUST TO SEE THAT KIND OF STUFF THAT HAPPENS IN OUR WORLD,
SO IT WAS VERY GOOD FOR US.
>> WE ALL HAD GREAT IDEAS OF WHAT WE WANTED FOR THE CHILDREN,
AND EVERYBODY PITCHED IN AND SPENT THEIR OWN MONEY.
IT'S EASIER TO PASS IT FORWARD AS A GROUP.
AND ALSO, IN THIS ECONOMIC TIME,
WE THOUGHT THAT IT WAS SUPPORTING THE PARENTS, TOO.
>> OUR GENERAL LEARNER OUTCOME CURRICULUM FOR THE DAY IS INFORMATION MANAGEMENT.
WE'RE GONNA START BY GOING OVER THE CURRICULUM WITH THE STUDENTS
AND HELPING THEM UNDERSTAND, REALLY, THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD.
WHAT IT TAKES TO POSE A SCIENTIFIC QUESTION,
GATHER THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO MAKE A SOLID DECISION,
THINK ABOUT AND ANALYZE THE INFORMATION YOU'VE GATHERED,
IN ORDER TO COME TO A LOGICAL CONCLUSION.
SO, OF COURSE, THEY WON'T BE DOING RESEARCH TODAY,
BUT THEY WILL BE USING THE SAME KINDS OF PROCESSES TO COME TO THE DECISION
ABOUT WHAT KIND OF SERVICE WILL THEIR TEAM ENGAGE IN,
AND WHAT WILL THEY DO OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THEN, WHEN THEY'RE ACTUALLY IN THE COMMUNITY,
WE'LL BE ASKING THEM TO PAY ATTENTION TO HOW THINGS UNFOLD
AND BE THINKING ABOUT HOW INFORMATION PROCESSING
REALLY IMPACTS EVERYTHING THEY DO IN LIFE.
>> AND ONE THING I NOTICED WAS JUST SORTA HOW SOME PEOPLE
GOT REALLY SKEPTICAL ABOUT TAKING WHAT WE OFFERED.
IT JUST SORT OF MADE ME THINK ABOUT OURSELVES
AND ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW, WE MAYBE--
IT'S EASY TO GIVE, BUT IT'S ALMOST HARDER TO RECEIVE SOMETIMES.
>> WE RELATED TO THE GENERAL LEARNER OUTCOME OF PERSONAL SKILLS,
AND THEN, ONE OF THOSE IS THE ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND AND MANAGE CHANGE.
OBVIOUSLY, A BIG CHANGE IN LIFE IS BEING TO GO TO CHEMOTHERAPY, AND--
>> CANCER? >> YUP... SO--
AND HAVING THE WHOLE COMMUNITY THERE.
AT HOPE LODGE-- IT'S A VERY-- LIKE, THEY DON'T PUT TVs IN THE ROOMS.
THEY PUT 'EM OUT IN THE OPEN, SO EVERYONE COMES TOGETHER AS A GROUP,
AND THEY HELP EACH OTHER OUT.
>> THE STUDENTS WHO COME TO THE EVENT ARE STUDYING DIFFERENT TOPICS.
SOME OF THEM ARE IN PSYCHOLOGY, SOME BUSINESS, SOME NURSING,
AND WE ASK THEM TO THINK ABOUT THE EVENT IN TERMS OF EACH OF THEIR DISCIPLINES,
BUT THEN, WE ALSO THEM TO THINK FROM AN INTERDISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVE,
AND TO THINK ABOUT HOW INFORMATION CROSSES THE BOUNDARIES
OF DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES AND HOW WE CAN USE
THE KNOWLEDGE FROM ONE DISCIPLINE TO SUPPORT LEARNING IN ANOTHER.
>> OUR AREA WAS NURSING, AND PROVIDING THOSE PEOPLE WITH HATS, GLOVES, COATS.
IT'S NOT REALLY ABOUT JUST KEEPING THEM WARM--
FOR US, AS NURSING STUDENTS, IT'S, YOU KNOW, PRIMARY PREVENTION CARE.
PREVENTING THEM FROM FROSTBITE, HYPOTHERMIA--
ESPECIALLY THE OLDER HOMELESS PEOPLE.
WHEN YOU GET OLDER, YOU CAN'T REGULATE YOUR BODY TEMPERATURE NEARLY AS MUCH.
SO, IT REALLY IS A HEALTHCARE CONCERN, AS WELL.
ESPECIALLY BEING IN MICHIGAN, AND SO MUCH TIME AS THEY SPEND OUTSIDE.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
>> WE KIND OF BRAINSTORMED TOGETHER, "WHY IS CRIMINAL JUSTICE--"
OR "HOW CAN WE TIE CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN ON THIS PASS IT FORWARD?"
WE TALKED ABOUT, "IF WE CAN PASS ON A POSITIVE ATTITUDE,
"THAT CAN PASS ON A POSITIVE ATTITUDE."
JUST A SMILE MAKES SOMEBODY'S DAY.
SO, IF WE CAN CONTINUE THE POSITIVE, THAT GETS RID OF THAT NEGATIVE,
AND I ALSO TALKED OUR GROUP INTO PICKING UP TRASH.
AND WE MADE OUR COMMUNITY-- WE WENT DOWN DIVISION.
WE HAD A LOT OF TRASH.
AND JUST BY PICKING IT UP CAN MAKE PEOPLE RESPECT THINGS MUCH BETTER
BY SEEING SOMETHING CLEAN.
IF YOU DON'T CARE AND YOU HAVE TRASH ON THE FLOOR, "WHY CARE?"
YOU KNOW?
AND ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I THINK OF-- I LISTEN TO 105.7,
AND THEY TALK ABOUT "T.O.Y. THINK OUTSIDE YOURSELF."
EVERY DAY, I TRY TO THINK OUTSIDE MYSELF.
I WORK IN A NURSING HOME, AND THOSE ELDERLY PATIENTS LOVE IT.
A SMILE, A "HI, HOW ARE YOU DOING?"
ALL THAT STUFF-- SO, JUST KEEP THAT IN MIND.
THINK OUTSIDE YOURSELF EVERY DAY.
IF YOU CAN JUST DO ONE THING AND MAKE ONE PERSON SMILE,
IT'LL MAKE YOUR DAY AND EVERYONE ELSE'S DAY BETTER.
>> IT'S GREAT TO HAVE EVERYBODY COMING TOGETHER AND PARTICIPATING
AND, FOR ME, IT'S GOOD TO HAVE EVERYONE REALIZE
THE OFTEN OVERLOOKED POTENTIAL
WE ALL HAVE AS INDIVIDUALS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIVES OF OTHERS.
AND...
IMPROVING OUR OWN, JUST IN DOING SO.
>> (all) PASS IT FORWARD!