I think that many things went well in my workshop.  One thing that we did well was spreading out the amount of time each person spoke.  Each person in our group spoke a good amount without interrupting one and other.  Another thing that our group did well was making sure that             while the students were learning, they were having fun at the same time.  It was weird to be a teacher.  I finally felt how it is for real teachers who have to teach everyday.  It is fun but very hard work.  You have to make sure that everyone is doing what they are supposed to be doing and not fooling around.  It was really interesting to see how much the kids actually knew about the hunger problem in the world.  As a team we argued a little bit, but at the end it all worked out and we had a smooth lesson for the kids to enjoy and take something from it.  If I could change something that I did in my workshop I wouldn’t have mumbled one sentence that I said.

What stuck with me was the amount of people who die of hunger everyday.  I was very surprised by this and so were the people in my class.  My set up group used our time pretty productively.  We were able to come in early some days so that we could perfect our song.  I think that the assembly went well and was run very professionally.  There was a lot of hard work put into this teach in.  We had to brainstorm for ideas and then write up a proposal.  It was fun and we had a lot of time to work on it.  I suggest that next year you don’t give the kids as much time to work in class and tell them to do work outside of school.

For our last visit I went with Taliana, Will, and Ruby G.  I brought my flip camera so that we could interview some people at the soup kitchen.  We ended up using the camera, and getting three great interviews.

Here they are: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4pZn1r3UXs

Throughout all of our visits I think that the fifth and last visit was the greatest experience for me.  During each visit I would ask some of the workers if there was anything that I could do to give myself some more work.  By the final visit I already knew all of the things that I could do at the Village Temple that I ended up having no free time.  This was a complete transformation from my first visit which I was bored and I ended up sitting down and not doing much work.  We started of with the usual.  We cut vegetables for the soup, made sandwiches and then bagged the sandwiches.  Then Will and I went to Knickerbockers and  Trader Joe’s. On this day Trader Joe’s was all out of bread but one of the volunteers gave us some money to get some bread at a local supermarket.  I took a lot from this experience.  I learned many things and got to help out the hungry people in my community.  I am very glad that I chose to help out the Village Temple, and I wouldn’t take back this experience that I had with my peers.

When my group went on our fourth visit to the Village Temple we hoped we would get put to work right away.  When we arrived we already knew the drill.   We ran upstairs and started to bag sandwiches.  Then like always we were sent to Trader Joe’s and Knickerbockers to get bread.  Then we were sent to do something that we have never done before.  We made tuna fish salad.  The Village Temple has had this special tuna fish recipe for many years and the people who come and eat it seem to love it.  We made it in a very large bowl and loaded it with tuna fish, celery, mayonnaise and many other scrumptious ingredients.  On our next and last visit we will be interviewing one of the ladies who work there.  This fourth visit was great and I cant wait to tell you what happens next.

On Saturday my group went to The Village Temple for our third visit.  When we arrived I decided to ask the main lady who worked their some questions:

Max:  How long have you been working here with the Village Temple?

Worker:  I have been working here for about 7 years

Max:  why did you start to work here?

Worker:  I didn’t have much to do on Saturdays and I thought what better then to help out the hungry at my local temple.

Max:  Do you enjoy working with this great organization?

Worker:  Yes, I look forward to coming here all throughout the week.

After I interviewed her, my group and I cut up some carrots and onions.  I felt really good when I was there.  There is no better felling then seeing the workers getting help from students.  They where very appreciative of our help.  Something that I learned when I was there is that The Village Temple soup kitchen organization is a 100% volunteer foundation which accepts money and donations from everyone.   Other then the crying from the onions it was a delightful visit.

On Saturday Will and I went to the Village Temple for the second time to help make food for the needy.  When we first arrived we where sent to the local Trader Joe’s to get some bread.  When we arrived there we where informed that the Trader Joe’s company gives free leftover bread to some organizations such as the one that we where with.  I thought that it was great that they do this and I hope that they continue to do this for years to come.  When we came back with all of the bread we where sent to Knickerbockers which is a fancy restaurant.  When we arrived there they gave us 3 huge boxes of corn bread.  They are another group who give away food to organizations.  After we got all of the food we made some sandwiches and bagged them.  We set up a table with polka-dot placates and a large piece of paper to put over the table.  I had a great time helping out the Temple and I cant wait to go again next week.

On Saturday I went to the Village Temple with Julian, Taliana, Will and Ruby G.  We arrived there at 9:00 A.M which was the time that we where told to arrive by one of the owners of the temple.  When we got there we waited a while for a lady to take us up to the kitchen. When we got up their we where immediately put to work.  Some of us where making sandwiches, and others where bagging them.I was very surprised when I got there because it was a lot different then any other food pantry that I had ever gone too.  At the Village Temple there was only one small room full of kids trying to get all of their community hours.  We didn’t want to just go to a place to get it over with.  We wanted to learn about soup kitchens and really make deference in our community.  When we where not working we took short brakes and let other kids make sandwiches and open cans.  Throughout our visit we heard the usual volunteers talking about how this was the most volunteers that they had ever had and how great it is to see children wanting to help out.  The main women who told us what to do were very appreciative of our help.  We told her that we would be coming back which brought upon a smile on her face.  It felt amazing to help put and we will be going back next Saturday to do it again.

On Saturday I went to the Village Temple with Julian, Taliana, Will and Ruby G.  We arrived there at 9:00 A.M which was the time that we where told to arrive by one of the owners of the temple.  When we got there we waited a while for a lady to take us up to the kitchen. When we got up their we where immediately put to work.  Some of us where making sandwiches, and others where bagging them.

I was very surprised when I got there because it was a lot different then any other food pantry that I had ever gone too.  At the Village Temple there was only one small room full of kids trying to get all of their community hours.  We didn’t want to just go to a place to get it over with.  We wanted to learn about soup kitchens and really make deference in our community.  When we where not working we took short brakes and let other kids make sandwiches and open cans.  Throughout our visit we heard the usual volunteers talking about how this was the most volunteers that they had ever had and how great it is to see children wanting to help out.  The main women who told us what to do were very appreciative of our help.  We told her that we would be coming back which brought upon a smile on her face.  It felt amazing to help put and we will be going back next Saturday to do it again.