During community block, I met with a few other Gilmour students, Mrs. Ligas, and two representatives from the Upcycle Parts Shop. They talked about how they started their business and their whole initiative. It was really cool to see that they started a non-profit organization where they donate all of the money that they make. They receive donations of used art supplies and random things that they, or other people, can re-use and make into something beautiful. After their presentation, they showed us a bunch of fun used parts and craft supplies we could use. They wanted us to create a business idea, a representation of what we plan to sell, and what kind of cause or initiative we would donate to. I created a business idea for a company that would make toys out of upcycled plastic. My cause was to raise awareness to how much damage plastic can have to the environment, especially in the ocean. All of the money raised would go towards funding to get rid of all of the plastic in the oceans. Lastly, the product I created was a little turtle made out of plastic and a jellyfish made out of plastic and rubber bands. I really liked the whole experience and it was really inspiring to see a non-profit business all about selling super cheap crafting supplies. I really hope that they can come back next year because they were one of my favorite guest speakers this year!

We started the meeting by talking about if I was working on anything special lately. We discussed my idea for a real, working, life-sized, pinball machine. I started to make some of the parts in 3D Modeling and Fabrication out of plastic, and I plan on making the whole body out of wood that will have been laser cut. We also discussed ways to get into the right college. When applying to a competitive engineering school, it might be best if I apply for a different interest not involving engineering, and later transfer into engineering. That way, there will be a greater possibility of getting accepted. We also discussed that already having exposure to engineering risks and challenges will look better to colleges. When looking at new students, they want to accept a student that will not crumble under pressure and be able to handle what comes next in their career. Next, we discussed what classes I should take and what I should do about my 40 hours. While taking 3D Modeling and Fabrication is amazing and planning to take Into to Mechanical Engineering is wonderful, I should also try to take some sort of Intro to Programming class. Coding is involved in nearly every engineering project, and being exposed to code before college will have major benefits in the long run. I should also look into spring college fairs downtown and other experiences that could better my understanding of engineering. By attending these fairs, I will be able to meet new people interested in engineering and related fields that would be beneficial to know and have in my career. By knowing people in many different fields of engineering, we will be able to share ideas and knowledge to someday create something with many different fields of engineering involved. I had a lot of fun during the meeting, and am excited to sign up for classes and summer/spring opportunities!

During Community Block, guest speaker Doan Winkel from John Carol came to speak to us. He is an entrepreneur and teacher at John Carol. He told us all about the college process, the classes he is offering, and what to look out for in life. He gave us a nice packet so we would not forget what we learned. His speech was not based on entrepreneurship, but more on our lives in the future. He focused on doing what we love as a job and what to look out for in college. I personally did not mind this, but to the others that came specifically for entrepreneurship, it was a little disappointing. He gave some very good advice about how we should find our purpose and interests and focus our lives around that so we are happy later in life. I did not like, however, how he kept saying that our college counselors were lying and that we should not try to get good grades. It was a very concerning thing to hear because I have worked very hard to maintain a 4.2 GPA all throughout high school and hearing him say this made me think that it means nothing. Other than saying grades are of no importance, he did give good advice about how we should make connections in college because those connections could help us further discover our interests and give us the support we need to succeed. The last thing I want to mention is how he said that we don't need to major in anything in college because if we have a master's in entrepreneurship, the businesses we are applying to won't care and will only see a piece of paper. This really upset me and made me question my school-life decisions. I am very unhappy about most of the things that he said but did overall enjoy the experience. He was very nice and relatable and did have some good advice. I do not think that I would attend his session again, but I am glad I attended. 

Every Wednesday after class, I would stay and help with Sip O' Som. I would help set up, clean up, and help run the shop. At the start of the year, I would serve hot drinks and track what we sold. I learned the importance of tracking and how to keep up with a busy shop. As time went on, I started taking the cash payments. I discovered that having two iPads and two card readers helped the line go by faster. With the seniors gone, I had to reach out to others to see if they wanted to volunteer. I greatly enjoy the whole experience and can't wait to see what happens for Sip O' Som next year!

During my second semester of Junior year, I participated in the class Venture. With many people from the Management and Entrepreneurship class, we were able to add many aspects and ideas to Sip O' Som and Gilmour Gear. During the class, we prepared to run Sip O' Som every Wednesday and add Gilmour gear to some of the shops. We added many drinks and ideas for Sip O' Som and created design ideas for Gilmour Gear. Throughout this experience, I was able to learn a lot about the financials of small businesses and was CEO for 3 weeks when the seniors left. I helped run the whole shop with Jack and took full control of the financials. It was my favorite class ever and I would take it every single year if I could.