Do it for the children!
When I was in high school, I participated in something called Odyssey of the Mind. Essentially, it was a creative problem-solving program where a team of around 5-7 kids would pick from several long-term challenges (building a small balsa wood structure that could hold a great amount of weight, building a vehicle powered entirely by jacks, creating and staging a skit based on The Iliad, etc.). Not only did we have to accomplish the specifics of the task (the vehicle not only had to move, but move in various directions and accomplish different tasks), but we were also expected to create an entire presentation around the solution--script, music, costumes, sets, the works. Oh, and there was and eight-minute time limit for the presentation, which included setup. So basically we spent about eight months out of our years, meeting after school and on weekends, building and dumpster-diving (because there was a $100 limit for materials used, as I recall) and failing and building again and running the skit over and over again at 2 a.m. to get it down to eight minutes, all-nighters and way too much Mountain Dew and yelling at each other and laughing hysterically. It was intense and fun and insane and I don't think I've ever been more creative in my life, and it was one of the primary reasons I actually enjoyed a lot of high school. The program is now called "Destination ImagiNation"; if you'd like to find out more about it, check out their site here.
Well, the point of this whole thing is that there are three levels of competition: Regional, State, and Global (which, unlike the World Series, is actually global--teams from countries all over the world). In my four years, I think we made it to State three times, and Global once, my junior year. Last week, I randomly emailed my Odyssey of the Mind "coach," who's still teaching English and running the program at my high school, and it turns out that this year, for only the second time ever, they've got a team going back to Global. Set in exotic Knoxville, TN (ironically, also where they were set the year that my team went), there's going to be a fair amount of travel cost involved, so the team is now frantically trying to raise money. And I would really, really like to help.
And now, the part where I ask for favors. :)
Of course, I'm going to donate what I can, personally, but I'd also like to prevail upon you generous folk of LJ-land for anything you'd be willing to kick in. Any donation amount is welcome--$2, $5, $15, whatever you're comfortable with. And as a thank-you, you can then select a lovely parting gift of an icon or a drabble (or, if you are lucky, even an LJ header!) from the fabulously talented carrielh, fahye, or sdwolfpup, or from the fabulously grateful me. All donations will go through PayPal, and I'll cover PayPal's fees, so every cent that you donate will go directly to the team.
I understand this has been a busy year for donations and auctions and the like, and most of them for much grander causes, so I will completely understand if you're all "given out" for the moment. I just want to put it out there, because these are good kids, smart and creative and probably geeky and pretty much just like I suspect most of us were in high school, and because the coach is a fantastic guy--when we were pulling all-nighters he'd show up at 1 a.m. with Mountain Dew and Starburst, and however much time and sweat we devoted to this crazy enterprise, he devoted more, and has done so for going on about fifteen years now. He was my first real mentor, and he works his ass off, and if I can help smooth the path at all for him, I'd really love to do that.
Since the competitions start on May 24, I will be accepting donations through Wednesday, May 10th. If you would like to make a donation, please follow this link: http://brynnmck.livejournal.com/51668.html. This entry will give you the link to make your donation, and also allow you to select the thank-you gift of your choice.
Thank you for your generosity! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. Oh, and pimping is very welcome if you are so inclined! :)
Well, the point of this whole thing is that there are three levels of competition: Regional, State, and Global (which, unlike the World Series, is actually global--teams from countries all over the world). In my four years, I think we made it to State three times, and Global once, my junior year. Last week, I randomly emailed my Odyssey of the Mind "coach," who's still teaching English and running the program at my high school, and it turns out that this year, for only the second time ever, they've got a team going back to Global. Set in exotic Knoxville, TN (ironically, also where they were set the year that my team went), there's going to be a fair amount of travel cost involved, so the team is now frantically trying to raise money. And I would really, really like to help.
And now, the part where I ask for favors. :)
Of course, I'm going to donate what I can, personally, but I'd also like to prevail upon you generous folk of LJ-land for anything you'd be willing to kick in. Any donation amount is welcome--$2, $5, $15, whatever you're comfortable with. And as a thank-you, you can then select a lovely parting gift of an icon or a drabble (or, if you are lucky, even an LJ header!) from the fabulously talented carrielh, fahye, or sdwolfpup, or from the fabulously grateful me. All donations will go through PayPal, and I'll cover PayPal's fees, so every cent that you donate will go directly to the team.
I understand this has been a busy year for donations and auctions and the like, and most of them for much grander causes, so I will completely understand if you're all "given out" for the moment. I just want to put it out there, because these are good kids, smart and creative and probably geeky and pretty much just like I suspect most of us were in high school, and because the coach is a fantastic guy--when we were pulling all-nighters he'd show up at 1 a.m. with Mountain Dew and Starburst, and however much time and sweat we devoted to this crazy enterprise, he devoted more, and has done so for going on about fifteen years now. He was my first real mentor, and he works his ass off, and if I can help smooth the path at all for him, I'd really love to do that.
Since the competitions start on May 24, I will be accepting donations through Wednesday, May 10th. If you would like to make a donation, please follow this link: http://brynnmck.livejournal.com/51668.html. This entry will give you the link to make your donation, and also allow you to select the thank-you gift of your choice.
Thank you for your generosity! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. Oh, and pimping is very welcome if you are so inclined! :)