Movies that have won the most awards (11):

• Ben-Hur (1959)
• Titanic (1997)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

Most Oscars won by a man:

• Walt Disney won 26 Oscars

Most Oscars won by a woman:

• Edith Head won 9 Oscars for costume design

Most Oscars from actors:

• Katharine Hepburn has won 4
• Ingrid Bergman, Jack Nicholson and Walter Brennan have each won 3

Most nominations:

• Meryl Streep has been nominated 17 times (with 2 wins)

So for 2012—Here are the nominations (In the categories people care about):

Best Picture:

The Artist

The Decendants

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

The Help

Hugo

Midnight in Paris

Moneyball

The Tree of Life

War Horse

Best Actor:

Demian Bichir: A Better Life

George Clooney: The Decendants

Jean Dujardin: The Artist

Gary Oldman: Tinker Tailor Solider Spy

Brad Pitt: Moneyball

Best Actress:

Glenn Close: Albert Nobbs

Viola Davis: The Help

Rooney Mara: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Meryl Streep: The Iron Lady

Michelle Williams: My Week with Marilyn

Your turn to be a critic -

What is your favorite Academy Award winning film and what are your predictions for 2012?

Of course you never hit the jackpot from your first search, so my story starts hours into Google searching for a potential Greece service partner when I found this- a self-organized Somali community in Athens banded together not only by relationships but also online- this is unheard of because the refugee community remains underground-not to our surprise- and definitely not online. Like trying to land an “X” on a triple letter on a triple word in Words With Friends, I shot Doug Rutledge an email to learn more about the work he was doing with the Somali community in Athens. A few emails were exchanged and before long, I met Abdi Roble. His passion and enthusiasm to help was apparent instantly as we began to have phone conversations and hear each other’s paths. Over the next several months, we agreed to talk. That’s it- simply connect.
 
The knowledge I gained alone was more than I could have asked for, not to mention our breakthrough in early 2011 when Abdi sent me an article about the leaders of this community, including contact information! This was only the beginning of adding Somali, Afghan, and many other communities to the LEAD family.
 
On January 30, 2012 Abdi was recently honored as one of the White House’s Champion of Change. We are excited to know him and be a part of the work he is doing. Click here to check out more about The Somali Project.
 
What monumental connections have you made via a Google search?

“Every day people ask me how are things in Greece. Much of what you see and hear is true and accurate. Still, as is the case with the media almost everywhere in the world, they don’t always show the bigger picture, they mainly focus on what is sensational.

In the recent years, Athens and some of the bigger cities have seen large but peaceful demonstrations and rallies from everyday, ordinary people who are against the measures taken in the name of financial reform. Within the context of only a handful of these demonstrations and exclusively in Athens and Thessaloniki (the second largest city in Greece), there have been violent clashes between the police and mainly groups of anarchists.

I will not underestimate the severity of these events, I wouldn’t want anyone, let alone my children, be anywhere near the areas where all this happened. But on the other hand I know I run no such risk and nor does anyone else who does NOT want to be caught in the middle. These clashes do not happen randomly, they are not the actions of uncontrolled crowds of exasperated people, as it was the case in Paris in 2005 and 2009 or in London only last year. These groups act with a plan and as they do not number many members, they need the coverage of a large crowd.

Demonstrations are scheduled in advance and are accordingly announced at least 2 days before. It is unfortunate that these are usually taking place in the very heart of the city but most ministries and of course the Parliament itself are located here. There is a symbolism to it and of course when the Parliament is about to decide on matters of such gravity, one cannot expect people to go gently into that good night. These demonstrations are a proof of our belief as a people to the power of democracy. The fact that there is a minority that feels this is not the way for society to achieve its goals or is used to terrify people so that they don’t exercise their democratic right to assemble peaceably does not make Greeks aggressive or Greece a dangerous country.

I know how you feel – once a parent, always a parent. Our country is going through a difficult phase and many stereotypes have been light-heartedly reproduced, stigmatising a whole people. Most of us, however, deal with it with dignity and hard work. Like you, we try to serve for our children, especially the older and the adult ones, as a model for how to cope with the challenges of life. When adversity strikes, when value conflicts test your integrity, when you speak up or stand up for personal beliefs, this power of example has meaning for them. Fear, anarchy, and destruction have no place in our lives, no matter how hard some groups try to change that. We strive for our lives and for our future. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Thanks, Aliki.  We appreciate your honesty and look forward to joining you for another unforgettable summer in Greece.

Get to know Global LEAD’s Toma Family Scholar!
 

Mackenzie Lavelle
University of Georgia student studying Journalism
LEAD Cape Town 2012
Favorite Chick-Flick Movie: Sweet Home Alabama
Favorite Book: The Help
Favorite Food: Chik-Fil-A chicken nuggets
Favorite Color: Blue (specifically turquoise and grayish blues)
Favorite things to do: Cook, Eat what I cook, and Run (not in that particular order!)
 
“My dad and I often discussed my dream of being a journalist and traveling the world writing as an advocate of children victimized by poverty and injustices. In March of 2011 my dad passed away after a short battle against brain cancer…The Global Lead trip to South Africa would help me to further my goals as a journalist and honor my dad.”

 
“I have always had an innate calling to help the innocent children of Africa who have been affected by HIV/AIDS.” If given 100,000 dollars, I would use the money to travel across Africa and begin a program that educates people on preventative measures against HIV/AIDS. I hope that one day this virus can be fully eliminated, so that children and their families would no longer have to live in fear.”
 
“#liveeachdayasyourlast”

One of the causes that Trey contributes his time and energy to is Athens PB&Js. With the mission to “use food as a medium to build community and bridge friendships between homeless and non-homeless people in Athens,” this organization delivers sandwiches to members of the Athens community every Sunday while building upon these relationships.

At Global LEAD, we believe that it is just as important to make an impact in your own backyard as it is to contribute to a community on the other side of the globe.  We invite you to partake in our “Watch for a Reason” campaign.  Help us hit 500 views on the video below and Global LEAD will donate 2 weeks worth of sandwiches to Athens PB&Js.  Get to know Trey and by doing so help contribute to the good work that Athens PB&Js is doing everyday.

Watch the video here!

Congratulations to Trey and welcome to the Global LEAD Family!

My Global LEAD story begins with a September 2009 issue of the Georgia Magazine. My sweet mother was reading an article about a couple of crazy UGA grads who were starting their own study abroad program. She knew I was considering traveling for class credit but that I was unsure of what location and which program. When she found out that one of their upcoming trips was to Greece, she had pretty much already signed me up. It didn’t take much convincing. I was in love with the beautiful scenery I had seen the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. I just knew I was going to find my Kostos in Oia! Sadly, I didn’t leave Santorini with a gorgeous Greek boyfriend, but what I did take away from my trip was worth far more!

During the spring semester of 2010, just months before my Global LEAD experience, I was struggling as a new student in the Terry Accounting program. I hated my Tax class and couldn’t see myself working at a Big Four firm. But I had been set on Accounting since my junior year of high school. I was frustrated because I’d never considered doing anything else. So it was devastating when I decided to drop all of my Accounting classes. I felt like I had failed. At the end of my sophomore year of college, I was without a major or a career plan. But my summer in Greece changed everything! Global LEAD gave me an opportunity to explore who I was, my passions, and my leadership potential. I learned so much about myself. I had the chance to serve and lead. I was challenged to step outside of my comfort zone. It was the adventure of a lifetime!
 
After returning to the States and having some time to reflect on everything I had experienced, I finally settled on changing my major to Marketing and I’m so glad that I did! Global LEAD helped me discover my true strengths and had a huge role in shifting the trajectory of my life! Well that same summer one of my best friends got married and I was in her wedding. I realized that I loved everything about weddings and planning events! Eventually I shadowed an amazing wedding planner named Corrie Kirk and with her help, I landed a marketing internship with a super fun company called The NotWedding in Atlanta that hosts a fake wedding in order to inspire brides and showcase local vendors! It is because of Global LEAD and my Greece adventure that I gained the confidence and enthusiasm to follow my heart. Now I’m graduating from the University of Georgia in May and have plans to pursue a career in weddings and events! Reflecting on this photo of me overlooking the breathtakingly beautiful town of Oia on the island of Santorini (one of my favorite places in the whole world), I can’t help but think that it was somewhat foretelling and symbolic of where I would be now. The blue domed churches and white washed walls remind me so much of the familiar colors of “something blue” and a big white wedding gown!

An NRF survey shows we’ll spend a total of $17.6 billion on the holiday, averaging at about $126.03 per person. What’s most interesting is the survey shows that people are not only buying Valentine’s Day gifts for their significant other… but are spending money on their children, siblings, friends and even PETS!
 
The survey breaks down the average person’s spending:

• $74.12 on their spouse or significant other
• $25.25 on children, parents or other family members,
• $6.92 on friends
• $4.52 on pets

 
The entire Global LEAD team will be on the road this Valentine’s Day… no time with “significant others” for us! We’ll be spending the holiday with our Global LEAD family at Auburn, Alabama and UGA – that’s most important anyways, right?!
 
How will you be spending your time (and money) this Valentine’s Day?

Get to know Global LEAD’s Location Scholarship Winners for January:
 
Betsy Buxton
LEAD Greece 2012
University of Alabama studying Exercise Science
Biggest Goal in life: To have fun!
Favorite Candy: Anything with chocolate
 
“It’s my job to go out into the world and help those less fortunate. I am very passionate about helping others, especially in other parts of the world. Also, I believe that Global LEAD is unique because you get to be adventurous. I love the fact that it’s learning outside of the classroom.”
 
“Unfortunately, I have never had the opportunity to travel outside of the continent. When I heard about Global LEAD I knew that it was exactly what I needed. This is probably the only chance I will ever get to travel abroad.”
 
Cynthia Ong
LEAD Ecuador 2012
University of Miami studying Management and Information Systems
Homeland: Australia
If I got a dog, I’d get: a poor rescue dog that needs some love
 
“I was born and raised in Australia with many opportunities at my door but my parents are both from developing countries, Malaysia and Indonesia, in which they were not so lucky. It has always been my passion to understand the gap between developed and developing nations and understand how it is that we can build bridges between these nations through education, leadership and initiative.”
 
“I have always been intrigued by Latin America’s diverse history and throughout my university degree I have been learning Spanish in preparation for the life work I know I will be doing over there. The opportunity that Global LEAD is providing to study leadership skills in Ecuador will provide me with invaluable tools that I can use in my future in Latin America.”
 
Welcome to the Global LEAD Family!

Many people have defining moments in their life that they can reflect on and provoke intense emotions of happiness and appreciation. For many people – it is a graduation, a wedding, maybe a baby being born. Well, taking my Global LEAD trip to Africa was my “baby being born.” I look back on that trip and I literally define my life as “before Africa” and “after Africa.” Some may think this is an exaggeration – but to a young college student, this is the closest I have ever gotten to a ‘life-changer.’
 
Now, I have traveled the world before and after Global LEAD, and even lived in Europe for 3 years; but I have yet to experience the same amount of enlightenment, compassion, and exhilaration that the safari, shark cage diving, bungee jumping, and most importantly – the leadership opportunity and volunteer service that Global LEAD provided me with. It is unlike any other study abroad program. In no other curriculum do you not only learn, but live the vital lessons of team work, cooperation, philanthropy, and the know-how to enact a movement of change.
 
Regardless of what you are interested in – it could use some improvement, and with the experiences from Global LEAD, YOU can be the one who does it! Since Global LEAD, I have gone on to serve with Dr. Patch Adams and now am in Physician Assistant School getting the degree I need to instill MY change. With this program, you can be the one who sees the vision and IS the change.
 
- By Jen Yarbrough, UGA Graduate, Current PA Graduate Student

Heavy geopolitical lifting continues to this day, though the people and governments of each country face specific challenges based on their levels of political and social change. While Egypt wrestles with the fallout after overthrowing Hosni Mubarak’s regime, Syrians continue to fight President Bashar al-Assad’s brutal government to create a more democratic country.
 
After ten months of protests and uprisings of the Syrian people, the deadly clashes between the government and opposition forces are escalating as casualty estimates range from 5,000 to 7,000 people. The humanitarian crisis, much like that of Libya last year, is reaching a crescendo and yet the world continues to sit idly by as innocent Syrian civilians are brutalized every day. Though the Arab League has formally denounced the actions of President Bashar al-Assad, the U.N. Security Council has recently failed to reach an agreement regarding the dissolution of al-Assad’s regime – failed because Russia and China vetoed the measure. US Ambassador Susan Rice condemned the vetoes as “shameful” and said that “any further bloodshed that flows will be on their hands.” With each passing day the violence is growing and the humanitarian crisis becomes more serious.
 
It’s all too easy to myopically focus on ourselves and the first world problems we face on a daily basis. Though loosely aware of current events, their distance and vast nature make them challenging to understand and seemingly impossible to make a difference.
 
But, for one second think about if you lived in Syria? What if your government was persecuting you and your family? Would you expect the world to care?