Fluffy The Destroyer

Is the Apprentice Challenge only a game?

It is almost 9pm. Couple boys sitting in front of me keep constantly moving to their I-pod’s music and bumping their chairs into my laptop (something similar to the upper body dancing right in front of you just 100 times more annoying). Plain starts shaking – another “air hole”. Only one hour left. So many thoughts, questions, disappointments and excitements … For a second I even stop breathing. Ok, you fine – keep writing – I tell to myself and start moving my finger tips from one letter to another: e v e r y t h i n g w i l l b e o k.

My favorite color is clear and I am single, oh and I also have a huge discount for the flight tickets” – I hear our flight attendant joking. Hmm.. clear, single, discount.. where was I? All of sudden people start moving around – “yes I would like a glass of water, thanks.” Crazy, there is no fog or clouds in the sky, just tiny lights and overwhelmingly calm darkness. Beautiful.

Today I was thinking a lot… I thought about the rules, expectations and structure of this challenge, about my old team and the new one… Is the Apprentice Challenge only a game? If no, what is it for me, what am I getting from it, is it worth it? People say things happen for the reason. Today I really want to believe it. I am curious to find out the reason of me leaving my team. I guess time will show. So far I know, it is tough to change the teams, however, I know it is worth it.
Once Noah told me that along with the stress and sleepless nights we must have fun while participating in this challenge. I agree we should enjoy ourselves while working with each other… Today I think, that the Apprentice Challenge is not only about executing all projects in the most beneficial manner, it is also about building our relationship with not only successful, intelligent business people, but also with each other.

I loved working with my team 5280 Closers. David, Noah, Erin, Heidi – they all are my rock stars. Guys, working together on three projects was more than fun, I learned a lot from each of you, and even now, when you are not my official team mates I wish you all the best while working on the last project. I am sure we will definitely rock some surface in the future.

Now I have to switch the teams… Just leave. Strange. I know it won’t be easy… First, I am not familiar with strength, weaknesses and work ethics of my new team mates, as they don’t know mine. Second, 5280 Closers and I already started planning for our 4th project so it will be weird switching sides. Also, I got used to cheering for them and worrying about my ex team mates. I am not saying that I am not excited about working with 4 members from A Team, it is just hard to be the one to leave people I’ve been working with for 4 months now.

I don’t know what will happen while working on the 4th project. I am sure that no matter what it will be interesting and rewarding. I am excited to get to know better Chris, Kaleigh, Ashley and Cindy. I think, Ben and I will have the best perspective of all participants and their input in the project due to the sudden team exchange. I like this idea. I am happy to be able to exchange my knowledge and experience with 8 instead of 4 people, and to learn even more from them. So bring it on!

p.s. The Apprentice Challenge for me is not only a game, it is a life changing experience... And believe me, I enjoy every second of it...

Dreaming...

There is nothing impossible, as long as we can dream about it – we can do it!
Even before the moment I loudly pronounced my first Lithuanian words and made first clumsy steps I started dreaming. Not surprisingly my first dreams were related to candy, chocolate, toys. Then I was dreaming about having a little pony in my room, which preferably could talk. Later in my dreams I saw myself as a famous singer, ballerina, and even astronaut. Dream after dream followed me throughout kindergarten, high school, college… I grew up drawing a better, brighter, warmer and funnier world surrounding me and the people I care about. I really loved it!

Now I will tell you a story about amazing 27 dreamers who in a short period of time managed to shake my little world. We were fortunate enough to meet those little dreamers while working on our 3rd project sponsored by engineering company CH2M Hill.

The goal of this project was to create a 4 hour program for 6&7 graders that would be related to science - math, engineering, chemistry, biology, and physics. Due to the decreasing kids’ interest in science we together with Colorado I have a Dream and CH2M Hill worked on getting young dreamers more interested and involved in science. In 3 weeks my team, 5280 Closers, and I came up with different, educational and fun activities for a science field day.
We picked three fields to introduce to the kids – biology (anatomy, physiology), physics and chemistry. During biology class our little dreaming scientists were introduced to the dissected cats, sheep brain, human bones, muscles, nerves and heart system.
I was responsible for introduction and explanation of the sheep brain structure. My favorite part of biology class was chasing kids with a real sheep brain in my hands (joking). I really enjoyed comparing sheep brain with human brain.
It is difficult to describe how much I have learned from our little dreamers. I know that those 5 hours spent with them affected not only me but each one of my team mates as well. It was impossible not to get attached to them because they are extremely intelligent, incredible and fun children.
Hey, Little Dreamers,
I know it won’t be easy to reach your dreams, and it shouldn’t be… I also know that each one of you will go far beyond and above certain expectations. Don’t forget that you are fighters.., FIGHTERS FOR SOMETHING BETTER, nicer, warmer. You are our future. And now after meeting all of you I can see how beautiful this future is.
Thank you for becoming an extremely important part of our Apprentice Challenge experience. You all rock!!!!!!!

People Need People

Life is beautiful.., just look around! Do you see it? Not really? Something is wrong? Oh, I understand.. sometimes talking about homelessness makes you feel uncomfortable, and they - homeless people - are in the way of that world beauty we were talking about... Come on, stop for a second, look around. Do you see them-those people who need your help because they have nothing...
Just remember that it takes so little to save a life, and believe me, it is worth it...

For a moment try to remember one of those "terrible weather " days, which our Colorado is famous for. It is raining and snowing at the same time. Extremely windy, for a second you even start wondering that if wind had fingers and nails your face right now would be bleeding from its scratches and hits. You try to run but soon realize that it is not worth it due to uncomfortable difficulty breathing. You stop only for a second to catch your breath, during that short moment you manage to blame yourself for not putting on that old fashioned but extremely warm green sweater. Finally after couple deep inhales and self blaming words you are ready to face harsh weather challenge while getting to your car or bus from the campus area.
Do you remember that feeling? I guess you do. There are numerous days and nights in Colorado when cold rain, snow and wind start playing games, which are not fun and sometimes even fair towards us.
How long does it usually take you to get to your car or a bus from the campus? Ten, fifteen minutes, half an hour, and then with the switch of heater the suffering is over? Now, how would you feel if you didn't have a car, a bus or home to come back?
If only words could change the reality… There would be so many things to talk about and life would be much easier. In that case what would you talk about? Now, after our second challenge, I know what I would talk about - homelessness. Obviously, just talking is not enough. Homelessness is one of the main issues city of Denver is facing at this moment. Simple awareness and concern will help to make a difference (you know what is said about one head compared to couple working together).
Did you know that according to the recent Denver's Road Home reports (http://www.denversroadhome.org/):
60% of homeless are people in families with children.
29% respondents of Denver's homeless are women.
40% of Denver's homeless are currently employed.
The same reports state the most common reasons for becoming a homeless in Denver area are:
Loss of job - 28%
Housing cost - 23%
Breakup of the family - 20%
Seems, that living in this society that is changing extremely fast , it is impossible to know what tomorrow will bring to you and to people you care about. It might take only one step to loose everything and find yourself on the street. Maybe it sounds cliché but in order to avoid tragic outcomes we must to understand each other, don't group people by their financial status and stick together, simply because people need people. Scary, but time, circumstances and luck determine the situation you might fight yourself in. So why not to try to understand and help others who at this moment are not as fortunate as you...

Giedrute

Is There Speed limit on the Highway to Success?

This morning on my way to school I got pulled over due to speeding. Funny but famous Murphy law always follows me, - those very few times I do something wrong I get caught. Usually, I follow the rules while I am on the road, too much on the steak. However now, trying to navigate 21st century road I catch myself speeding more often not on the highway, but at school, work, personal life, even in this challenge… Seems, that we, students, have to do so much to prove our potential right this moment , to show what we are capable of, and finally to start building beautiful future our society expects us to have. Do I like it? Usually I do (when I am not too exhausted). I am one of those crazy adrenaline fans who will run and run and run..and run. I love being busy, feeling productive and working. I do believe that sleeping 5 to 6 hours is better for you. And if you wonder - the secret of my "successes" is dark chocolate, which is necessary for my and your brain to function.
However, there is one very negative thing about constant speeding in our lives. We forget or simply don't have time to look around further than our backyard. We forget that there are other colors and shapes than the ones surrounding us. Even smell and food could be absolutely different outside our protective walls. We become similar to the racing horses with protections glued close to our eyes from possible outside disruption. Scary but this habit works perfectly convincing us that this is the only right way to become successful.
I think there is nothing wrong with rushing and feeling busy, however, it is necessary to have time and desire to see something more than our own lives. We need to feel urgent responsibility for certain social issues not only for a day or a week after seeing something on CNN or reading a catching book. It is incredibly rewarding to know that somebody needs you, and even better - to understand that WE HAVE RESOURCES TO HELP THEM.
Participation in the Apprentice Challenge gives me an incredible opportunity to face various realities that are impossible to fully comprehend just from reading or hearing about it. I loved working on our second project, where my team and I became familiar with Denver's Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness and had the ability to work with Disability Center for Independent Living. Also I am extremely excited about our 3rd project because now we are creating science based program for thirty 6th graders who belong to Colorado "I Have a Dream" program. Most of those children daily face the possibility of dropping out of school due to the bad situation in their neighborhoods, poverty, or beliefs that work is more important than school.
It doesn't matter where we go or what we look at, there is always something that needs to be done, improved or encouraged… Let's buckle up and try not to go over the speed limit while navigating in our daily lives. And if you wonder what is the speed limit on the highway to success? I think it depends only from you, as long as you are able to notice your surroundings.

See you on the road

How bad do you want it?

5280 Closers with the Olympics star Eli Bremer. We wish him all the possible luck while competing at the Olympics this summer in China...

Mr. Joshua and Mr. Franklin are almost always on the other side of cameras... (not this time)

Having a very "smart" dinner at the Olympics training center

I found it!!!! Lithuanian flag among hundred forty others...

5280 Closers are ready for the 2008 Olympics in China. "One World One Dream"

Determination + sacrifice = something better, something bigger, something you could call your personal Olympics!

My Heart Is Afraid that it will have to suffer," the boy told the alchemist one night as they looked up at the moonless sky. "Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams." (Paulo Coelho “The Alchemist”)
A week ago at the Olympic training center I bumped into the wall-poster that simply asked how bad do you want it? Seems, this typical, even classical phrase shouldn’t affect me too much, however, since that moment I can not stop asking myself “how bad do I want it?? In my little world I desire to reach a lot – to become a diplomat, to make my parents proud, to be an idol for my 14 year old brother (which is harder than I anticipated it to be), positively impact at least one stranger’s life, and of course, to taste all world wide existing ice-cream flavors … Is it a lot to expect from myself, is it rational enough? Maybe it even isn’t possible?
Of course it is … It has to be! I don’t believe that there is only one possible winner; we all can do it. I know it sounds cliché but today I really want to believe it. In various eyes “winner” is defined differently… For this reason I am convinced that here, in the United States, are plenty of places for numerous winners. Personally for me, the participation in the Apprentice Challenge is already winning. You probably wonder – why? Hmm… it gives a good feeling in my stomach (something similar to love or chocolate milk, just a little bit better).
I won’t lie; this challenge is rapidly changing me. In a certain way it gives me a new super power - a true understanding that I as a student can swim in the same ocean with big business world sharks without becoming an easy snack for them. While working together with various business corporations and nonprofit organizations I find myself collaborating with them at the same level and also doing their job, which I am extremely proud of. My team 5280 Closers got Smart Meal contracts signed with Qdoba (15 locations in Co), Imperial Chinese and Queen of Sheba restaurants. Originally we were working with 25 restaurants located in Denver area. We had to come up with productive marketing plan to convince those restaurants to include Smart Meal items in their menus (which for me was similar to bumping into a completely new language while working on political science and modern languages majors). I am extremely happy that our strategy worked out and we won the first Smart Meal Seal challenge.
Winning is always fun, and usually it doesn’t matter what you win as long as you are THE WINNER. However, this time winning was extremely rewarding because while enjoying our prize - the incredible VIP tour in the Olympics training center – I bumped into the wall-poster with a simple question how bad do you want it?
After couple long hours of silently rapping this question (because it got stuck in my head, like an ordinary song) I realized that the success of my personal Olympics is only in my hands, and every “unimportant” second could get me closer or one step further from the gold medal I dream about. According to Eli Bremer, USA pentathlon 2008 Olympic qualifier, the formula for the Olympic success consist from only 2 main ingredients. No, it isn’t talent. Determination + sacrifice = something more, something better, something different, something that is your personal Olympic success...
So now HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT?

Keep reaching

Giedrute

My Bio

Giedre Stasiunaite

Name: Giedre

Hometown: Kaunas, Lithuania

Major: Political Science and Modern Languages

Favorite class: Anything in political science

Background:
My biggest dream is to become a diplomat working for the United Nations. I am majoring in political science and modern languages. I am currently studying Spanish, German and Chinese and I am fluent in Russian and Lithuanian. Last year I became a vice president of the Metro State chapter of the Golden Key International Honor Society. As an officer of Golden Key, I encourage other students to reach academic excellence, and also to understand the importance of team work and daily interaction with other students. For the last four years I have served as a volunteer counselor in a Russian heritage camp. This camp is specifically created for Russian children, usually with different disabilities, adopted by American families. In Lithuania, I studied journalism and published a few articles and hosted a television show that spoke about the effect of drugs on young people. But it is a third place award given in the Lithuanian Republican competition, “The Young Politician 2002”, which makes me the most proud. This competition took more than six months to complete. The idea was to create a plan on improving Lithuanian students’ lives and then to use real actions to make the plan work. Despite being the youngest competitor, I managed to prove that even a high school student can make a difference.

Favorite quote:
"You must be the change you want to see in the world."
– Mahatma Gandhi

Why I’m excited about “The Apprentice Challenge @ Metro State”:
I am extremely excited about being part of this challenge because I strive to learn more from the experienced mentors and various participants. Also, I am looking forward to challenging myself by delivering the best possible results while working on diverse projects. I know that participation in this challenge will better prepare me to make a positive impact in our society, and it will give me an opportunity to get to know other strong and motivated participants.

Why I should win “The Apprentice Challenge @ Metro State”:
Based on the accomplishments I have had in the past, I think I have proven that I could ultimately be the “Apprentice.” I am eager to challenge myself in various ways because I don’t believe in limits for self improvement. Moreover, I have a strong desire to be successful in my future career, which motivates me to achieve the best results in my projects. In my past I was fortunate to gain a valuable experience while working on projects with diverse people in countries such as Lithuania, Russia, China, Norway and the United States. The combination of my current skills with the ones learned while participating in this challenge would empower me to do an impeccable job while following the ideals larger than me—kindness, tolerance and patience.