Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Sunday, January 26, 2014

No Excuses, No Limits: Luca Patuelli at TEDxYouth@Montreal



To me life is a dance; as long as our hearts are beating a rhythm is being created. Sometimes it's the littlest movements that make the biggest difference in a performance, just like in life it's the little things that matter. My whole life I was told I would never be able to walk, let alone dance. Today, I live my life to dance, I live to share my passion with others, and I live to encourage limitless possibilities by doing things our own way through the belief of No Excuses, No Limits.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Making Things Happen: Zoë Yujnovich at TEDxYouth@Montreal



Wouldn't the world be a better place if the youth of today are free from the shackles of societal stereotypes to build a society where everyone can choose freely in how they contribute? How can the youth of today feel empowered to make choices for their education and careers that build on their strengths?

Monday, January 20, 2014

Harish Manwani: Profit's Not Always The Point



You might not expect the chief operating officer of a major global corporation to look too far beyond either the balance sheet or the bottom line. But Harish Manwani, COO of Unilever, makes a passionate argument that doing so to include value, purpose and sustainability in top-level decision-making is not just savvy, it's the only way to run a 21st century business responsibly.

Friday, January 17, 2014

Infinite Possibility: Shaka Senghor at TEDxYouth@SanDiego 2013



This incredible story of redemption and personal transformation brings to life the infinite possibility each person has to choose their path in life. After 19 years in prison, Shaka Senghor overcomes incredible odds and illuminates the power of hope, education and determination to create your own future. "Have the courage, the will and the commitment to embrace who you truly are. Never limit yourself for anyone else."

Shaka Senghor was recently selected as an MIT Media Lab Fellow and is the recipient of the Knight Foundation's 2012 BMe (Black Male Engagement) Leadership Award. Senghor is a writer and mentor and will be teaching his first course at the University of Michigan in spring 2014. While serving 19 years in prison, Senghor discovered his love for writing. He has written six books, including a new memoir about his life in prison, Writing My Wrongs. He is the author of the detective series Crack: Volume 1 and Crack: Volume 2, and most recently published a book of his writings entitled Live in Peace: A Youth Guide to Turning Hurt into Hope, a companion piece to his mentoring program.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

How Sugar Affects The Brain - Nicole Avena



When you eat something loaded with sugar, your taste buds, your gut and your brain all take notice. This activation of your reward system is not unlike how bodies process addictive substances such as alcohol or nicotine -- an overload of sugar spikes dopamine levels and leaves you craving more. Nicole Avena explains why sweets and treats should be enjoyed in moderation.

Lesson by Nicole Avena, animation by STK Films.

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Rita Pierson: Every Kid Needs a Champion



Rita Pierson, a teacher for 40 years, once heard a colleague say, "They don't pay me to like the kids." Her response: "Kids don't learn from people they don't like.'" A rousing call to educators to believe in their students and actually connect with them on a real, human, personal level.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Paul Piff: Does Money Make You Mean?



It's amazing what a rigged game of Monopoly can reveal. In this entertaining but sobering talk, social psychologist Paul Piff shares his research into how people behave when they feel wealthy. (Hint: badly.) But while the problem of inequality is a complex and daunting challenge, there's good news too. (Filmed at TEDxMarin.)

Sunday, January 5, 2014

The Power of Youth/Truth: Gina Figueroa at TEDxYouth@HumboldtBay



In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

Thursday, January 2, 2014

S.O.A.P. - Save Our Activities Programs

Now Under the Leadership of The Matt Garcia Foundation
S.O.A.P. - Save. Our. Activities. Programs.

Attention concerned citizens of Fairfield!
As you all may know, the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School district has come upon hard times. Recent budget cuts have closed schools and severely limited valuable resources for our youth. Included in these cuts are secondary education stipends that fund athletic and co-curricular programs in middle school and high school. These are vital activities that provide a well-rounded high school experience for our youth, and they must be preserved.

In 2010, an effort began to raise funds solely to save the athletics programs in our high schools in Fairfield. This was spearheaded by a group of parents who called themselves S.O.A.P (Save. Our. Athletics. Programs). This original S.O.A.P. successfully raised over $100,000 for our sports programs. However, by 2011 the impact of S.O.A.P had diminished and no longer had the same level of support from the community.

The newly constructed S.O.A.P is now a fundraising committee under the leadership of the Matt Garcia Foundation. It has expanded its vision to encompass the many influences that shape the positive educational experiences of your youth.

Therefore Save. Our. Athletics, Programs has become Save. Our. Activities. Programs. As a subcommittee of The Matt Garcia Foundation, the S.O.A.P Advisory Board is headed up by a foundation board member, Dwight Lundy, and consists of five youth representatives: Brittany Chudzinski, Leilani Reyes, Eric Brimer, Cristian Cobos, and Darius Levan.

The Matt Garcia Foundation will provide valuable direction and accountability to the group. The Foundation’s own vision to support youth, stop crime, and strengthen our community is a perfect fit for S.O.A.P.’s mission of youth empowerment. We are here to ensure our Fairfield youth are provided with the best high school experience possible. These programs are crucial – please join us in helping to save them. Thank you!

Please Make Donations to:

The Matt Garcia Foundation
P.O Box 3301
Fairfield, Ca 94533
(Put in check memo “S.O.A.P” or “The Matt Garcia Foundation/ S.O.A.P”)

Facebook: S.O.A.P (Save. Our. Activities. Programs.)