Community

Chicago Public School Science Fair

During the 2016/2017 school year, I served as a volunteer judge for three levels of the Chicago Public School science fair. In December, 2016, I judged the school fair at Sawyer Elementary School; in February, 2017, I judged the regional fair at Daley College; and in March, 2017, I judged the Chicago Public School City Science Fair at the Museum of Science and Industry.

Volunteering my time for these events was rewarding and allowed me to spend time with students who are different from the MCC students I normally encounter — different in age, in background, and in interest. The students I encountered at each level of the science fair were excited about learning and discovery, and they showed great professionalism and academic integrity.

I am also proud to have been an ambassador for MCC throughout this process, and I plan to continue to volunteer for this event in future years, hopefully recruiting my colleagues to join me.

Leaders in Action

On January 8, 2015 I led a workshop for the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce’s Leaders in Action series. Click here for a PDF of the presentation.

In case the hyperlinks don’t work, here they are:

“Team” on Slide 7 links to a blog post I wrote about observing a nursing colleague–what can you learn from your team?
“Groups” on Slide 14 links to a blog post I wrote about group work in the classroom, including the idea from David McRaney about assigning an a-hole to promote dissent.
“Managing for Creativity” links to the Richard Florida and Jim Goodnight article published in the Harvard Business Review

Suggested Reading

Below is a list of books on business, on thinking, on building relationships, and on productivity. It is by no means exhaustive, but I have found these helpful and interesting; I hope you do, too.

Brain Rules by John Medina, Pear Press (Audio), 2008

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen, Penguin Books, 2001

#GIRLBOSS by Sophia Amoruso, Portfolio Hardcover, 2014

How to Win Friends & Influence People in the Digital Age by Dale Carnegie & Associates, Simon & Schuster, 2011

The Rise of the Creative Class: Revisited, by Richard Florida, Basic Books, 2012

You are Not so Smart by David McRaney, Your Coach Digital (Audio), 2011

For more book recommendations, follow me on Goodreads

Open Books

For years when I lived in Chicago, I volunteered for the non-profit literacy organization Open Books.

I helped out as a Book Buddy in the Reading Buddies program and in the office during the summer, and I was a mentor in the V-Write program during the school year. All of my experiences with the organization were both positive and meaningful. Although I live far away from the headquarters now, I continue to visit the Open Books store and check to see what short-term activities I can participate in.

If you’re in the Chicagoland area and looking for a wonderful volunteer experience, I recommend Open Books!