The Shinnyo-en Foundation is a long-term supporter of the National Youth Leadership Council (NYLC), and we are very proud to be the 2012 National Service-Learning Conference^® (NSLC) World Sponsor.  On January 20, 2012, the Shinnyo-en Foundation welcomed NYLC’s CEO, Kelita Svoboda Bak and hosted an open house with a small group of strong supporters of youth service-learning and volunteering.  Ms. Bak described the “three pillars” of NYLC as follows; youth leadership development, educator support, and advancing the field of service-learning.  In addition to the NYLC’s most featured NSLC, Ms. Bak explained how those three focus areas are promoted through other leading programs of NYLC such as Project Ignition, National Youth Leadership Training, Generator School Network and NYLC Youth Advisory Council.  In response to a question posed by a member of the audience, Ms. Bak shared her view on how she defines service-learning.  In her view, service-learning is a vehicle or means to solve or achieve something important and significant in the community or society such as academic achievement gap, social/economic inequity, and health and safety issues.  At the conclusion of Ms. Bak’s presentation, audience walked away with a renewed sense of enthusiasm; commitment to advance the field and an affirmation that youth can make considerable contributions to the community and the world through service-learning.  Please visit www.nylc.org to learn more about Ms. Kelita Svoboda Bak and the NYLC’s programs.

In 2012, the NYLC and Youthrive are hosting an international audience of an estimated 1,200 educators and 1,000 young people for The 23^rd Annual National Service-Learning Conference® and Youthrive PeaceJam Leadership Conference, Our World, Our Future. This singular event will take place on April 11-14, 2012 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

At the conference, the President and CEO of Harlem Children’s Zone, Inc., Geoffrey Canada and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Shirin Ebadi are two of the prominent speakers, among many other noted national experts and leaders.  Attendees will participate in three days of plenary and thought leader sessions, showcases and workshops.  They will also address local needs, both on-site and off-site, through service projects that range from tree-planting, to eyeglass restoration, to home and church renovation.

This year, the Shinnyo-en Foundation is sponsoring three workshops, all of which will feature the leadership of high school students contributing to service.  The following are the Shinnyo-en Foundation sponsored workshops, and we would like to encourage you to attend.

9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. on Friday, April 13

“Equity and Community Engagement through the Heart of Service”

Presented by Nan Peterson, Scott Flemming, Lisa Sackreiter, and a high school Service Board from The Blake School, Minneapolis, MN

Description:

The presenters encourage you to join them and learn how The Blake School addresses issues of service learning, community engagement, equity and peace.  Please add to the richness of the discussions.  How can service learning combine synergistically with pluralism, Gay Lesbian Bi-sexual Transgender issues and peace initiatives?  How can community engagement and equity develop personal identity and personal transformation?  How can we best consider local and global service?  How can the Student Service Board and Promising Practice: Paths of Service and Peace encourage student leadership?

11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on Friday, April 13

“Interfaith Young Adult Enlightenment and Empowerment 101”

Presented by Sande Hart and three Youth Leadership Board members from Interfaith Youth Council of Orange County, CA

Description:

Four youth leaders from the Interfaith Youth Council of Orange County, California will present and explain the methods, tools and skills used to effectively select, plan and execute programs and events that promote respect, understanding and appreciation for the integrity of each other’s beliefs, cultures and traditions through interfaith dialogue, education and community service activities.

2:30 – 4:00 p.m. on Friday, April 13

“Three Dimensions of Peace-Building in Summer Programming”

Presented by Leif Erickson, Alicia Gregory, and a high school youth leader from Youth Community Service (YCS), Palo Alto, CA

Description:

The Shinnyo-en Foundation sponsored Youth Community Service (YCS)  Summer of Service program leaders offer practical advice and tools to demonstrate service-learning and peace-building experiences for middle and high school youth in a community-based summer program.  The workshop will highlight three dimensions of student experience – Encounter, Connectedness and Reflection – that actualize the Shinnyo-en Foundation’s Six Billion Paths to Peace initiative.  Students in the summer day camp program come together from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds, and develop skills to go on to help lead school-based service-learning programs during the school year.

The Shinnyo-en Foundation believes, as you do, in the power of young people.  A maximum of ten Shinnyo-en Youth Association members will be invited to attend this year’s National Service-Learning Conference.  With their passion, creativity and innovation, young people can address world issues while strengthening academic and learning outcomes through service-learning.  This event is the largest annual gathering of youth and practitioners, foundation and non-profit leaders, corporate and government officials, and advocates who join together to showcase what they have accomplished in their schools and communities, share best practices, and enrichment through professional development opportunities.

We are pleased to announce that Reverend Emiko Tsunozaki from the Shinnyo-en New York temple will be a panelist for the “Women of Leadership” panel at this year’s NSLC with the following female leaders; Naomi Tutu, Nan Peterson, Pamela Toole and Kate Cumbo.  Pajnucci Vue, a high school senior and a member of NYLC’s Board of Directors, will facilitate the panel from 9 to 10:30 AM on April 12.  Reverend Tsunozaki has been serving as clergy, Dharma Teacher, and spiritual guide in the Shinnyo-en Buddhist Order since 2004.  She was ordained in 1999 and holds the priestly rank of Dai Risshi (High Vinaya Master).  Before becoming a Shinnyo-en clergy, she was a school teacher and actress. Her roles as clergy have included public relations and spiritual guidance, as well as propagation outreach throughout the east coast of the United States and Hawaii.  Reverend Tsunozaki was born and raised in Japan, and she studied and worked in Hawaii for most of her life.  She tries to make the most of her multicultural experiences through serving at the Shinnyo-en New York temple and wherever the outreach and service efforts of Shinnyo-en may take her.

The National Service-Learning Conference and Youthrive PeaceJam Leadership Conference embeds their belief in youth leadership in action, authentically engaging hundreds of young people as presenters, planning committee members, emcees and volunteers.  The dynamic play between energy and enthusiasm brought by youth and the wisdom brought by leaders in the field distinguishes the unique opportunities afforded by the Conference.

Nan was nominated for the National Youth Leadership Council (NYLC) Service-Learning Practitioner Leadership Award by Scott Flemming, as Director of The Blake School’s Office of Equity and Community Engagement.  This award recognizes practitioners who have equipped young people to lead and serve, both through their direct service learning instruction with youth and by nurturing other practitioners to expand their service learning skills and knowledge.  Each year, this award is presented to a teacher or community member who has created a living legacy through service learning practice.  The 2012 Service-Learning Practitioner Leadership Award will be presented at the National Service Learning Conference (NSLC) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 11-14, 2012.

Nan, could you please tell us when and how you became interested in service learning experiences?

My family always believed in service by giving back and through their actions as role models, this value became ingrained in me very early in my life.  My mother’s passion for service was Catholic charities and she did a lot of volunteer work to help those less fortunate.  My father was an oral surgeon and shared his passion for service by providing a lot of free dentistry.  I have always loved incorporating whatever is going on in the local and global world in school.

How did you feel when you learned that you were the winner of the Service-Learning Practitioner Leadership Award?

When Kalita Bak, CEO of National Youth Leadership Council, called to congratulate me about being the winner of the Service-Learning Practitioner Leadership Award, I thought they must have called the wrong person.  I accepted the Service-Learning Practitioner Leadership Award with great surprise and honor on behalf of The Blake School and the Shinnyo-en Foundation.  It is with humility, surprise and excitement that I am recognized as someone who encourages service learning at The Blake School and beyond.  National Youth Leadership Council is “the” national service learning organization that leads best practices and service learning teaching and learning and I am so grateful to be recognized by them to receive the Service-Learning Practitioner Leadership Award.

Scott Flemming nominated you for the award but did Scott tell you what specific experience or accomplishment of yours stood out to him that caused him to nominate you?

Scott shared with me that he felt it was very obvious how important social justice is to me and how hard I continually work toward social justice.  He mentioned that he appreciates how well I connect with everyone; treating all with respect and compassion.

Receiving this award reflects good and important service work done by The Blake School and beyond.  I am hopeful that this recognition will help all of us think beyond ourselves and consider working toward peace through service.

How does your leadership as the Director of Service Learning intersect with or is part of The Blake School’s Office of Equity and Community Engagement?

Service learning continues to grow at The Blake School and nationally as a method of teaching and learning.  In addition, The Blake School Service Learning is part of the Office of Equity and Community Engagement (OECE).  Pluralism, International Threats, Learning Works, Cornerstone and the Gay-Straight Alliance are all part of this department that work together synergistically creating more effective outcomes for social justice.

Students are the hope for the world.  Service learning experiences encourage students to give of their best selves and to think about the world’s concerns and possibilities.  Service is a path to peace. My hope is that this award will encourage all of us to grow into compassion of service.

As the recipient of the 2012 Service-Learning Practitioner Leadership Award, how might your contribution at the next NSLC be?

I will be the primary presenter for our workshop “Equity and Community Engagement through the Heart of Service (scheduled at 9 AM to 10:30 AM on Friday, April 13)”; work in the book store; received and accepted the honor of being invited to be a panelist of the “Thought Leaders Panel (scheduled at 9 AM to 10:30 AM on Thursday, April 12)” at the National Service-Learning Conference that will focus on spirituality and service.  I will also offer a gathering that will be a place for practitioners to network.

Now could you share with us your thoughts and experiences in Six Billion Paths to Peace? In your view, what is the core of the Six Billion Paths to Peace Initiative?

I feel that the core of Shinnyo-en Foundation’s Six Billion Paths to Peace Initiative is the interconnectedness it brings.  The idea that your actions affect me and my actions affect others in my life is very exhilarating!  The Six Billion Paths to Peace Initiative encourages us to recognize and embrace our differences, understanding that we are all part of the whole of the human race.  The Six Billion Paths to Peace Initiative helps us think about our individual contributions and how we, individually, can use our time, talent and treasures to make a positive difference.  The Six Billion Paths to Peace Initiative focuses on harmony, peace and joy through service.  That is the way we “up shift” as we look at the concerns and needs of the world.

How did the students and faculty of The Blake School react to your attempt to incorporate the Six Billion Paths to Peace Initiative into the culture and the curriculum of The Blake School when you first introduced it to them?

The Six Billion Paths to Peace Initiative was easily and quickly welcomed into the core values of The Blake School.  It was an easy connector for service learning because we think about Mother Teresa and her words “Any act of service is an act of peace.”  It was easy to connect service and peace thinking about that mantra.  The Blake Lower School views the Six Billion Paths to Peace Initiative as friendship; they relate to the ideas of peace through service.  The Blake Middle School focuses on local concerns and The Blake Upper School focuses on global concerns.  The Six Billion Paths to Peace Initiative encourages us to think about how to connect with one another, and about interconnectedness, that encourages us to think about goals, dreams, and hopes.  The Six Billion Paths to Peace Initiative causes us to look individually at, “Who am I, and who do I want to be?”

In what way(s) has the Six Billion Paths to Peace Initiative transformed you and The Blake School, if any?

The Six Billion Paths to Peace Initiative has been very transformative in many ways.  It has helped us change our perspective from only thinking about ourselves to consider multiple perspectives.  It has helped us to be more aware of concerns, hopes, ideas and needs of others.  It has caused us to think, “How can I best use my time, talent and treasures for the common good?”  It leaves us with the question, “This day, this week, this month what is my path to peace?”

What do you think the students enjoy most about the Six Billion Paths to Peace Initiative?

I feel that the students enjoy the fact that the Six Billion Paths to Peace helps them relate to one another, think about their own personal identity while learning about one another in a new way and enlarge their idea of what service is.  It helps students to connect to one another and to connect to the concerns of the global community.  The students enjoy the fact that the Six Billion Paths to Peace Initiative encourages them to think as global citizens.

Could you please share with us some examples or instances when students have done wonderful things through the Six Billion Paths to Peace Initiative?

A recent wonderful event called “Empty Bowls” service event was created by the students at The Blake School.  The Blake Upper School students were studying global hunger and were involved in many projects to meet the needs of global hunger.  The Blake Upper School students shared with Lower and Middle School students about their concern about global hunger and that they planned to have a service event called “Empty Bowls” where they would earn money to help feed the hungry in Africa.  When this was shared with the Lower and Middle School students, some of the Lower and Middle School students mentioned that there are also many hungry people right here.  The students wanted to be involved.  The Middle School students said that they could make bread and soup and the Lower School students said they could make the bowls.  It was a wonderful “Kid Generated” event.  The students created the event; all of the students worked collaboratively and were in charge of the project.  They had this great “Empty Bowls” service event where they made a lot of money and a panel of Upper School Service Corps.  Students are deciding where the money should be spent.  This was one of my favorite projects where the project was “Kid Generated” and the kids were in charge.

This reminds me about the interconnectedness that exists in a school where a genuine concern such as hunger, can connect students to one another, and connect everyone at the school to this huge concern of local and global hunger.  Peace through service, we certainly hope so!  Peace, harmony and joy!

As the director of service-learning, do you have any recommendations to other educators regarding creating new or enhancing existing service learning experiences?

As the Director of Service Learning, I would encourage educators to look, in depth, at a local or global concern or authentic need; educate the children about the need and ask them “How do we help alleviate this problem?”  Students are always more creative than adults and they have this unfailing belief that they can make a difference.  It is not about solving the world’s problems; it is about recognizing the problems and believing that, as a young person, they can make a difference.  It is about encouraging the heart of service.

Thank you so much for sharing inspiring stories and suggestions for all of us! Again, congratulations on the Service-Learning Practitioner Leadership Award!

Save the Date

When:   January 8, 2012 at 11 am

Where:  Shinnyo-en USA Head Temple located at 3910 Bret Harte Drive, Redwood City, CA 94061

Who:    All interested in learning more about Global Glimpse www.globalglimpse.org

What:   Presentation by Eliza Pesuit, Global Glimpse Director, Scholar Program; Laila Essimidi, Outreach Coordinator and a number of high school alumni will share the meaningful work of Global Glimpse. 

In April, Ineko Tsuchida joined Global Glimpse Director, Eliza Pesuit, during a parent workshop at Andrew Hill High School in San Jose. Ineko and Eliza shared the excitement of being around students and parents preparing for their summer service-learning trip to Nicaragua.

Global Glimpse is a Bay Area based non-profit organization working to inspire high school students through leadership and service-learning programs in the developing world. The organization’s programs build the foundation and perspectives that empower young leaders to address the global challenges of their generation.

Global Glimpse works in partnership with 22 public high schools across the Bay Area in the counties of Alameda, Marin, Contra Costa, Yolo, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara. Since 2007, they have been dedicated to serving students from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds and demographics through generous scholarships.

Students are nominated to participate in the Partner School Program in the fall of their junior year. Global Glimpse supports faculty and staff at their school by nominating students with strong potential who demonstrate leadership and a commitment to improve themselves and their communities. Students who are accepted into the Partner School Program receive scholarships based on need for the summer immersion trip and participate in six after school workshops during the spring that focus on globalization, development, leadership, and service and prepare students for their summer immersion.

During the summer students travel to Nicaragua for a three week education, service-learning, and leadership experience. They are immersed in the local community through educational seminars about history, culture, development, poverty, education, global business, politics and daily field trips. In addition, students design and engage in service projects in partnership with local communities and organizations. As students gain knowledge about the developing world, they also gain personal perspective through leadership training, reality challenges, group collaboration, and self-reflection sessions. Global Glimpse exposes youth to developing countries and unlocks their potential to affect change on a local and global scale.

The results are already becoming apparent as their alumni start service groups, initiate international projects, and attend renowned universities including Stanford, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, and University of California, Berkeley.

An excerpt from an alumni letter says it best:
“Every single day in Nicaragua, there were challenges to overcome and things to do that would make such an incredible difference. While living in the moment, I did not realize how much I grew as a person. However, after returning back home it finally hit me. I came to understand what the wonderful feeling that just keeps lingering in me meant. It was the feeling that I had garnered a newfound perspective; the feeling that taught me that I should continue to be inspired and to inspire others myself. For the very first time, I learned how immense of an impact a person can make.”

Kathy Lee, Andrew Hill High School in San Jose, 2011

Last week was our last of Summer Camp, so the patojos (kids) are done until January. That left this week for teacher training. Safe Passage brought in a trainer from Brazil to do a training with all of the teachers and program heads. The training was on a methodology called Change the Game. We spent a week together doing activities and learning from each other, discussing it how to apply it to our own classrooms.

The core of the methodology is that in a productive learning environment one should undergo a constant process of planning, execution and evaluation, which leads to more planning and so on. The trainer, Onu, drove home the point that learning is effective only if participants are in a tranquil, safe environment. To achieve this, educators should always be mindful of POESIA (poetry): Placer, Orden, Estructura, Seguridad, Intensidad, Aprendizaje (pleasure, order, structure, safety, intensity, learning). Educators, he says, should be sure to incorporate these elements into all activities. Onu touched on the fact that fostering student success requires three key things from the educator: explaining the activity and outcomes, giving an example and leading students through execution. He explained different teaching styles and explained why a democratic teaching style is best for student success. A democratic style allows room for discussion and group consensus. This is juxtaposed against an authoritarian style where the leader / teacher makes all of the decisions without input and a delegative style where the leader provides little guidance.

Finally, Onu talked about how learning experiences should lead to personal, social and cognitive outcomes. He explained that the way to facilitate this is by helping kids try (read: apply their learning), giving them experiences, which they will then reflect back on, bringing them a new consciousness, so that they can choose alternatives and try again. This learning should all follow students’ examination of questions to guide their learning: What possibilities does the activity offer me? What skills do I want to improve? How do I want to work?

The classroom rules need to facilitate this whole process. Rules should speak to appropriate behavior, attitudes, structure and accountability. Rules should be organic – it is important for teachers to lead students through creating their own rules as appropriate for their age so that they are bought in to what they are being held accountable to and feel that the rules are fair.

This program reminded me a lot of service-learning, the methodology that I have focused on advancing throughout my career. For those who don’t know what service-learning is, it calls for youth to plan their own high-quality service projects that are tied to academic objectives. Students learn real-world applications of classroom content, as well as get opportunities for leadership and learn about the importance of civic engagement. The cycle of service-learning leads youth through planning, action, reflection and evaluation. I firmly believe that this structure allows for the greatest possible student success by giving them not only opportunities to apply their new content knowledge in order to strengthen and deepen their understanding of the material, but also provides opportunities for leadership. Youth in Guatemala aren’t given many opportunities for leadership, and personal reflection is rarely incorporated.

Most “learning” opportunities here center on simple memorization and regurgitation. These facts are often quickly forgotten once the test is over. We are giving our students a huge leg up if we can help them solidify their knowledge by putting it into practice and advance their higher order thinking skills, both things which Guatemalan educators are rarely, if ever, called upon to do. These skills are particularly important if our youth are to succeed in future career opportunities. Guatemala is rapidly joining the global economy; there is a boom in the telecommunications industry here, especially, due to the cheap price of labor and the fairly advanced telecommunications infrastructure relative to other developing nations. However, Guatemala currently has a severe shortage of human capital. Ensuring that today’s youth here are equipped to enter into these jobs will contribute to Guatemala’s continued economic development in a myriad of ways. I believe Safe Passage children will be particularly well positioned because of our eye toward these long-term results.

I was particularly impressed with Onu’s emphasis on personal, social and cognitive learning outcomes. Academic learning is clearly very important in developing countries so that the human capital comes from within. However, in a place with as much violence and crime as Guatemala, learning personal and social responsibility has to be just as important. Character education and civic education are paramount for lifting Guatemala beyond, and the Change the Game methodology does this well.

This week I saw peace in changing the game.

If you are from Minnesota, you would be used to the colloquial phrase “Is it cold enough for ya?” as familiar way to greet a friend.  You see, weather has a great impact on those of us who experienced last year’s snowfalls and wind chills in the way below zero range.

But this November not only brought record high temperatures (and only a dusting of snow), it brought a group of service-learning leaders together at The Blake School in Minneapolis to gather – by definition – to “bring somebody close” and to ‘lift somebody up.” 

For two days, 50 participants from over 20 Minnesota and national schools listened to thought leaders and service-learning experts that guided learning and discussion.  Drs. Jim and Pam Toole talked about design thinking, brain research and the implications to service-learning.  A panel of representatives from local, state and international hunger related organizations shared how those of us working with children can support their work.  Kelita Bak, CEO of the National Youth Leadership Council (NYLC) drew us together with her conversation of the support and resources NYLC can offer to those of us in this field that has such high impact on youth development, service and leadership.

The Blake School and the Edina Public Schools have been offering “The Gathering” as an opportunity to bring other local service and service-learning leaders together once or twice a year for the past 10 years.  Says Nan Peterson, Director of Service Learning at The Blake School and the Senior Shinnyo Fellow of Shinnyo-en Foundation, “We learn so much from each other, by sharing stories, hearing from new and experienced practitioners and by valuing each other in this work.”

One participant reflected, “I must continue to stay connected to this service-learning community in order to be able to sustain and feed the service-learning practitioner I hope to become.”

The Gathering is a way that teachers participate in collaboration and then model with their students.  The collective energy afforded by The Gathering supports the individual efforts of service-learning practitioners.

• Apache Fair Trade Coop
• Bay Area Community Development Corporation
• Burlingame Community For Education Foundation
• Center for Sustainable Change
• City of White Plains Youth Bureau
• Communities in Schools, Hawaii
• Diocese of San Jose
• Foundation for Public Education, White Plains
• Japan Cultural & Community Center of Northern California
• Leadership Foundation
• National Indian Youth Leadership
• National Youth Leadership Council
• Native Wellness Institute
• NDNS4Wellness
• Orange County Interfaith Network
• St. Mary’s College of California, Moraga
• The Blake School
• The California Protocol Foundation
• UN DPI/NGO
• Volunteer Resource Center of Hawaii
• Yesod Foundation
• Youth Community Service
• Youth Service California

The Shinnyo Fellowship at UC Berkeley offers the rare opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students to not only take action within the community but to reflect on what calls them to serve as a peace-builder. On August 23^rd, 2011, we hosted the Shinnyo Fellow Summer Institute with the Foundation’s Program Director, Ineko Tsuchida, Ph.D., a daylong orientation that serves as a platform for the fellowship over the course of the year. In the morning, a brief overview of the Shinnyo-en Foundation, the Six Billion Paths to Peace, and the core principles of being a Shinnyo Fellow were provided. 

In the afternoon, our time together centered on reflecting on the values that ground us and how those values radiate out in our service work through an arts-based workshop. We were joined by five fellows from the W.T. Chan Fellowship program. The W.T. Chan Fellowship is a 5½ month program that brings undergraduates from China to the United States for a significant intercultural service-learning experience at a non-profit community organization that challenges poverty in the Bay Area. Our goal was to create an intergroup dialogue on how to better align our hearts, minds, and actions in the way we serve so that we may deepen our ability to create greater harmony on the planet. The Shinnyo Fellows and Chan Fellows highlighted the importance of serving in the context of her or his unique gifts noting that a good, strong and inspiring leader not only knows what gifts they bring but also seeks to find and empower others.

Since our time together in late August, I have had the privilege of watching Shinnyo Fellows, Tria Andrews and Andrew Flood grow. Tria has diligently been working on creating a yoga and journaling practice for young girls and Andrew has been working on creating a VITA site to provide tax assistance to low income community members.  According to the fellows, the experience has been a tremendous opportunity to deepen their commitment to a lifetime of service. Andrew Flood shares, “The Shinnyo Fellowship has provided me with the opportunity to not only positively affect my community with a service project I am passionate and excited about, but also to explore the motivations behind this passion. Discovering my own path to service and how it relates to what I do and who I am today has been an amazing journey that I hope to continue not only through the  rest of the fellowship, but as I continue on to a career and life of service.” We are very grateful to be a part of the Shinnyo-en Foundation.

The announcement of selection for the fellowship with the Shinnyo-en Foundation was an incredible addition to our lives. At the beginning, we were focused individually on how our perspectives of peace influenced the path we might take in our community efforts.  We have such divergent backgrounds and experiences which create the unique lenses we see others through.  However, our introduction to Shinnyo-en Foundation’s (SEF) Six Billion Paths to Peace Initiative allows us to utilize our own journey and personal narrative; adding our light to the sum of light.

Professor Elavie Ndura

It was an incredible honor to meet the Shinnyo-en Foundation’s Vice President, Reverend Tsutomu Ben Takagi and Program Director, Dr. Ineko Tsuchida. Their presentations helped us learn not only about the importance and prestige of this fellowship but also about the expectations and opportunities associated with it. We were inspired to learn that each of our projects is magnificent in one way or another. Every step we take towards building our communities into harmonious environments is tremendous in fostering a foundation for the larger movement and consciousness raising. Every attempt we make to understand and trust that peace is essential for a healthier globalized world is in itself dynamic growth.

2010-2011 Shinnyo Fellow Hale Inanoglu

As we, the fellows, walked under the soft rain to the luncheon, we noticed a remarkably quick bond between us. We hope to grow as strong fellows and friends. As we entered the banquet room, we were surprised to have been joined by so many esteemed guests, including George Mason University (GMU) Provost Peter Stearns, College of Education & Human Development (CEHD) Dean Mark Ginsberg, GMU Faculty Senate Chair Peter Pober, members of the GMU-SEF Advisory Board, and a number of faculty and students representing various academic units and the broad GMU community. Walking into the room made us feel special, appreciated, and most importantly, supported. We felt like we were part of something essential to academia, community, and the human heart. Hearing from the Shinnyo Fellowship alumni helped relieve any anxiety we may have had and surely answered many questions. We walked out of the luncheon motivated and eager to begin our projects immediately. The roots and fruits activities allowed us to learn more about ourselves, our histories and our futures. The brainstorming activity helped us to fine tune our project ideas and craft concentrated objectives. As the 2011-2012 Shinnyo Fellows, making an impact is not our ultimate aim, but becoming influential to our generation and a generation to come is our dream. The Shinnyo-en Foundation is helping us believe in our own confidence by providing the opportunity for us to make our ideas and dreams into a reality.

This article was contributed by 2011-2012 Shinnyo Fellows (Fatimeh Shamseddine, Terra Tolley, and Doug Hernandez) and Professor Elavie Ndura, the advisor to the Shinnyo Fellows.

On Oct. 15, 2011, Shinnyo-en Buddhism celebrated the re-inspiriting of the Nirvana Buddha sculpture in the renovated Nirvana Hall at Oyasono, the head temple complex of the order in western Tokyo prefecture.

The ritual to enshrine the peaceful and elegant image is called “the eye-opening ceremony,” which has long been a part of many Buddhist traditions. The ceremony inspires people to seek personal growth and awakening through acts of kindness, generosity and compassion in daily life.

Shinnyo-en is considered a layperson’s Buddhism that uses the last teachings of the Shakyamuni Buddha as its central text. The third enshrining ceremony represents a significant step for Shinnyo-en as it brings renewed energy to spiritual community.

It was Master Shinjo Ito who was inspired to begin sculpting the Buddha image in 1957, who prayed, “May you cultivate the inherent Buddha nature that lies within each of you, so that you become Buddhas.”

Please click here for more images!

Shinnyo-en Foundation supports  Brothers on the Rise.

Meet Their Team – Join Their Cause

Join Brothers on the Rise (BOTR) Thursday, November 3rd between 6-9 PM at Montclair Bistro as they celebrate their 4th year empowering male youth in Oakland. Please RSVP here.  Please also see their facebook page for event details!   Free admission and appetizers, raffle, and celebrity bartenders, featuring Councilwoman Libby Schaaf and adult members of the BOTR team.  Meet staff, volunteers and Board members and consider getting involved, including participation on our Board of Directors. A portion of proceeds benefit BOTR.  If you are unable to attend this event, but want to make a secure donation, please visit their website.    Read more

Holiday House Party

Save the date:  Saturday, 12/3

Time:               1-4 PM

What:  Holiday House Party hosted by Karen and Arnold Perkins, a BOTR 2011 Man of the Year.  They will feature a fun wine tasting theme. Details coming soon!

Brothers, UNITE! Literacy, Life Skills and Leadership Program

Their summer 2011 Brothers, UNITE! Program was a huge success.  Please check out their amazing video; one of their “Lift a Brother Up” youth interns produced this video entitled “Teaching Young Men New Directions.” 

For the school year 2011-12, they are excited about their new partnerships at Millsmont Academy with Girls, Inc., AmeriCorps and Aspire.  Through this program, they have a new focus on literacy to complement life skills and leadership, especially for grades K-3.  With their pipeline now expanded to kindergarten, their vision of a K-12 pipeline serving males aged 6-18 has now been realized! Pictured are the three BOTR AmeriCorps Group Leaders that they warmly welcome!

Happy Belated Brothers on the Rise Day & Congrats To Our Men of the Year!

On June 8, 2011, Brothers on the Rise celebrated its 3rd year anniversary and honored Odell Johnson and Arnold Perkins for its inaugural Men of the Year awards.  Also honored were Mayor Jean Quan as their Sister Ally of the Year, and three BOTR youth, including Jachai O’Guinn who is pictured right.  After three years as a participant, Jachai became a Counselor in Training as part of their “Lift a Brother Up” college and career readiness initiative.  Through BOTR, Jachai has made great behavioral and academic gains, and now had his first job helping other boys.  In honor of BOTR’s service to Oakland and leadership in boys empowerment work, the City of Oakland and Mayor Jean Quan’s office presented them with a proclamation declaring June 8th as Brothers on the Rise Day.  Happy belated BOTR Day everyone and they wish to thank you for your support! 

Get Involved with BOTR! 

Pictured here is Kurt Hamilton, a Management and Coordination Volunteer, who dedicates 20 hours a week at their home office.  He’s also a member of their Board Development Committee and has worked with BOTR boys through their Men’s Speaker’s Series.  To get involved or to bring BOTR programs to a site near you, please contact them or visit their website for more information. 

They also have a Wish List of non-monetary donations.  However you choose, they askyou’re your support this valuable work of empowering boys into responsible, peaceful and productive young men. They ask that you join their cause and be a part of this movement.       

BOTR Corporate & Private Philanthropy Support

Brothers on the Rise welcomes their newest supporters: Shinnyo-en Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Community Benefit Programs, Yahoo Employee Foundation, June and Julian Foss Foundation.  Thanks to Clorox for including BOTR in their Foundation’s annual report as a featured grantee. 

Upcoming Events

Celebrity Bartender Friendraiser Event

Thursday, 11/3, 6-9 PM at Montclair Bistro.  

Free entry, appetizers and a raffle.  Featuring Councilwoman Libby Schaaf.

The proceeds from bar sales benefit BOTR.  RSVP here.

Oakland’s Policy Link: Addressing the Needs of Boys and Men of Color

Read about a local and national leader in the field, and the policy work related to BOTR’s core mission.

Develop the Boys

Work With Their Young Men

• Participate in their Men’s Speaker’s Series
• BOTR seeks Interns to help with their counseling program.  Supervision towards licensure and stipends are available.  Write with your interest here.

Please click here for more information about Brothers on the Rise!