Students learn how to live ‘big’ with competition

Five IU students are competing for a $1,000 scholarship in the Big Ten Network’s Live Big scholarship competition.

The competition, which opened in November, required students from each of the 12 schools in the Big Ten conference to submit an essay outlining their service contributions of at least 10 hours.

The Big Ten Network chose five finalists from each school to compete for online votes. The student who receives the most votes when the competition closes this Friday night will receive $1,000 toward tuition.

Take a look at how these students answered the question, “How do you live big?”

BRITTANY GLAZE
Glaze has worked with Best Buddies, an organization that pairs members with a “buddy,” an individual with a physical or intellectual handicap, since high school.

She is now president of the IU chapter, which organizes monthly programs, such as cookouts and bowling outings, for buddy pairs to enjoy. The chapter won the title “Outstanding Chapter of the Year” for the 2010-11 school year, beating all other college programs in Indiana.

Glaze remains close with her “buddy” from high school, a man with cerebral palsy, and said that after her experience in high school, “a spark was ignited to advocate for people with disabilities.”

She said in her essay that she hopes to increase understanding among her peers of individuals with disabilities.


JAMIE MCGINNESS
McGinness began working for Area 10 Agency on Aging during the summer months.
She makes weekly visits to an elderly woman who, because of short-term memory loss, is dependent on her daughter. McGinness visits for two to three hours at a time, taking care of the elderly woman so the daughter can run errands and do things she couldn’t normally do while caring for her mother.

McGinness’s essay recounts the first day she visited the elderly woman. The night before, she researched activities individuals with short-term memory loss enjoy. When she went to the woman’s house, the woman was not interested in the activities McGinness prepared for.

McGinness said she initially thought every individual with short-term memory loss was the same. Now, McGinness and the woman enjoy doing puzzles and eating lunch together.

“Every week I leave, the daughter thanks me repeatedly, but I think it’s her who is doing me the favor,” McGinness said.


EMILY BORNSTEIN
A fine arts major, Bornstein developed an art program at Middle Way House, a shelter that provides services to women and children who are victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Three times a week, Bornstein leads children temporarily housed at the Middle Way House in an art project.

Bornstein said in her essay that she hopes the art projects will “lessen the effects of their negative experiences” and provide them with a safe environment for expression.
Right now, they are in the middle of a ceramics project that Bornstein said the children enjoy.

“There are lots of things they don’t have because they had to move out of their home,” Bornstein said. “I think to make something they can keep is really valuable
to them.”


LEXI GLENNON
Now a sophomore, Glennon has been involved with Civic Leadership Development since her freshman year.

As part of CLD, she has participated in many service projects, such as repacking food at Hoosier Hills Food Bank, ushering at the IU Auditorium and participating in the annual Habitat for Humanity Blitz Build, during which CLC members built a house in 10 days last September.

Glennon now manages the CLD Projects Committee, for which she helps plan service events for her fellow members.

“It has really gotten me to think about how I can have an impact on the community,” Glennon said. “It’s really important to give back.”


APRIL PRANSKE
Pranske began volunteering at the Shalom Community Center, a day shelter for those living beneath the poverty level, during fall 2011. She sought a unique way to give back to the community and found an outlet in the “Street Fitness” program at Shalom.
She now leads aerobics classes twice a week and instructs yoga classes.

Pranske said the goal of the classes isn’t just fitness: It’s about providing a positive element in the lives of students.

“It’s really rewarding because they don’t take it as just a workout,” Pranske said. “It leaves them feeling good.”

ABOUT THE CONTEST
The winner will be announced at the last men’s basketball home game of the season. To read contestants’ full essays and to vote, visit btnlivebig.com/finalists. Voting closes at midnight Friday.