A Reaction to NY Times Upfront “The Selfie Election”

September 23, 2015

Chloe Billstrom

Signing autographs, putting up yard signs, shaking hands of voters: This is what presidential hopefuls have been doing in past elections to promote themselves. However, candidates have recently shifted gears towards social media to connect with a new audience, the millennials.

As a millennial myself, I was intrigued by candidates changing their tactics and its effectiveness to captivate young voters. When I began learning about politics in school, I frankly wasn't interested. Within minutes, I was zoned out due to the tedious descriptions and monotone voices in videos.

However, over time I began to increase my interest in politics because of social media. Reading about hot topic issues on Twitter or Facebook made me actually relate to what was going on in the world. With a more engaging way of learning, I’ve begun to grow my own political opinions.

Now, after a few years of expanding my knowledge, my feelings on the topic of presidential debate have evolved from making me groan to wanting to vote in the next election. Although highly debated among political aficionados about whether it’s a waste of time for candidates, social media was able to ignite that flame for me and other young voters.  

Going forward, I hope to be as involved in the elections as fellow millennials like the “presidential selfie girls”. Whether that be through social media and selfies or through a handshake, it’s clear that the presidential campaigns are evolving, debatably for the better.

Bikes Make Oshkosh Healthier & Safer

In my class, Communities 1, we have studied the importance of biking. I have recently learned that the Ordinance 15-271 will reduce Murdock Avenue to three lanes; two going each way, one shared left turn lane, and a five-foot bike lane on each side of the road. Evidence suggests citizens who ride bikes spend seven dollars more on local businesses. Therefore the bike lanes on Murdock Avenue will start to connect Oshkosh together which will positively affect the economy.

I appreciate the city council considering the road reconfiguration on Murdock Avenue. In my past experience on the bike lanes on Sawyer Street, I was able to tell the difference between riding my bike on roads with or without bike lanes. I feel safe riding my bike on a street with bike lanes because cars and cyclists each have their respective lanes to ride in.

According to the article ‘Protected Bike Lanes: Traffic Silver Bullets’ by Dave Schlabowske, traffic flow improves when motor vehicle lanes are removed to create room for protected bike lanes.

Please encourage the members of the Oshkosh City Council on Tuesday to support Ordinance 15-271. Bike lanes on Murdock Avenue would make the Oshkosh economy healthier and will create a safer environment for cyclists.

Kjersten Kleveland

Communities 1 Student

Declare War On Plastic!

ONHS Needs To Go Truly Green!

My junior project is focused on making Oshkosh North’s community truly a green school. Oshkosh North by itself can’t clean up the world but it can create some momentum by getting people to talk. 

Let’s Declare War on Plastic

My project focuses on recycling plastic bags. According to the New York Times Upfront, over 100 cities have banned the use of plastic bags. The largest city being Los Angeles. This is a growing problem because all this plastic waste contributes to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch consists of mainly plastic that can swell to the size of Texas that floats between California and Hawaii. However, plastic is an issue for every city in the world.  Scientists estimate that it takes 1,000 years for some plastics to decompose.   

In 4 months, I have collected nearly 200 pounds of plastic.  However, we have more work to do!  Help me by collecting your ziploc bags, cereal bags, bread bags and grocery bags.  You can drop them off at the west entrance (door 7) of Oshkosh North High School or send them with your student.  Drop boxes are located by the Communities classrooms and in front of the Leadership room.

Supplying Teachers, Helping Students

Supplying Teachers, 

Helping Students

My project focuses on OASD teachers having to spend their 

own money to buy supplies for their classrooms due to the decline in school budgets.  Wisconsin was 43rd out of 50 states when it came to percentage changes in educational funding. With less money being given to the school districts, teachers have to pay more to fill the gap. Teachers in Oshkosh spend on average $500 to $1200 a year from the money they earn to buy supplies for their classrooms, many of which are basic supplies like pencils and paper. Without the proper supplies, it makes it difficult for teachers to do their job and provide students with the best education possible.

Pole Decorating at the Oshkosh Public Museum

I am partnering with The Teachers’ Closet, a non-profit organization that provides teachers with free supplies. I will be advocating for teachers by sending a letter to Wisconsin officials about ending budget cuts to Wisconsin’s education. I have already performed a few services to The Teachers’ Closet. I volunteered on behalf of The Teachers’ Closet at the Celebration of Lights and I made a 6 foot tall pencil out of duct work for their entry at the Oshkosh Public Museum Pole Decorating Contest. 

In addition, I will be running a philanthropy campaign in the form of a donation drive at the Oshkosh Saturday Farmer’s Market gathering supplies and raising awareness for the Oshkosh teachers. I’ll see you at the Oshkosh Saturday Farmer’s Market on March 14th and I will be accepting donations.

Cooking Competition Helps School Lunch Programs

Emily Daun's Junior Project- Cookin' it Fresh

My project is focused on the Oshkosh community, educating them about locally grown food by hosting a cooking competition and supporting the farm-to-school program. According to greensproduce.com, “foods that are purchased at a local farmers market spend less time being shipped and retain more nutritional value.” This helps illustrate the health benefit of locally grown foods and how eating local foods can improve your health. The Winnebago County 2014 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) showed that 10% of high school students did not eat any vegetables, other than potatoes, during the past seven days, compared to 6.6% nationally. Only 8.8% reported eating vegetables three or more times per day during the past seven days compared to 15.7% nationally. My project will create opportunities for the Oshkosh community to eat more local and healthier foods. 

Although my project is only targeting the Oshkosh community it is a great way to spread awareness about the locally grown foods. As I said earlier, I am raising awareness by hosting a cooking competition.  I think this will help raise awareness because students from all over the Oshkosh community will realize how delicious and healthy locally grown foods really are, and it will get people talking about not only my project, but the benefits of locally grown foods.  My event will be taking place on Sunday, April 19th at Oshkosh North High School and will open up to the Oshkosh community at 3:30. There will be 6 student teams, 3 from North and 3 from West. Each team will consist of 6-8 students per team along with a local chef, UWO alumni and also a UWO student.

Feb. 18, 2014: GORDON HINTZ, RON JOHNSON

COMMUNITIES 2 STUDENTS PRESENTED TO BY WISCONSIN STATE ASSEMBLY MEMBER, WISCONSIN SENATOR

State Assembly Member Gordon Hintz, Senator Ron Johnson speak to students and answer questions regarding poverty in the US

OSHKOSH, Wis. (February 18, 2014) Students in the Communities 2 program had the opportunity to hear from and have their questions answered by two different government representatives; Wisconsin State Representative Gordon Hintz and US Senator Ron Johnson; as a part of their current project regarding poverty in the US. Representative Hintz and Senator Johnson spoke to students regarding the state of America’s economy, the heavily debated issue of poverty, and what the government’s role is in responding to the issue. Communities 2 students will use the valuable information provided by Representative Hintz and Senator Johnson, along with information from other sources, to compose a letter to a local representative or member of congress addressing the issue of poverty in their community.

Communities 2 is a school program at Oshkosh North High School that offers students a unique way to learn literacy, business, and social studies while covering all required district standards.  The Communities program collaborates with businesses, organizations, and members of the community in an effort to provide an authentic learning experience while improving the community.

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Media Release Composed by TJ Kohl, Communities 2

Community Enrichment Opportunity - A Communities 2 Student Reflection

The holiday season is full of joy and anticipation for children all around the world.  Children count down the days until Santa Claus visits their home dropping off toys and presents that they have been hoping for throughout the year.  For most, Santa does show up on Christmas Eve, but for the less fortunate children in the world Santa somehow misses their homes.  

My CEO was to help find the houses Santa might miss.  The Oshkosh Police and Fire Departments partnered with the Salvation Army to collect gifts from generous community members for the less fortunate children in our community.  The week before Christmas, throughout the neighborhoods of Oshkosh, there were sounds of Christmas music intertwined with sirens of an old fire truck.  Traveling through the neighborhoods with the old fire truck were other emergency and service vehicles along with a Salvation Army truck loaded with donated canned goods and presents.   Perched on the old fire truck was Santa Claus welcoming and greeting the people in the neighborhoods.  Once people heard these sounds, they ran out of their homes to give canned goods and presents.  The many volunteers, who were walking down the streets next to the trucks, greeted, thanked, and took the donations of the neighbors to the Salvation Army truck.  On the Salvation Army truck, there were several volunteers organizing the presents and canned goods making sure the children’s Christmas lists would be fulfilled.  

I felt an atmosphere full of joy and excitement and saw how this project impacted our community.  I saw love and compassion in the firefighters’ and volunteers’ eyes.  It amazed me how generous the people were who gave donations, and I saw that same love and compassion in their eyes, too.  This project impacted everyone who was associated with it.  Those who donated understood the true meaning of Christmas is giving and to appreciate what they have, and those who received felt the love of the season knowing that people actually do care.  As a volunteer on this project, I was glad I could be one of Santa’s elves so that no houses would be missed on Christmas Eve.

-- Nick Bauer, Communities 2 Student

 

Photo includes Zac Hassman, Ben Leib, Santa Claus, and Nick Bauer