Project #2 hitting home with me.

We have officially started our second project with the Apprentice Challenge.

The 5280 CLOSERS are working closely with the nonprofit/grassroots organization Disabilities Center for Independent Living (DCIL). This organization helps people with mental disabilities ranging from alcoholism to Schizophrenia and physical disabilities (paralysis, etc. ). Our fearless Lithuanian Leader, Giedre, has given us good direction on guiding the team to another "W".

Do not worry our dedicated fans and followers, 5280 CLOSERS are hard at work chiseling out our master plan to help out this wonderful organization with an excellent needs assessment plan that will help them out in ensuring their continued help in our local and statewide community.

I was extremely glad to be assigned to the DCIL organization because I had a step-father with Bipolar Disorder along with being Manic Depressive. I know what issues he faced in dealing with his disease and day-to-day life because I was there during the good times and the bad times. I say "had" due to my step-father passing away 2 years ago from a terminal brain tumor that grew at an exponential rate. His name was Ed Uhl and he had an Accounting degree from Metro after which he acquired his CFP (Cerified Financial Planner) and CPA (Certified Public Accountant). He is part of the reason for my attending Metro. So this project is somewhat personal because I know how important it was to him to donate and help out similar organizations like DCIL, such as Bayaud Industries, to help in showing the world that people can be very successful even when challenged with a mental, cognitive, or physical disability. With that said, prior to starting this competition I dedicated all my efforts and successes I have in this program to him and his memory, as well as the rest of my family because without them, I would not be where I stand today. I have seen what my step-father has done with his degree from Metro and I plan on being as successful as him with my degree.

On a lighter note...

To my team, The splendiforous (copyrighted -Noah, All rights reserved), the great, the magnificent, the glorious, the fantastic, the glowing, THE 5280 CLOSERS!- Lets get crack-a-lackin and show this heavily CGI-trained-espresso making-break dancing-Spanish-speaking-Rock climbing A-team what we can do...AGAIN! Lets go for a repeat on success and bring the hammer down on them! I am breaking out the big guns for this project and calling in MacGyver for some fancy creativity utilizing only a Tube sock, paper clip, slice of moldy bologne, a watch battery, and a 3-inch threading of dental floss to design our team a website that will be ridiculously good looking with explosions and car chases along with techno beats to shake-it-like-a-salt shaker too! We will see how fancy-schmancy A-Team's website will be when ours is done. Coo-coo-ka-choo!

Skiddly DOO!..I'm outta here!

- Noah

(**CAUTION** I think Kaleigh (member of A-team) may be supplementing the A-team with unusually high doses of caffeine in the form of espresso shots - this may be an illegal infraction on the terms and rules we all adhered to- but really it could be a safety hazard for the campus and the CLOSERS due to their over-excitement and caffeinated "jitters". I have personally already received threats from Kaleigh about being attacked by spider monkeys hyped up on Mountain Dew and I am seriously beginning to think that they may have acquired spider monkeys. Aren't they indigenous to South America? and the majority of the team is bilingual in Spanish...hmmm... )