Thursday, May 24, 2012

Blog #27: Senior Project Reflection.

1. Positive Statement

Two-Hour: I am really proud of the room decoration and activity. The winter formal decorations really helped set the mood of an actual event and it really helped having that wow factor into my presentation. Also my activity had great feedback from the students that were in my presentation they really enjoyed being able to have a hands-on experience planning an event. I am just proud that people enjoyed being in my presentation because that was my goal I didn't want to let anyone down, and hopefully I didn't.

Senior Project:I am just proud go my senior project overall, I did my senior project on a toic that was not easy at all. It was a topic that no one has really done it so I really didn't have anyone else's senior project to guide me, so I had to start from scratch. It was a struggle to find service learning and I only had a month to meet the 50 hour requirements forcing me to do 9 hour days at Colette's at the Meridian Club working like all the other employees, but I finish my hours on time and I feel it shows all the hard work I had to put in in order to finish everything on time. I really made my senior project a priority and never did i miss a deadline and I really do feel all my hard work was done with above and beyond work and I am really proud of my final product.

2.

Two-Hour: I feel as all my work that went to my two hour would be AE material, but I feel as if I had trouble really going into detail with event planning being my topic. So I feel I deserve at least a P+  because I am aware that I did have repeat myself a bit and I struggle with the time (BUT I met it) but I did work really hard with my topic since my EQ was talking about steps and event planner has to take in order to plan a successful event its really straight forward.  Besides that I really think I went above and beyond with the room creativity and the activities, I got really great feedback about the activities so I am really pleased with that. ALSO I feel I was prepared on time and just prepared overall because Pang really comment on my speaking skills and how I was confident and that was a great compliment. So I did struggle a bit meeting time but I did it and people enjoyed it so I am happy with the outcome.

Senior Project: AE, without a doubt. I think it shows that I really put my senior project as a priority always doing above and beyond work and turning everything on time. I really took my time doing every component that was for my senior project knowing that it will affect my grade overall. I never let myself lag it on my senior project because it was such an important part of my senior year, and it was also something that I really enjoy doing and I dint feel obligated.  I really hope all the teachers go over every thing I did this year from my blog, to independent components, service learning and research because it really shows I worked really hard.

3.
What worked for me was being able to contact so many great and successful people in the event planning industry. They really did help me on gaining knowledge and on getting a better understanding of the industry. They were all willing to help me out and I was really shocked they were but I am really thankful to had met them because they really did help make my senior project a success.

4.
This one s hard, because I truly do feel the whole senior project worked for me. The WB, three column,towers, research, interviews, service learning and independent components all played a huge role and they all helped me come up with my answers and product in every aspect, so I really do feel everything worked for me.

5.
Senior project has really opened many doors in the event planning industry so I am taking with me the knowledge and the experience I gained at Colette's that could possibly be a job opportunity in the future. Event planning has just become something that I would like to keep doing after my senior year.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Blog #25: Service Learning.

Literal.

Contact:

Maram Massam
BeDazzle My Events
(909)263-3533

Edgar Sabinon
Colette's at the Meridian Club
(714)273-8788

Interpretive.

Q: What is the most important thing you gained from this experience? Why?
A: The most important thing I gained through my service learning was the experience of working in the event planning industry. I am really happy with the opportunity I got to work with an amazing staff at Colette's and getting to be behind the scenes of events and seeing the final outcome. It made me realize that after long days of working it was still a job that anyone would enjoy doing. 

Applied.

Q: How did what you did help you answer your EQ?
A: Being a shadow to both Edgar and April at Colette't taught me a lot about planning the event and actually executing the event. April taught me all the small details that go into planning with the client and how its really important to be in a consensus with the clients, whereas Edgar taught me a lot about going through the BEO (timeline & checklist) before the event and going over it and checking everything is in place. Since I did change my essential question from, what is most important on being a successful event planner to what is most important in planning a successful social market event; being behind the scenes and actually working the events it helped me a lot with my answers. I know that having consensus with your client while planning the event and following the timeline the event would be successful.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Blog #24: Independent Component 2.








Literal.

" I, Norma Lopez, affirm that I completed my independent component which represents 30 hours of work."

In my independent component two I planned ASB, HOPE club events, and I am currently helping Prom Committee with prom. The first event that I decided to include in my independent component was a corporate event; the Invisible Children Screening. I was full on responsible to make this happen, in HOPE club every eager has a different organization that they work on for the whole year, and Invisible Children is mine. I had to contact Invisible Children and follow up with our roadie for about two months prior to the event. I had to meet up with both principals to get this event approved, even though there were some problems towards the end they were solved and this event successfully happened. The next event I worked on was iFest, this is a whole school event and since I am in E-Board we need to guide every other class to have their booths ready to go, decide on the prices and set up the whole event. Like Scare Faire we decided to try a new set-up, since past years pros and cons the set up never works. We also spend lunches and free block organizing everything since we lost a few electives, we follow up with every club and classes to make sure they were set in order to make this event successful. I as well are part of the Prom Committee and send some of my spare time helping come up with ideas for prom; they decided to go with the ideas for centerpieces that I found and share with them through Facebook, I really enjoy just getting ideas from google or elsewhere in order to make the night of prom successful. I will still be helping them with the centerpieces since I do have experience from formal, even though it might not count for my independent component I am still willing to get hands on experience of my topic.

Interpretive.

I completed 33 hours of planning several of events and giving inputs to events. Being in charge of the Invisible Children screening and how there were problems made me put extra work on it in order to make it happen. I had several HOPE club meetings, meeting with teachers and being in contact with the Invisible Children staff, it really was all on me. I also spend several of lunches and free block organizing everything for ASB events since everything falls back to Phoebe and I, we really need to be on top of everything when some classes don't show full potential in what they are in charge of. Planning school events has really become my job for all the three years I have been in ASB and I don't mind it, because i really enjoy it. The following log shows every minute I spend being part of the following events. 

Applied.

What is most important in planning a successful social market event?

This independent component really helped me with my first answer which is planning with an end in mind and my second answer which is envisioning your event. With both the screening and iFest there was a goal; creating awareness and just having a social event to benefit the school. When it comes to events you really need to focus on who you are planning the event for and for both it was the school. Throughout my senior year researching about event planners and whats hard, I realized that having patience and always planning an event for your client is hard. Event planners don't always have it easy, the Invisible Children screening is the event that got me so frustrated and I just felt like quitting, but when you are planning an event and some people are anticipating it you need to learn how to put everything aside and make it work. Your emotions and surrounding don't need to play a part in planning. This independent component really help me understand my answers better by knowing that I am planning events for the school and they are anticipating the best so you need to step up and make it work. 

Blog #23: Helping 2013.

Who: Damaris Elenes
Day: April 26,2012
Time: 12:45PM

Q: What ideas do you have for your senior project and why?
D: Dance. I want to do something related to dance and maybe do something else that I don't know. Like bachata or salsa.
N: I really think these are great ideas since you are in dance and you will be doing something you really enjoy doing and won't get tired of. Since it is your senior project and you will be dealing with it for eight months I really recommend you do something that you would enjoy learning about so the fact you want to do a type of dance you really don't know about; i thinks its a really good idea.

Q: What do you plan to do to complete the 10 hours of service learning which is due prior to senior year starting?
D: I was thinking at a dance studio, maybe even doing drill.
N: All you have to do is have several of contacts just in case some don't answer or follow up on you. You can even do above and beyond work and volunteer at different studios for different types of dances and with that experience it might help you narrow down what type of dance you want to focus on doing. You can even take dance classes of either bachata and salsa to get you start it. I really don't think you will have any problems looking for service learning since your sister is a dancer and so are you and you can contact many professionals in the field.

Q: What do you hope to see or expect to see when watching the class of 2012 present their two hour presentations?
D: Something new, I don't want to see repeating like previous years. I want to see how everyone came up with and what they have been working on.
N: Just go in with an open mind to learn new things, most importantly go in to the presentation being respectful because us seniors have worked so hard for this presentation so we want to be able to show you guys what we have done. We will be helping you guys too by giving you guys new ideas, you never know a two hour presentation may help you decide on your topic. Also if you have the chance on switching to presentations that will help you decide on your topic go ahead and find someone to switch.

Q: What questions do they have about senior project? What additional recommendations would you give the 2012 student about senior project?
D: I have heard about how stressful senior year is, so what exactly does senior year consist of?
N: Senior year is not really stressful but overwhelming knowing the fact that you have eight months to graduation and eight months to complete a senior project that you have dedicated your time to. You will be working on this project since day one even though first semester you focus on both model assembly and senior project, every week there will be a blog, research or an interview due. The reason why so many seniors are stressed is because we do have to balance out core classes with senior project. Many find it difficult to be on top of either causing them to fall back so I do recommend that you are on top of everything and during summer just try to obtain as many contacts that could either help you with interviews or service learning. SERVICE LEARNING is what you should worry about the most because it is what is most stressful, but if you plan on doing your senior project on dancing I really don't think you will have any problems because you do have contacts since you are in dance and you can volunteer in a dance studio and for your independent components you can event take a dance course. Just don't go into senior year thinking its your last year and it should be laid back, because its really not its the year that you really get to do everything on your own and its your responsibility to be on top of everything. Use a planner, follow deadlines and just have fun with your senior project it wont seem as an obligation if you really do something you are passionate about.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Research Check #15

arcl:Secrets to Successful Event Marketing and Management
L: "the difference between good events and great events is tight execution on marketing, automation of administrive tasked, and good management of the events."
I: management in event planning is just pretty much the planning aspect of the event, such as just being able to manage the whole event in a successful matter for your clients.

L:"the best ways for event and meeting planners to fill the room, not to overbook, and manage events efficiently:
- effective and economical invitations
- custom communications reach the response
- comprehensive campaign management
- leverage the event web site
- let attendees do the planning
- avoid the payment headaches with automation
- embrace technology
- secure the details
- optimize every opportunity
- get clear insight, get clear results"
I: those ten secrets are supposedly the best ways for an event to be be planned efficiently.

L: "it is important to understand the event objectives and determine from your attendees how these goals can be best achieved."
I: your attendees are the ones who are going to define the successfulness of the event, you need to understand the objective and get to know your attendees in order to do so.

L: "the eight key to successful events is to expertly manage event logistics."
I: the logistics is what makes the event flow and makes it very organize in order to avoid any problems in the day of the event, but either way there should always be plan b.

L: "the planners organization and attention to detail will speak volumes about the quality of the event."
I: the event planner really needs to be detail oriented in order for every small detail to be successful, the guests can see if the planner was either really organized and on top of stuff or if he or she wasn't.

L: "attention to detail and prompt follow up will encourage loyalty to your brand, organizations and events."
I: being honest with your evaluations will really make yourself respect the hard work that went into your event and make it better for future events.

artcl: Eleven Tips To Make Your Event a Success
L: "it's not always simply the mix of guests or food or the entertainment that makes a winning event, but the right combination of many elements."
I: in order to have a successful event it's hard to pin point what exactly made it successful, but having a combination of all the elements that made it successful is much easier than just picking one.

L: "start with a checklist; list all the elements of your event:
- food
- bar
- entertainment
- venue
- invitations
- guest list"
I: having a checklist and adding details as you go along and checking tasks off is going to make you get closer to the event without being stressed out and worrying about everything a week before the event.

L: "give your guests plenty of time to plan and set aside the time to attend."
I: event though it's a lot smoother when and event planner starts earlier to plan the event it is also very important to take into consideration the schedule of your events you need to give them time to prepare for this event of yours.

L: "entertainment can make or break an event."
I: besides the food the entertainment is what most people talk about the event they need to enjoy the event in order for the whole planning to be successful.


artcl: How to Plan a Successful Social Event
L: "organizing a mediocre event is easy; organizing an event that would leave a lasting impression presents more of a challenge."
I: it takes the right mix of goal-oriented activities, strategic planning and a fun atmosphere to put together a truly memorable event for your cause.

Answers.

answer one: Planning with an end in mind.
- Going in into planning the event and having everything answered will lead one to the goal of planning a successful event.

answer two:  Envision your event.
- Envisioning the event being planned is one of the key steps in order for its success. Always thinking about the bigger picture in one planning will take you far.

answer three: Creating a timeline 6 months to the event.
- Planning 6 moths prior to the event will allow one to have enough time to figure out all the details and creating a timeline will allow to be organized and be on top of the game for an event made for a client.

answer four: Post evaluating every event being planned.
-  Evaluations are very valuable to the overall experience to all the future projects. Every event, not most but every single event, without exception, can be improved. To the event planning field evaluations is the key to success on planning an event.