(photo taken by Rachel Bellande Erazo)

Life is a daring adventure or nothing

-Helen Keller

The Professors and Itinerary for The University of Ruined Strawberries

Emily Dickenson said, “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without words and never stops at all.” The following trip is the hope of my 8 former students in a dream semester abroad, and it is my hope to dent the hearts of the world by introducing them to my students.

Time: 17 weeks from January 2009 to late May 2009. The students would take a clean semester off from their studies at school. It would be considered a semester abroad program and we will work with each of their schools to get them academic credit.

The Pit Stops and Professors

Peru – A challenging trek in Peru through Pacific Challenges

This trip is specifically intended to build character and to challenge the students by taking them out of their comfort zones. May of these students have never left the city of Chicago. We want for them to connect with nature and with themselves prior to the rapid schedule of The University of Ruined Strawberries. We cannot imagine a better place for this than Machu Picchu.

We think this trip would be the cement that bonds us through out the rest of the excursion. Topic of Study: Going Beyond our Comfort Zones and Group Bonding

Amazon Forest, Ecuador – Professor Maria Jose Erazo

We will head into the Amazon and learn from Professor Maria Jose Erazo, a brilliant and passionate Biologist and Environmentalist. We want to see how the global climate and drilling of oil is affecting the indigenous people living in the rain forests, and how it strips away their culture and ways of life. Additionally, we want to explore how drilling for oil in the Amazon throws off the ecosystem and discuss the immense global repercussions of the depletion of the rainforests. Ideally, we will stay at the PUCE biological and research station in the middle of the Yasuni Jungle, a section of the Amazon Rain Forest. The students will be able to see research in action and see the immense threat of the oil and logging companies to the Amazon Forest.

Topic of Study: Global Effects from Depletion of the Rain Forests

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Professor Paulo Coelho

We think to meet Coelho would be completely appropriate because his fable, The Alchemist, was a huge inspiration to me, to my class last year, and for this mission. The Alchemist encourages the reader to pursue their dreams, no matter how large or impossible the dream may seem. Since we want to encourage the ordinary to do the extraordinary, we cannot imagine a better professor in this field than Professor Coelho.

Topic of Study: Seeking One’s Personal Legend

Jamaica – Professor Damian Marley

We greatly admire Mr. Marley because of the action he has taken with his lyrics and in keeping his father’s tradition with positive words and spirit. Eric, a URS student, is passionate about music and changing the world and when asked if he could learn anything from anyone in the world, he chose Mr. Marley. We would be so thrilled to go to Jamaica and discuss with Mr. Marley what inspires him and why he continues in the tradition of his father. In addition, we would be elated for him to teach Eric and our other students his passion and talent for Reggae music.

Topic of Study: Positive Vibrations

Patagonia, Chile –Professor Yvon Chouinard, Founder/Owner Patagonia

The Patagonia clothing company is helping create Patagonia National Park in Argentina and Chile. Patagonia is helping conserve a giant region in Patagonia, through helping a non-profit organization called Conservacion Patagonica, which is “dedicated to protection of wildland ecosystems and biodiversity in the Patagonia region” (6). There are several thousand volunteers needed to help with the project. It would be an honor to volunteer and help the conservation of this new park. Additionally, we would like to discuss the political and industrial challenges Conservacion Patagonica faces. Lastly, we would like to discuss the need for conservation and why it is essential to our environment and our posterity. Chouinard is one of the most inspirational business leaders in the U.S. and we would be honored for him to meet us in Patagonia and show us the region where he has dedicated his time and efforts, and from where his company name was inspired.

Topic of Study: The Fight for Conservation

London, England – Professor Zadie Smith

We recently heard a teenager ask, “What is the difference if I read a book, or if I chat online with my friends?” We fear that our saturation in technology is steering youth away from Literature and the importance of reading. As an educator, I saw a palpable apathy towards reading amongst my students, yet when they read the words of Ms. Smith, Mr. Egger’s or Mr. Eugenides they fell in love with reading. We would love for Ms. Smith to be in our film and discuss the art and importance of Literature. We think that Ms. Smith could help us teach the considerable value of reading to our students and the students in our audience. Nothing is more powerful than education and we believe with Ms. Smith’s involvement in our film, we can reach those teenagers and adults who think a reading book is a chore because they have never opened one.

Topic of Study: Literature

London, England - Professor Sir Richard Branson

Sir Richard Branson is definitely an entrepreneur to emulate. He started a small record company and has expanded his Virgin label into a plethora of businesses. Incredibly, he has taken his businesses and their proceeds to finding alternative sources to fossil fuels. He has dedicated 3 billion into finding alternative fossil fuel sources (8). He is deeply concerned about our environment and our posterity. If all business owners conducted business in his manner, the world would be enriched.

Topic of Study: Entrepreneurship and Eco-Business

London, England - Professor Jamie Oliver

Jamie Oliver has been working with schools in England, overhauling their unhealthy lunch options, and transforming their menus using fresh produce and gourmet style healthier options for the same cost as the prior menu of pizza and fried foods. He is doing this in order to give students healthier options, and also to fight the epidemic of obesity that is rampant amongst school children. We would love to meet up with Mr. Oliver and learn how we can implement his program into the U.S. According to The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry between 16 and 33 % of children and adolescents in the U.S. are obese. The menu needs to change in school cafeterias across the U.S., and we think nobody can do it better than Jamie Oliver.

Topic of Study: School Lunch Revolution: Put Down Those Nachos

Paris, France – Professor Sebastiao Salgado

Sebastiao Salgado most likely will not be in Paris. He travels around the world, taking photos of serious issues, from the global climate to impoverished schools. He uses his lens to bring awareness to social and environmental issues around the world. His inspiration and talent is profound. He really uses his camera for the good of the world, from fighting polio to addressing impoverished schools. In the 1980’s he worked for Medecins Sans Frontieres, also known as Doctors Without Borders, and he is currently working on a sustainable development project in Brazil, which includes Instituto Terra, an environmental educational center. Sebastiao Salgado is definitely one of the most important and influential photographers alive today. Considering many of the students want to study photography, it would be incredible to give them the gift of having their photography professor be Sebastiao Salgado! We put down Paris for this stop, which is where his agency is, however we would love to meet up with him on assignment, wherever he is in the world doing good for humanity (9,10).

Topic of Study: Photography

Uganda, Africa –Invisible Children – Professors Jason Russell, Bobby Bailey, and Lauren Poole.

When I asked Kim Garcia, one of the URS students, if she could go anywhere in the world, she said, “Uganda. I want to help the invisible children". When I showed the Invisible Children documentary in class, she immediately wanted to help the cause. Interestingly enough, the Invisible Children filmmakers were just like us where they wanted to use film to reach a wide audience about an important topic. They had a dream to get others aware of the issue in Uganda and they have brought so much awareness to the epidemic in Uganda! After learning photography from Sebastiao Salgado, it would be so incredible to give the students cameras, capture the suffering children in Uganda and put into application what we learned from Professor Salgado. Maybe the photos could help the Invisible Children movement. Every single one of the students on this trip has seen the Invisible Children documentary and they are passionate about this cause. It would be so inspiring to meet and learn from the original Invisible Children crew and head back to Uganda to see how their film, Invisible Children, has changed the world of these suffering children. Professors Jason Russell, Bobby Bailey, and Lauren Poole (original film crew for Invisible Children).

Topic of Study: Humanitarian Aid/Photography

India – Professor Tenzin Gyatso: THE DALI LAMA!

We greatly admire Mr. Gyatso because of his commitment to non-violence and faith in love, even loving, forgiving and praying for those who persecute him. Additionally, we admire Mr. Gyatso for his teachings on inner development. We come from the United States of America, where outer development is its only focus. We are told our identity lies in being consumers and our society devours that notion. It has left us with a society that is void and discontented. The only way we can change our society is to start with the youth and teach them that their value lies within. The students for this film were asked to choose anyone in the world from whom they could learn and Kristina Bruce chose Mr. Gyatso. She is dedicated to service and when asked, what makes her happy, her reply, was “Helping others makes me happy.” We cannot imagine anyone more important than Mr. Gyatso to teach this to my students and our audience. Therefore, we would love for Mr. Gyatso to be in our film to teach my students about the importance of inner development and the power of love, even in situations like his, where it is difficult.

Topic of Study: Inner Development

Vietnam - Professor Mykah

Ms. Mykah was able to leave Saigon before the fall on one of the last helicopters out of Vietnam. Ms. Mykah is about 4 feet tall, but her spirit is enormous. She lost her entire family, save her children, in the Vietnam War. She came to the Midwest and had a dream to open a restaurant. She has an amazing restaurant in Glen Ellyn, Illinois called “Mykah’s.” What we love about Ms. Mykah is that she opened up an orphanage in Vietnam from the income generated from the restaurant! Mykah is now looking to open up a school in Vietnam. We would love to head to Vietnam and help her with the school, from physical labor to curriculum. We very much believe in growth through service, and we would be so honored to help Ms. Mykah and her efforts to help others. We honestly believe that service is a huge part of happiness. Additionally, it would be so educational to go to Vietnam and see the effects from the war that are still present today. It might show war in a different light and how it effects a country decades after the troops leave.

Topic of Study: Growth Through Service

Vancouver, British Columbia- Professor Chuck Palahniuk

When We asked Nye Edwards, whom he wanted to meet, he stated Chuck Palahniuk. Nye is an incredibly talented writer and is a big fan of Palahniuk. It would be so crazy to have a writing workshop with Palahniuk in the Vancouver setting. He is Nye’s hero in writing and I would love to be able to give Nye the opportunity to meet him.

Topic of Study: Writing Workshop

U.S Tour

Seattle, Washington - Professors Bill and Melinda Gates

Mr. and Mrs. Gates are dedicating themselves to a plethora of issues in their new foundation, the Gates Foundation, including the educational crisis in the U.S. They are aware of the grave state of our school system and they are determined to change the inferior state of education in the U.S. (12). Therefore, we would like to interview them for our documentary, so we could hear from them on what we, especially students, teachers and parents, can do to create much needed change in our system. Lastly, we want to hear from Mr. and Mrs. Gates about the charity sector of business and its importance in today’s economy and how it coincides with education.

Topic of Study: Solutions to the Educational Crisis in the U.S.

Los Angeles, California- Professor Guillermo Del Torro

Del Torro is Emmanuel’s favorite director. Since we are making a film, and I am so thrilled to have Emmanuel on board, I would love for him to be inspired by meeting Del Torro. I cannot put into words how much Emmanuel and his efforts mean to me. I would love to be able to give him the gift of meeting his dream director. Topic of Study: Directing

Los Angeles, California- Professor Robert Redford and Professor Michael Matthew Carnahan

As an educator, a critical reader of the news, and as someone who really wants to make change, the film, Lions for Lambs, motivated the heck out of me. It showed so much of what is wrong with the U.S. I saw it as this dream of mine was developing and it shook me. In the film, the junior year proposal to assimilate students to the world through Peace Corps, Teach for America, or military training was profound. Additionally, I think it was so powerful to see that indeed, students like mine who get cheated most in education and healthcare, are the ones fighting our wars. I loved the message of that film, and I would love to sit and talk with Mr. Redford and Mr. Carnahan on why they directed and wrote this film, respectively. I also think it would be so incredible to have him meet the kids whom they were trying to help, face to face.

Topic of Study: How to be Lion in a World of Lambs

Los Angeles, California - Professors Angelina Jolie-Pitt and Brad Pitt

We greatly admire Mr. Pitt because of the action he has have taken with his Make it Right Foundation in New Orleans and Mrs. Jolie-Pitt’s United Nations work, respectively. We sincerely believe that their humanitarian work and the fulfillment they have received in helping others far outweighs the fulfillment in their Hollywood life. Because of their incredible influence, we think that hearing about serving and selflessness from them would inspire others to put down their US Weekly’s and follow in their humanitarian steps. The way they serve and help so many could greatly inspire others to do the same, as we’re sure it already has. We are excited to get the message out that selflessness is the secret to happiness, and we cannot imagine anyone more appropriate than Mr. and Mrs. Jolie-Pitt to help us state that message.

Topic of Study: Humanitarian Aid and Selflessness

Los Angeles, California - Professor Jennifer Hudson

We are currently facing a 160 million budget gap among the states in the U.S. When we face a budget crisis like our current one, states have to start cutting funds and usually included in those cuts are art, music, and after school programs that enrich the lives of students. Jennifer Hudson was a former Chicago Public School student who, like many artists, realizes the threat that arts programs face. We would love to go see after school programs, like Gallery 37, in Jennifer Hudson’s hometown, Chicago. These are programs that change the lives of urban students and their existence is paramount.

Topic of Study: The Importance of Art in Education

Ventura, California – Professor Yvon Chouinard, Founder/Owner Patagonia

We think Chouinard is amazing. We love how he has made Patagonia such a great company to work for and how he is adamant on helping the environment. He is so ethical when it comes to his business, and we think the people of the U.S. have a lot to learn about business, ethics and the environment. We also want to show the U.S. that the business owner whom we really admire the most is one who puts his people and the planet first (13). We think it is an important shift on emphasis from the profit margin to the people margin. We would love to introduce Chouinard and his business philosophies to business owners and would be business owners in our society.

Topic of Study: Business and Ethics

California – Professor Eric Schlosser

We would love to include Schlosser in this film because his essay, “In the Strawberry Fields” inspired the title: “Univeristy of Ruined Strawberries” After teaching that essay, a student walked into my classroom, shaking his head. He came up to me and said, “Miss B, you ruined strawberries. I can never look at another strawberry again without thinking of those poor workers.” I was ecstatic. That is exactly what we want to do to our audience in how they perceive urban youth and how they will react to the social and environmental issues presented in the film. Additionally, Sarah L. wants to major in journalism for the University of Ruined Strawberries, and who better to learn from that Schlosser? We really respect him as a journalist and love his muck raking for the good of the world.

Topic of Study: Journalism and Integrity

Valencia, California – Professor Dave Eggers

When I was teaching at my former school, I taught a lot from the anthology The Best Non-Required Reading edited by Dave Eggers and my students adored the series. We love what Eggers has done with his fame. He was nominated for a Pulitzer when he was in his twenties, and from his notoriety, he created 826 National, a non-profit organization that tutors and teaches kids about writing. I would send my students to 826 Chicago all of the time for extra credit to help them with their writing. Additionally, he created McSweeny's, a major online publication that publishes great writing(14). We would love for us to meet his original 826 Valencia students who created one of the anthologies, and hear from them what 826 has done for their lives. He took his fame and opened up so many doors for others and has made such a positive impact in this world.

Topic of Study: After-School Programs and Enrichment of Youth

Chicago, Illinois - Professor Jackson Crum

Jackson Mr. Crum is the leader of Park Community Church, which is in the stages of moving a primarily white church into one of the most notorious ghettos, Cabrini Green, now a gentrified part of Chicago. Mr. Crum is revolutionary because his vital mission is assimilation of the church members and what is left of the Cabrini Green community. Additionally, Mr. Crum inspires his church members serve in the community and throughout the city, helping others who need it through a plethora of organizations. Mr. Crum and the elders from Park also go to all areas of the city to volunteer and live in the gentrified Cabrini Green to help with assimilation with the community. As mentioned before, we are believers that serving others is a huge part of happiness and we want to hear from both sides, those who serve and those who receive, and how it has changed their lives. Many people are incredibly bored with their lives, yet are distracted with our mass consumption technological distractions. Since “things” do not fulfill us, we are left void and searching. Timothy Leary once said he was "an anonymous institutional employee who drove to work each morning in a long line of commuter cars and drove home each night and drank martinis.” I think many in the U.S. are living this life and need to hear the happiness found in helping others and in assimilation. Topic of Study: Effects of Service and Assimilation

Harlem, New York – Professors Michelle Obama and Geoffrey Canada

Through interviews, we have heard Mrs. Obama belabor the fact that others discouraged her from reaching for her dreams, even loved ones, because of her skin color. She was told not to apply to Princeton because her “scores weren’t good enough.” She was again discouraged to apply to Harvard Law School after Princeton, both of which she got into and thrived. In addition, she was told that she “spoke white.” She has mentioned in interviews of an undercurrent of low-expectations of African-Americans, by society and by African-Americans themselves. We think it is time this mentality changes, and we believe the best way is through education! We would be so honored to head to Harlem with Mrs. Obama and look at the progress of Harlem’s Children Zone run by Geoffrey Canada. We know that the Obamas are interested in implementing this program in cities across the nation. We LOVE this idea! We want to hear more about it from Mr. Canada and Mrs. Obama. We are thrilled to work together to give every child in the U.S. an equal education. This is our dream and Mr. Canada says “Be Your Dream,” so we have no choice. We’ve got to do this.

Topic of Study: Harlem’s Children Zone: Let’s Make it Contagious