July 18th and 19th

Questions:

• 18th - What are your best qualities? What makes you unique?
• 19th - What did you think about the speaker and what do you think about where you landed on the political ideology chart?

Kevin Jang - TASK

My name is Kevin. I'm a happy a cheerful kid and occasionally I have my moments where I can be a complete jerk, but I try my best to control them. At times, no matter what I say, people laugh. I am funny even when I try not to be funny. I also work hard too and never give up on anything no matter how bad the situations. Funny, happy, hard working are my best qualities!

Cloe Tardiff – TASK

Kevin says that my good qualities are that I am a happy person and I am a good problem solver :) I try my best to be a good person and help people when they need it. I try to talk to almost everyone in our group as much as I can and be friendly to people. I'm a habitual person who likes things to be scheduled and organized but on a good day I can be easy-going and flexible (about most stuff). I'm a hard worker that never lets work go incomplete.

Emily LaRosa – Habitat

I thought that last night's activity was very interesting. It is a really important topic and many people do not pay attention to politics. So I think that it was nice that she taught us about it.

In a way I was surprised at where I fell on the chart. I was in the exact middle but a little closer to the left side. I was surprised because I always had thought that I was leaning towards the right. However I wasn't surprised that I was in the middle because I do not think that I agree with one sides ideas more than another side. I think my opinion of whether I lean right or left changes with each issue.

Patricia Krupinski – ASA

I thought the speaker last night was very nice. Her presentation had many things that I knew already just because my mom works for City Hall in Elizabeth and is very active in politics. One thing I found interesting is where exactly our Democrats landed on the graph. I wasn't expecting that. I landed on the green section and was not at all surprised by that.

I do not want to leave ASA! I absolutely love the kids and they don't want me to go. Even the boys have started to show a liking to me - it's very sweet. They got all defensive when they thought Joe was trying to make me do girl scouts. I spent time today working with Sebastian. It was interesting. The other young adult workers usually reprimand him and point out what he's doing wrong. Today I worked with him on the Language Arts packet and at first he was so unsure of himself. Once I helped him realize he was getting the right answers, he lit up and loved to work. I also talked to him about things and made sure the real "trouble maker" left him alone. It made me realize that sometimes the adults "miss" it. He doesn't want me to leave and I feel badly, because I really want to help him. All the kids!! I don't want to leave! If I come to TCNJ I will definitely go back to volunteer at ASA.

Jaine Danlag – El Centro

The political workshop yesterday was really interesting. I thought it was going to be another lecture-type scenario where she would talk and we would listen, but I was very grateful that she kept us involved with the survey and questions. It made it easier for me to keep my eyes open and my thoughts off of my paper. I was sort of surprised to find myself 4.75 left and 5.50 down into the green square. I know I am not a super republican, but I didn't think I would be so deep into the green. I'm glad to know I am and I hope I stick to my beliefs as I grow.

July 17th

Question: Why did you choose to come to this program?

Jazmine Meggett – TASK

I wanted to do some sort of educational class during the summer. So I had my fabulous mom research various colleges and such. She found Bonner. I thought it was class and service and didn’t think we were going to have much to do. Boy was I wrong. We do so much when we’re not doing service or in class, we have team building and we go to baseball games.

I’m here because I want to make a difference. When I signed up I just wanted the credits and something interesting to put on my college application. But now things have changed, this program helped me open my eyes and realize who the most important people are and also how to live in a positive manner. I’m so glad I’m here; I would do it all over again.

Jessica Sainz – Habitat

I signed up for this program so I could gain a college experience and have fun doing it. I was also really excited for community service. I knew I would enjoy any service site I was at but I was so happy I got to be on team habitat. Community service is the main reason I really wanted to join. I really wanted to help people in a different way then I do at home so I figured this program would be just perfect for me.

Katie Marano – ASA

I signed up for this program because I had always heard about TCNJ as being an excellent school. I took a tour of it during this past school year and everything I saw on that tour reinforced what I had been told, so I developed a huge interest in TCNJ and I wanted to do everything in my power to increase my chances of eventually being admitted. When my guidance counseler sent out information about the Bonner Summer Fellows Program, I knew it was the perfect fit for me because it was at TCNJ, it involved a lot of community service, and it appeared to be a program that was not overly long, but was worth every minute of it. I also knew that it would look very good on a college resume and that the large amount of volunteer work would increase my chances of getting into a good school. I am so grateful that I signed up for this program because everything I thought about it being a good fit for me was correct and my time here so far has been amazing.

Steven Czachor – TASK

I signed up for the program for various reasons. Like many of the students here, I was persuaded by my parents because it will look good on a college resume. In addition, I looked forward to doing volunteer work and meeting new friends. I am extremely happy that I made the decision to come here. This program has changed my life forever. All of the staff and students are great people and I will never forget them and this experience.

Midpoint Update - Going Great!

Hello everyone!

We just wanted to give you all an update on how the program is going so far. Honestly, we couldn't have asked for a better group of Bonner Summer Fellows and Bonner Interns. The group has become so close and that allows us to do so much more with everyone.

Last week class was tough for many students and we had many late nights full of reading, writing, and paper reviewing. We were able to be flexible and cancel many of the night events, or at least make them not mandatory to attend. Dr. Bates has been great in taking suggestions from the students and staff in changing some of the assignments to make it more practical and less stressful.

The weekend has been a great combination of relaxation and getting ahead on work for next week. We were able to go to grounds for sculpture yesterday and we lucked out with a gorgeous day! Danielle, a Bonner Intern, did a little editing and put two pictures together. Check them out!

We are excited for the students to share more of their experience with everyone, but we are not ready to give them up yet! Hopefully you are enjoying the blog posts as much as we have been!

Brittany and Maria

July 16, 2011

Question: What has been the best part of the program so far?

Meredith Clark – El Centro

The best part of the program is the people. Yesterday, there was a talent show that Purple Team danced in, and Kayla coerced everyone into doing other acts. I am really glad that Kayla made us perform because I get nervous in front of people and don't have "showable" talents that are standard, so I never would have done anything on my own. I ended up showing some of my art and explaining it, and I was glad I participated.

After, there was also dancing and I don't dance. I just don't. I'm too awkward. But Alissa and Kayla and Maria and other people wouldn't let me be a wall flower, so I did end up (attempting to) dance and I had fun. It was the first time in years that I really had fun at a dance-thingy, and I appreciate that the outgoing people made sure everyone was included.

Shaina Spector – El Centro

It is too hard for me to choose just one favorite part of the program so far, so I will share a few. One of my favorite parts is the volunteering aspect. I would have never had the opportunity to volunteer with immigrants had I not done this program. They are all such good kids and I love being able to spend time with them. It's so nice to see that we are making them smile and have fun. My other favorite part of the program is being able to meet so many great people. To be honest, I have never been around such a tolerant, respectful, and genuinely-nice group of high schoolers before. I'm grateful to have been able to meet them and know that I will keep in touch with them even after the program ends. Also, the Bonners are so helpful and understanding, so I know that I can come to them if I should ever need their guidance. My last favorite part of the program is the class because despite how difficult the work is, I find the things we are learning to be so interesting and I feel that the heavy work load is improving my focus and work ethic. I think that i just named every major aspect of the program, so I guess that the whole program is my favorite.

Parth Patel – ASA

Today is the sixth day of the Summer Bonner Fellows Program, which means that we are halfway done with the program (not camp). I have experienced a lot in the last six days, that I would not have seen/heard/done if I was not here. By far my favorite experience is one that most other Bonner Fellows have not had yet. This would be when five or six of us got together to "work" on our daily writing assignment. However, it was already 1 am in the morning, and by the time we had decided to call it quits, it was 3:30. Although we did not get too much done, I felt as if we all had bonded over the difficult coursework. We became much better friends that we originally were and are now going to carry this friendship over into the remaining week.

Another awesome thing about this camp is the opportunity given to all of us to help around the city of Trenton. We are able to do whatever we can to help out, whether it is painting murals, walking with kids at El Centro, serving food and tutoring at TASK, or playing with super-energetic 5 year olds at ASA. We are helping the community everyday, and I think that is awesome!

Megan Eichmann – Habitat

So far, the Bonner Summer Fellows Program has been an amazing experience. Everyone here is passionate about service and helping their community, which is extremely humbling when I see what everyone has accomplished already having only been here for a week. I love getting out into the community and working alongside people who will be benefiting from our service long after this program is over. I also like how we are learning the same material in class that we can witness firsthand at our sites. Finally, I love how nice how all of the participants and Bonners are, and how many new friends I have made through Bonner Love.

Alissa Cappelleri – ASA

I can genuinely say that I have thoroughly enjoyed every part of the program thus far. Even though the reading is extensive and the papers aren’t so enthralling, I have been having so much fun. Perhaps the best part of this past week was last Wednesday night. When we joined in the lounge to form yet another circle, I didn’t realized how much closer I would grow to the people around me. I was deeply moved as my peers shared their stories. I was so touched that they trusted me enough to let me in. at that moment I knew that we had formed a bond that I can say that I have never felt so connected with a group of people. That bond continued to strengthen after our tears had dried and embarked on a massive student vs. staff water balloon fight. When I finally went to bed at 2am with my homework forgotten, I was so honored to be part of the TCNJ Summer Bonner Fellows team :-)

July 14th, 2011

Question: Who is your role model?

(You will have to excuse the small number of entries here, many of the blogs were especially personal today.)

Jessica Sainz – Habitat

My role models would definitely have to be my parents. They always try to push me in the right direction and fully support any decisions that I make. Whenever i need them they are always there for me no matter what is going on. They will always help me and they both work hard to support our family. They will always love me unconditionally and never stop caring.

Kathleen Begley - El Centro

I cannot single out any one individual as my role model. Between my family and my friends and EVERYTHING about this Bonner Program has inspired me. Last night we did a really intense ice breaker and everyone ended up crying but we all felt so close. We love each other! All of these people mean so much to me and I cannot help it to feel so amazed by how blessed I am!

Today I was like the living dead during the morning but by the time I got to El Centro and was with all of the kids it was like a got a full nights rest! These kids are so wonderful and I plan on still being there for them all even when the program ends. They are so wonderful and everyday you learn something new from them!

I would also love to stay close with all of the Bonners! Everyone, from staff and fellows, has been so supportive of me and what I struggle with! I never want to lose touch with any of them and I really hope this wont be the last I get to see of them!

Bonner Love 4 Ever!!! <3

Jennifer Warner - El Centro

There are many people in my lifetime who have inspired me to do good things and be an overall better person. It may be cliche, but my two biggest role models are my mother and father. They're such great people individually, and together they make the perfect team. I feel so blessed to have them in my life, showing me an example of the type of person I want to be when I'm their age.

Here at TCNJ, I've found a bunch of wonderful people I can emulate. The staff and mentors here are so amazing and I'm insanely grateful for all of them. Some of them are out in the working world and some are only beginning their second year of college, but all of them are great role models. Even my fellow campers are role models to me in some respects! Everyone has such great qualities and are overall great people. I love being here and I've found a great group of people who are amazing influences on me. Bonner love forever!

July 13, 2011

Questions Posed:

1. What are some of the differences between your neighborhood and Trenton?
2. Is there anyone at your site, in the program, or staff that you have made a connection with already?

Steven Czachor - TASK

While I have made many new friends at the Bonner program and at the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, I would like to focus on my two "team leaders", Erica and Dave. Both of them are friendly, respectful people who I enjoy being around. They have taught me new things about college life and how to approach all of these massive assignments for the class. Aside from how intelligent they are, the two of them are also very personable and I enjoy simply speaking to them about anything. I look forward to spending time with my team for the remainder of the program.

Shaina Spector - El Centro

Because we walk with the children of El Centro through Trenton to get to our field trip location each day, we are able to really be exposed to the area. It differs greatly from my hometown, as Trenton is a lively urban city and my hometown is a quiet suburban neighborhood. It is also a lot more diverse in Trenton than in my hometown. While my hometown is primarily white, I passed by people of many different backgrounds in Trenton. Trenton also differs from my hometown due to the financial state.There seems to be a lot more poverty there than in my own hometown. There are also a lot of businessmen and businesswomen in Trenton that I walked passed on their way to work, which reminds me very much of my town because where I live many of the adults are business people and other professionals. With museums, tall buildings, and noise, Trenton is definitely a lot more exciting than my hometown and filled with a lot more excitement. I had never been to Trenton before I started helping at El Centro two days ago, but I found that it is a lot nicer than I expected it to be.

Megan Eichmann - Habitat

For the past two days, we have driven through Trenton, and worked in the city at Habitat for Humanity. Although it is only a ten minute drive from the beautiful campus of TCNJ, the surrounding area is very run down, and reflects the stereotypical image many people think of when they think of Trenton. While painting the mural, we had to stop to move abandoned TVs and other litter to try to brighten up our lot. There is a definite difference between houses built up by Habitat to the run down buildings so many people have to live in. It also can seem dangerous to people who have never visited, and until you talk to and work with the people living there, many people do not understand the everyday life of those people living in Trenton.

When we first drove to our site, the difference between Trenton and Burlington Township was very obvious. Most houses in Township are large and well cared for, while those in Trenton are rundown and sometimes abandoned. The general atmosphere is different as well, and the city is a very interesting cultural exchange for someone living outside of a city.

Melissa Moore - ASA

It's amazing how much you learn about people in just a few days. Working as a group as much as we do and as often as we do really aids the friendship process. It's safe to say that the people that I've developed the best relationships with are the once in my group, the blue team, including my leaders: Katie, Alissa, Patricia, Jordyn, Parth, Jake, Joe, Danielle and Lexy. However, I've also become very close with my roommate, Jen. We've bonded over music, homework, and stories from home.

At the site, there have been multiple children that I've met that I've begun to form relationships with. One girl who is going into 6th grade and her friend who is going into 7th grade and I have been hanging out and working together a lot in the past three days. Yesterday, I was helping one of them with their math problems and she said to me, "Are you going to be here tomorrow?" and I told her yes, and she said "Good! You're a good friend you're so nice!" This really made me feel good about what I was doing. The fact that she considers me a friend really shows the relationship that we build with these kids. Today, while the older kids were at laser tag, I was hanging out with the younger kids. I met another little girl who only knew me for about fifteen minutes and already she was telling me that she loved me. Then, before snack time she came up to me and said "I brought you a snack. I have a Special K bar for you!" This made me happy as well because even just knowing her for the day she already was looking up to me and wanting to offer her snack to me. The relationship with these kids that we are building is the best part of the entire thing in my mind.

July 12th, 2011

Questions posed (some questions are different for the 2 blogging groups because of the time of the day they are blogging):

1. How was your first day at your service sit?
2. What did you think of the speaker? Would you invest in the Bonner Program?
3. You have gone into Trenton 2 times now, how is it different from your community?

Kathleen Marano - ASA

The speaker last night was very inspiring. I really enjoyed listening to Wayne Meisel, the founder of the Bonner program and the president for 20 years, tell us about what it means to be a Bonner and how effective the program can be. I would definitely invest in Bonner because being a Bonner means that one takes everything so far beyond just volunteering. A Bonner is dedicated to a cause and will put so much hard work into it. Merely giving money directly to a source that needs it will not accomplish everything that giving it to a Bonner would. Bonners will work their hardest to assist and inspire people and will work on making a lasting impact, rather than just helping out for a day or a week. There is a level of dedication that is present in the Bonner program that would not be achieved through any other investment.

My experience with Trenton so far is that it has received a reputation that it does not deserve. I had always heard that it was an unsafe place that I should be very cautious in, but I have not seen anything so far that would support that idea. It is very different from my community of Nutley, which is mainly white and middle class. Trenton seems to have more minorities and has more lower class families. While Trenton seemed to be fairly safe while I was there, I would say that Nutley gives off a more welcoming and crime-free feeling. It is also known for being a very family-oriented and safe community.

Raymond Turco - TASK

At the close of Day 1, the founder and president of the Bonner Foundation, Wayne Meisel, came to speak to us and inquired as to our impressions of the preceding few hours. A vibrant and upbeat man, Wayne divided the group into a debate in order to have us discuss whether money would better serve individual institutions (like the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen) or proactive volunteer groups (like the Bonner Foundation). I tend to prefer the idea of streamlining the money directly to the source, yet I appreciate the value of investing in individuals who can spread aid by word of mouth and thus build a communal union of committed people.

My impression of Trenton has changed from my previously preconceived notions. No longer do I see it as destitute or as lacking in value. In fact, it has been brought to my attention that there exist areas that bear some semblance to middle-class areas in other cities. And as for value, I find that I am becoming the party receiving enlightenment just as I am the party giving it out. There is as much to be learned, analyzed, and treasured from the urban poor in the same way that there are things to be mournful of. Community and humility are easily observed in the environment of the soup kitchen, alongside all the degradation and misery.

Emma Singer - Habitat

After being placed on the Habitat for Humanity team, I was really excited to start working on the mural. I felt it would be cool to leave a permanent mark on Trenton that would help beautify the community (that sounds a tad cheesy). After dropping Megan M. and Jessica off at the day camp we proceeded to the re-store where we would be painting the mural. The artist, Quincy was there to show us what to do and help (at least me) with the lack of artistic talent. The mural is broken into three parts and expresses hope when put all together. The first part, also the one we worked on, was the section that showed all the bad things in Trenton, a grave, storms, guns, death, prisoners, etc. The second part shows people pulling others out of this "valley of death" and the third part depicts hope for the future. While we were painting, in mainly dark grays and browns, two kids came up to our site after biking past it a few times. The kids, whose names turned out to be Promise and Mike, asked to help paint, and surprisingly Quincy let them. I was on the scaffolding so I didn't really get to know them, but they bonded with Emily, even getting her drinks and snacks! After we had finished painting for the day, we stood in front of the mural in the double XL shirts Shaun had gotten for us (that in all truthfulness could have been worn as a dress :) and stared up at what we had accomplished. Though I hadn't worked on specific things, I still felt a sense of accomplishment. It was nice to be able to paint something that people would like, citizens walking by kept yelling out to Quincy that they appreciated what he was doing. It was a fun, first, habitat experience that I'm excited to repeat on Tuesday (but wow its only Tuesday!?)!

After frantically working on out essay that same day, Wayne Meisel, founder and president of the Bonner program for 20 years, came to give us a speech. It was very strong and entertaining, it seems like Mr. Meisel really believes that everyone can make a difference in the world, which I guess I agree with as well. Mr. Meisel also broke us into groups and had us debate whether a million dollars should go to a program like the Bonner department or directly to the organizations of a town such as Trenton (i.e. the soup kitchen, the re-store, etc.). I was on the side of giving the money to the town and though we tried our hardest, it wasn't exactly the fairest fight :). We argued that the town would know better what to do with the money, and also, giving money to the town would help them gain a sense of independence. If the money went to the Bonner program, they would have the say over where the money would go instead of the community. After a valiant fight on both sides, most of the Bonner interns explained why they supported giving the money to the Bonner program. It kind of makes sense why no one sided with giving money to the town since everyone here is a Bonner :). Overall, the speech and the debate were both pretty thought provoking. It was definitely hard after that to start working on my 2-3 page essay!

Lea Fuscaldo - El Centro

El Centro was really cool. I was able to speak Spanish with a native speaker and he said I spoke it well. The behavior of the kids was astounding, they were really good kids. They were all super adorable and sweet. They really enjoyed what we were doing and one kid said it was the best camp he'd been to. It was good knowing we could do something special for the kids. Instead of being all cooped up they were actually able to go out and see the park. That also allowed me to actually see what Trenton is like. My preconceived notions weren't completely wrong, but they were right as well. It was interesting to see what our capital city was actually like.

July 11th, 2011 - Session 2

Questions Posed

1. How was the first day? Did it meet your expectations?
2. How was your site today? What did you do? Who did you meet?

Alissa Cappelleri - ASA

Yesterday was the start of my 12 day experience as a Bonner Student. As I entered my dorm for the first time, I was excited for what was in store for me in the next two weeks. After getting to know everyone, I knew that I was going to have a great time. The icebreakers we engaged in were fun and effective. It was one of the first times I played games to meet others without feeling like I was second grade. While playing “Step to the Line,” the claim that this program would be discussing serious issues as well was confirmed. I went to bed feeling very content with my decision to attend the Bonner Summer Fellow Program.

Today’s experience was so much fun! I loved going to Martin Luther King Middle School to join the children in their summer camp activities. My morning was filled with pretend voyages to China and Mexico. I fought pirates, sharks, and magical lions. I was so excited to get to know the kids and hear what they had to say. I heard some funny jokes and even cuter songs. I was so impressed with the children’s dancing skills! I cannot wait to go back!

Chloe Tardiff - TASK

The first two days have been great! Last night we played some fun ice breaking games and team building activities. A professor came to teach us about the history of Trenton and discuss the reasons why the city is the way it is today. Later in the night we picked our groups for the two weeks. The options were TASK, Habitat for Humanity, El Centro and ASA. My first choice was TASK and that's what I received.

My first day at TASK was pretty intense. I started the day working with a women from Nigeria who was working on her GED. It was very interesting and I had a lot of fun with her. After that, I worked on the line where I served men and women from the area. I was very surprised at how thankful and, in contrast, how demanding some guests were. In summary, my first two days have been very eventful and fascinating.

July 11th, 2011 - Session 1

Questions Posed

1. How was your first day? Did it meet your expectations?
2. How are you feeling about starting your first college class tomorrow?

Jennifer Warner - El Centro

Yesterday during the information session about Bonner, the leaders immediately established that this program was "more than a camp." Hearing that, I wondered what was so special about it. What made it different than anything I had done before? I don't fully know the answer to that question yet, but I think I'm starting to figure it out.

The dual focus on service and scholarship makes this camp unique, and even when we're just playing a game or getting to know one another, that shines through. The people I have met already have different motivations for coming here, but they all have a common goal: to do the best work that they can. The thing that was most interesting to me yesterday was the "step into the circle" game. The students, interns, and camp heads all come from such varied places and have such different experiences and hardships under their belts, but we all are coming together to help Trenton. I think that kind of commitment is amazing.

I'm looking forward to our first class today, and curious as to what I'll experience there. One topic that I hope I'll learn more about today is how people work in community and why. I'm sure it'll be a lot of hard work and thinking on my feet, but I can't wait to get started!

Kristen Cascante - Habitat

Yesterday was an extremely new, nerve wreaking, and exciting experience for me. Walking in, I was very nervous about meeting new people. I'm usually very shy and it's hard for me to put myself out there on the first try. But after a while, after all the icebreakers and games were done, it made me feel comfortable.

The counselors here are all very energetic and funny; they all show that they want us to have a good time. We played games from a picture scavenger hunt, to this sailor game that I thought was so much fun and hilarious to see.

I love how my dad kept calling and texting me throughout the day. This is my first time away from home, and this is my dad's first time not being there with me all the time. He is just very over protected but I know he'll relax by next week or so...

I'm nervous about this class, just because it is college level and the work load is a lot more, but I think I'll be able to do it if I just focus really hard on it.

I'm really excited on this mural project that we're doing for [Habitat for Humanity]. I just love the fact that I'll have something that is apart of the community that I contributed to.

Daily Schedule - Brittany and Maria

Hello Family and Friends,

Things are going great so far! As promised, here is a schedule of events! Most programs/events will run on time, but could always run late or end early. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions you may have and check back tonight for blogs from the students!

Brittany & Maria

TASK Team & ASA Team

TASK Team: Erica (Bonner), Dave (Bonner), Kevin, Raymond, Cloe, Jazmine, and Steven

ASA Team: Danielle (Bonner), Jake, Melissa, Joe, Parth, Alissa, Jordyn, Patricia, Katie M

Monday - Thursday

7:00am - 8:00am: Breakfast

8:30am - 1:00pm: Service Sites

1:30pm - 2:15pm: Lunch

2:15pm - 2:45pm: Blog/Reflection

3:00pm - 5:00pm: Class

5:00pm - 6:00pm: Dinner

6:00pm - 8:00pm: Study Hall

8:00pm - 11:00pm: Night Activities (Workshops, Speakers, Movie Discussions)

El Centro Team & Habitat Team

El Centro Team: Kat (Bonner), Su (Bonner), Kathleen B, Meredith, Jaine, Lea, Mary, Shaina, Jennifer

Habitat Team: Shaun (Bonner), Kayla (Bonner), Kristen, Megan E, Megan M, Emma, Emily

Monday - Thursday

7:00am - 8:00am: Breakfast

8:15am - 8:45am: Reflection/Blog

9:00am - 11:00am: Class

11:00am - 11:45am: Lunch

12:00pm - 4:30pm: Service Sites

5:00pm - 6:00pm: Dinner

6:00pm - 8:00pm: Study Hall

8:00pm - 11:00pm: Night Activities (Workshops, Speakers, Movie Discussions)

All Group Weekend Schedule

Friday, July 15

9:00am - 10:00am: Breakfast

10:00am - 11:30am: Admissions Workshop

11:30am - 3:30pm: Grounds for Sculpture

3:30pm - 5:00pm: Team Building

5:00pm - 5:30pm: Mid Point Discussion

5:30pm - 7:30pm: Dinner/Free Time

7:30pm - 9:30pm: Movie Night & Discussion

9:30pm - 12:00am: Talent Show!

Saturday, July 16

9:00am - 10:00am: Breakfast

10:00am - 1:00pm: Study Hall

1:00pm - 1:45pm: Lunch

2:00pm - 4:00pm: Tour of Trenton

4:00pm - 5:00pm: Workshop Session

5:00pm - 6:00pm: Guest Speaker

6:00pm - 7:00pm: Dinner

7:30pm - 9:00pm: Bowling

9:00pm - 11:00pm: Ice Cream Social

Sunday, July 17

9:00am - 10:00am: Breakfast

10:00am - 12:00pm: Study Hall

12:30pm - 3:30pm: Trenton Thunder Baseball Game

4:00pm - 6:00pm: Dinner / Free Time

6:00pm - 8:00pm: Alumni Careers Panel

8:00pm - 11:00pm: Game Night

Friday, July 22

8:00am - 8:45am: Breakfast

8:45am - 9:15am: Post Program Survey

9:15am - 10:30am: Presentation Practice

10:30am - 1:00pm: Final Presentations

1:00pm - 1:30pm: Closing Session

1:30pm - 3:00pm: Check-Out & Optional Campus Tours

Red = Family/Friends are Welcome to Join Us!!

Welcome to the TCNJ Bonner Summer Fellows Blog - Brittany Aydelotte

Hello and welcome to our blog! During the Bonner Summer Fellows Program we will have all of the participants and staff blog about their experiences each day. We will share some each day with you all here!

My name is Brittany and I am one of the full-time staff here at the Bonner Center. I have been working with our team to develop a meaningful and fun experience for everyone over our 12 day program and I am excited to get started. There are so many great things planned on top of the challenging college course and service experiences. We will have guest speakers, workshops, a careers panel, movie nights, discussions, and of course, some fun activities.

With the program starting in only 3 days, I have been thinking about what I want the students in the program to walk away with. I had such a great experience in college, being in the Bonner Community Scholars Program and doing community service, that it really shaped my career choice and opened my eyes to larger local, national, and global issues. I am hoping that we will be able to share our personal experiences during the program and guide the participants through their own experiences that will leave them with open eyes and a deeper understanding of social justice.

I look forward to meeting everyone on Sunday and I will be available to answer any questions that may arise! I encourage you to check back daily and read about everything we are doing during the Bonner Summer Fellows Program!

Brittany Aydelotte