What I read

Reading for me is like a light wind when I am reading just for me. When I read for a class project or something else, it's like a thunderstorm with lightning and thunder crashing my mind down with fear because I either don't like the book or don't understand it.

 In this past semester, I have read the following books:
- Just One Day by Gayle Forman
- If I Stay by Gayle Forman
- Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn
- The Great Gatsby
- The Perfect Chemistry
- Loves me, Loves Me not
- Columbine
- The Best Of Me
- Marked
- The Truth About Forever
- Just Listen


 Out of all these books the books I enjoyed the most were The Perfect Chemistry, Loves Me, Loves m
Me Not, Just One Day, and If I Stay. I enjoyed these books very much because not only was the plot interesting, but I could actually relate to the main characters. They made me laugh, oh ho! They made me cry.  I have already recommended these books to my cousin in Oklahoma who LOVES to read.

 To be honest I don't remember any of my goals from the beginning of the school year. I tried to look and see if I had written it anywhere, but I can't find it. I don't remember if my reading rate goal to do  for each week was at least 200 pages or more a week at the beginning of the year or not but, I do remember having said that I wanted to read at least 20 to 30 books by the end of this whole school year. And so far I think That with this upcoming break, I can reach that goal of 20 to 30 books read. After school I try to manage to set aside 30 minutes to an hour for me to read my book, but since I'm the oldest of 4 kids in our home, it's been quite hard for me to fit those 30 minutes to an hour in my after school schedule. Don't get me wrong, I do read! It's just that it's a hassle to have some alone time. I will continue to overcome this obstacle and read more at home, though. It's a work in progress. I'm 20 books away from reaching my goal now so, it will happen.

Article #8: The Perfect Gift

 Bright lights are slowly one by one lighting up the streets and cities. Wrapping paper is quickly being taken from shelves. Chimneys are smoking. It's that time of year where everyone celebrates Christmas with many traditions leading back to our ancestors and finds the perfect gift for our friends and family. To be honest, finding the perfect gift is hard work! All we want is to surprise our loved ones with that one amazing gift. And what better gift of experiences?

 You're probably wondering, "gift of experiences? Is that even real?" Oh! It's real alright. Not all gifts have to be material wise. It's the thought that counts really. "Not only do experience make us happier than stuff,  but experiences bring givers and recipients closer together", says Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton in and article of myths of gift giving and it is completely true. On my 16th  birthday, I didn't get many presents. In fact, all I got was 200 bucks and a house full of family and a couple of friends. Sure the money, it was nice to have, but the thing I loved most was having everyone come over and celebrate my birthday with me. Laughing, dancing, telling jokes and embarrassing stories from when I was little. All which I cherish and shall keep forever and ever. Material wise, those 200 bucks went away eventually and to be honest, I don;t even remember what I had bought with it. 

 So, this Christmas don't just go for material wise gifts, but also go for experience gifts- one's where you and the receiver can do together. To build the relationship, to just have a memorable day with them. People may change, but the memories will always stay.

Col-um-BINE!!

Craft Study

Overrated

Freedom and safety.  To be free is to not have to care on what you were or where you come from. You are able to do as you please. To be safe is to be secure. Freedom is what man wants. Technically neither freedom nor safety exist. Take a look at all of the mayhem and disaster going on all around the world. If governments just let people try things out first and then see if it isn't best for the people, I'm sure none of this would've happened.

 One summer my brother and I were standing at the edge of a lake and just wishing to go into the water to cool our burning skin. My mother prohibited it which caused my brother to have a meltdown. He kicked and screamed and went into the water while my mother wasn't looking anyway. Once my mother noticed she didn't know what to do. She yelled and threatened to beat him, but that didn't work. He stayed in. So she sent me in, just like the government send troops to capture the criminals. I obey, afraid that I'd be beaten myself, and drag my little brother out of the water. I handed him off to my mother who pulled his ear to the the nearest bench and sat him there, telling him he was unable to move for the rest of the time we stayed at the lake. Wet and ear pulsing by the second, he pouted and a rage grew inside my little brother. Once at home, he caused trouble like there was no tomorrow.

 This is what happens today. Governments prohibit people to do certain things and the people rebel against the law, doing it anyways, and once they're caught, they are punished and soon, hate and rage fill up inside to where they truly cause a crime in the world. Wars, shootings, fights, and terrorist attacks start to happen, leaving the innocent unsafe and with no freedom at all because of the laws thrown at everyone to try and stop the insanity.

  See, if governments just let the people have a chance and do things right with no hassle, maybe all of this crime and felony wouldn't occur. Maybe then, can countries call themselves free and maybe then the people will feel safe. But they don't. They enforce more laws, one on top of the other, on top of the other, on top of the other, and at the end of the day the laws are in no concern of anybody. The governments need to stop enforcing laws and try to have some reason with its people, give them a chance and have things to settle down all into place again, because all freedom and safty are going down the drain.

Article #6: "... when you're fast asleep..."

"Scientists may still debate the meaning and purpose of dreams, but we ordinary dreamers seem to have an insatiable desire to parse the who, what and why of what happens when we doze off." Now there are apps to help define the meaning of our dreams. The article now is trying to help us decide on how reliable those apps are. That's bogus. No one knows what the true meaning of dreams are! They are dreams, "a wish your heart makes", like Disney's Cinderella sang. 

 You can't go up to two different people, tell them you're dream, and expect to get the same answer. It just won't happen because the meaning of you're dream is what you want it to be. Many say, "Follow you're dreams". Why of course! Follow you're OWN because I'm pretty sure Bill and Sandy don't have the same one as yours. So same thing goes to you're own dreams. No one can tell you what they mean. 

 When I was in 8th grade, I had a dream about my best friends boyfriend and the boy I had been crushing on having a fight over me. I wanted to know badly what it meant, so I went to my best friend at that time for the meaning of this strange dream, and she came up with this whole other idea of me just wanting to end a friendship. I, to this day, still don't see the connection between my dream and her opinion of the meaning because it turns out that I just had a thing for both of the guys! 

 So I'm wondering, if there are so many apps out there apparently telling you the meaning of you're dreams, why are scientist still trying to debunk if what they say is true or not. I mean, I'm no scientist and I know for a fact that no one can tell me the meaning of my own dreams. It's common sense, yet they do it. I just don't understand. 

 But, dreams do mean something, only to your own self. Through yourself and you're desires is where you find the answer to you're dreams meanings, not some app. "So it’s worth remembering that the same dream may not get the same interpretation from different people", says psychologist Deirdre Barret. 
"Sometimes dreams are better left alone — and private."

So maybe it's time you evaluate you're own dreams and thoughts, because no one else knows you better than... you.

Article #5: Parents, pay attention!

 When a child is born, it's a parents job to nurture the baby and to give the baby love and kindness. The thing most needed from babies are attention and love. Without it the baby begins to grow unwanted and secluded bringing terrible outcomes later in the child life.

 When my mother was pregnant with me, my biological father wanted to abort me. My mother refused and had me at 7 months premature. When we were both let out of the hospital, things at "home" went downhill. My father abused both my mother and myself until when I was 3 year old my mother found a job, moved out and started fresh. My mother was hardly around, "it was probably the worst thing I could have done; having to give you materials but not my attention" my mother told me one day. "Luckily, God helped me out a little by having you mature earlier than you should have." 

 My example is quite different from others childhood affecting their adolescence and adulthood. Take for instances serial killer Joseph Paul Franklin's outcome of his abused childhood. His mother didn't care about him and had him "locked up" and secluded from other children. He claims to be "10 years or more behind other people in maturity" and the only comfort he found later in his life was from a book on the Nazis, beginning "his mission" to start a "race war" having killed about 22 people in his lifetime.

 Now imagine how Joseph's life could have been if his mother had given him the attention and love he deserved as a child. I'm sure he wouldn't have become the serial killer who spent 30 years in jail and is now about to be killed on Wednesday for his crime. 

 I say, parents listen to your children. Pay attention to them. Love them and show them right from wrong so that you're child can become a great success and not become the opposite.

Genius Hour Project Progress: Nov. 15

 In the last few Fridays I have to admit I was slacking off. You know, a teenager left with a laptop ends up being a "free class". Last Friday though, I actually didn't slack off. I asked the sub if I could interview people and went on the mission of finding out whether students believe school is just a passing time or if its really a necessity. For instance, do students in high school just go to school because they have to or do they really feel like they want to go for a brighter future.
 Many students actually enjoy their four high school years. They get involved, participate, and join clubs, go all out on spirit wear, and interact with the student body. Other, well, not so much. It's a pain to go to school. and once they're in school they skip most of their classes each week. Some don't even go to school! They drop out and move on from there. But, that is what I believe is what goes on. I'm sure my belief is true, but I am going out to find what really goes on in the thinking of other students and teachers. Teachers because they are the ones interacting with the students, so they are just as important to high school as students.
 The first place I went to was the AMAT studio to speak to Mr. Wheeler, the Dean of my college CHAMPS. He wasn't available at that moment so I spoke to Mr. Wilmot, my AMAT teacher, and asked him his opinion. I had spoken to Mr. Wilmot before ( he was the one who helped me to start out this topic), but he couldn't remember what he had said before. After several minutes of thinking and trying to remember what he had said before, he told me how he thinks "high school is not all really about the material given and to see if you can remember and pass tests, but to learn how to be responsible and build yourself as a person." I also spoke with the assistant principle of CHAMPS, Mrs. Macedo. She told me that she thought school was "actual preparation that offers academic and social opportunities and a chance to explore different activities." She also said that she does believe the "students come to school just cause'", but most are interested in learning.

The American Scholar

An American Scholar is a student that goes to school to get an education in trying to go places in life. I am a student. I am an American Scholar. My goal in this life is to become a person who changes the ways of this evil, cruel, world. Not just by watching and praying to God that things change, but to actually to get up and make this happen.
 In  Emerson's "The American Scholar" speech, he says that a scholar should consider to "cheer, to raise, and to guide men by showing them the fact amidst appearances", to observe on the world and others and see what is needed to be fixed; To be the one to rise above everyone else and stand out on what is at heart; To be amongst the world with a "heroic mind". Today in the present 21st century, scholars aren't like this no more. They go to school just to go to school and as soon as their done, they just look after themselves. Emerson writes expresses this idea in his 5th paragraph of the speech by giving the example of a farmer and how, "he sees bushel and his cart, and nothing beyond, and sinks into the farmer, instead of the Man on the farm."
 This ties into what I believe is my role as an American Scholar. Since there is less of Man Thinking around anymore, I am choosing to be that Man Thinking. To look at literature of today and make my own ideas based on the books; To get my experiences so far and to use those experiences, good or bad, and make something positive out of it; To become like one of the many famous authors and important people of our history that have managed to make a change in the world. Emerson even said so in his speech that the past and books are a great influence to us. And I agree! Books give  hard thoughts and ideas that I can use, but not to copy, no. Only to rise above it. To add more to it. Keep it up to date.
 Man Thinking is a creator not a copy cat. Man Thinking is like God. We will never be able to reach up to Him, never pass above Him, but we can always use His ways of love, comprehension, intelligence, and wisdom, as a way to make this changed world a better place before leaving this Earth in the future. He created this Earth with His own mind and it is from His mind, that we have our own mind, our own thoughts, our own goals in this life. That is what I want to be. I want to create my own creation to add to His. Never to be more than Him, but to be like Him. And that is my goal. That is what my role is as an American Scholar. To be a creator that brings a change in this world. That won't benefit myself, but everyone around me. I am not going to be influenced into being part of the crowd.

Article 4: Rock Topple

 I am not a girl scout. I've never been in anything like that before. I know a friend of mine who is in boy scouts and is very determined and very passionate about being a boy scout, but it has never caught my attention really to join. From what my friend has told me, they take many road trips around their area-sometimes even go to a different state to explore the outdoors- but never in any of their trips have they ever touched or changed the beings of nature like the one Yahoo News released on October 21st, 2013.

 In Utah, a group of boy scouts and their leaders went off to Goblin Valley State Park in Utah where some of the oldest rock formations can be found. These ancient rock formations are large abstract pieces of rock that have been formed over the time of water erosion and the heat of the sun created over the years. Well, two boy scout leaders- Glenn Taylor and Dave Hall- were fired from leadership in the boy scouts for tearing down one of the rock formations within the park. Like I said before, I was never a part of a scout, BUT what these men did was a very huge disrespect for the land and the scouts policy.
 The land has been around for years and years and for them to just destroy a piece of the land that God made to be the way it is it basically trespassing. The scouts are given permission to go about and be able to see the sights and explore the numerous creatures living in that area. The two men destroyed a piece of the animals natural habitat. Not only did they destroy a "sacred" place, they also broke a scout rule.
     
         " Leave What You Find: Allow others a sense of discovery, and preserve the past. leave rocks, plants, animals, archaeological artifacts, and other objects as you find them. Examine but do not touch cultural or historical structures and artifacts, Its may be illegal to remove artifacts." -The Principles of "Leave No Trace"

 Glenn and Dave argued that the "rock formation was loose and feared it was dangerous". I beg to differ. In the video they posted on Facebook, they did not seem to be bringing it down in spite of the scouts safety. They happened to be laughing and using a lot of force for the huge rock to come down. Once it was down, all three of them laughed and cheered in excitement as if it were their job.
 Although what they did was wrong, I am glad to see that these men took things in a good matter and took their punishment of leaving the leadership. " We've always supported the Boy Scouts and if that's what they feel is best, we support that decision," Hall said. "We're extremely sorry for our mistake. We look forward to doing everything we can to make it right and move on."

Reading In My Life

 I have never had anything against reading. In fact, so far in my life since last year, English class has been the class I have been looking forward in attending during my school hours. Since I was little, I loved math, but I don't know? Something clicked and I began to despise it. Things became harder and harder as new equations entered my world of simple math and I hated it. It was so challenging! But reading. My goodness. It was the same. All what was added was the understanding and the "reading between the lines", getting a more complex, deep thought in what I was reading. Now, when I watch movies that I had seen when I was little that come on tv with my younger siblings, I happen to see what is truly going on in the movie. It all makes sense!
 When I was little, I had only four books. Four. Me and my mother lived alone, since we left my dad and nobody wanted to take us in, so we didn't have money to go around buying toys and what not. I was four years old at the time when my uncle let us stay with him in his house. There is where my life changed. My uncle had three kids- Xochil, Victor, and Tony (all of them were older than me). They would teach me how to read since I didn't attend pre-school. They would sit me down on the couch and read to me or have me read along with them. By the time I started kindergarten, I was sable to read a little and write my name and Abc's. Kindergarten I honestly remember nothing about. First grade on the other hand I do.
 My first grade teacher's name was Miss. Jackson. In her class was were I began reading chapter books. My first chapter book I had ever read was Junie B. Jones Smells Something Fishy by Barbara Park. I loved that book so much, I begged my mom to buy it for me at this book fair we were having in our school library. She hesitated. So I went to my step-dad, who over the time me and my mom had been living in my uncles house, he came into our lives, ending up with my mom getting married and us moving into an apartment with him. My step-dad was the one who gave me money to go and buy the book, only when we go to the fair, the book wasn't by itself. It came in a pack of six Junie B. Jones books. Mom bought it. Only it took her 1 whole year to let me actually open the pack and read the books. I read and read and re-read the books over and over for a whole summer, since cartoons only lasted till about noon during the day.
 When my little sister joined the family, I read to her my library books and sometimes these books my dad would find and bring to me from his work. So I had about thirteen books; two short stories and eleven small chapter books. To be honest, being able to be the only child in my house that was able to read made me feel superior and intelligent. Not only in my house, but also within my cousins who were smaller. We hung out a lot and we would all play school. I'd be the teacher and I'd teach the younger ones how to read, write, do a little math and etc. My parents were always saying, "Heidy's going to be a great teacher when she grows up", having me responding with a huge crooked-teeth smile.
 Now that I am older, I read a lot of different books. Mostly because it is required like for an assignment or a project. But, whenever I am able to choose a book, I read romance or some other young adult novels. I don't get out much, so to read about a characters perspective in being wild and crazy like people say teenagers are, makes me feel as if I am there beside them, enjoying the wild life, not being left out. I've only experienced having a boyfriend once, so to read the love and the relationship of a character in a romantic novel, the descriptions of their beloveds face, the  just brings those memories back.
 I'll be in advisory, which I do read in, and I'd be crying or I'd laugh out loud at something funny said within the books. I'll be at home reading before bed and I'd read aloud to my sister whom I share a room with. She'd ask questions on what is happening and I'd
 get frustrated because I'd want to continue to find out what happens next. Recently, I haven't been able to read at home because of personal reasons. But I do read while I am on the bus rides to and from school. I do read as I am on my way to church on Thursday nights, and on weekends when I am bored and there is nothing on tv, chores are done, and the kids aren't bugging me, I read. I'll read about five to eight pages every ten minutes. My goal for this year is to end my junior year having already read 30 books; so far I've read three total books, cover to cover. Right now I am finishing up Ella Minnow Pea and starting The Great Gatsby.
 There are so many books left to explore and I have a while lot of time ahead of me to get through them all. 

Article 3: No More Hookworms!

 Hookworms are a deadly parasite. It is harmful to all humans, especially women and children. There is a trial coming up on whether or not US should send out vaccines to Africa to stop the spread of the parasite.
 I say that we should. Many kids infected with the Hookworm get anemia, stunted growth, learning problems and drains their blood. Not only for the children, but for the women as well. woman who are pregnant and can and most likely have the baby get infected as well.
 If we send the vaccines out, we help a lot of people. We can stop this parasite from spreading any further and resolve this problem for anyone  who has been infected by this Hookworm. Sending this Hookworm will not only help the locals out, but also help us out. we will be heroes to them and we will be able to get something out of it which is always good.
 So say yes to the Vaccine!

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/15/health/parasites-hookworm-vaccine-will-be-tried-in-africa.html?ref=health

Remember Me

Chapter 1

Breathe. Just breathe. You can do this. Mom parks in front of the entrance of Burger King; the Burger King we had all agreed to meet at. Oh, the excitement to finally meet him. It’s been 2 weeks since mom told me that he had agreed to be my chamberlain- my dance partner for my surprise dance in my quinceañera. Apparently, when we were little we had play dates at the park. That was so long ago. I can’t even remember. I peer in through the window to see if I could see or at least figure out who he was, but I only saw a kid that looked like he was 12 or 13, dark skinned with short hair. As I get out of the car, Junior and Caleb zipping right past me, I look to my right at my sister who looks at me and raises her eyebrows that ask me if I’m ready. I nod and walk in first.

            The place is pretty much empty. Only a small family sitting by the window, and a random guy in the very back. I figured that the family was who we were meeting because as soon as mom walked in, the short lady- Lupe- stood up and greeted her with a hug and a kiss on both cheeks. The 12 year old turned out to be her son as she pointed him out- Alex- and across from him was a guy, sixteen, maybe seventeen years-old, with spiked up hair, a red shirt  and cuffed dark jeans- Miguel. I honestly wasn't expected him to look like such a “gangster” or “thug”.

            “Anna! He looks like Pauly D”, I tell my sister.

            “I know! I was just about to tell you the same thing”, she laughed.

            We start walking towards them when I hear my mom introducing me as “the girl who just HAD to meet Miguel”, having all three of them turn to me. I politely reached out my hand to shake theirs when I hear someone scream their head off. I turn to mom and with one look we run towards the play area. There we find my little brother on the floor bleeding from a scrape he got from the slide. I kneel down next to him and try to calm him down, telling him that it’s just blood and it’ll heal soon, bribing him with a kid’s meal if he can get up and come with me to the bathroom to rinse it off. He gets up and begins to walk towards the door passing our mom, Alex, and Lupe. I wait for Anna to pass to go through, but as soon as I went through the doorway Miguel bumps into me.

            “Oh sorry”, I shyly say.

            “It’s all good. Was that your brother?”, he gestures towards Junior who is now waiting for me at the bathroom door, tears still streaming down his face. I nod, squeezing through the doorway, “Yeah, speaking of my brother, I have to help him out real quick. I’ll be back in a few”.

            “Alright”, he says, still looking at me as he walks backwards, hitting the chairs behind him. I try not to giggle, but as soon as I walk into the bathroom with Junior I crack up. I turn on the faucet and begin to rinse off the blood from his elbow. I dry him off and go to the cash register to order his kids meal and to ask for a band aid. After 5 minutes we receive his meal and sit a table away from where my mom, my sister, and Lupe were. I scan the room to find where Miguel and Alex were, but I couldn't see them.

My mom calls us over to sit at their table. There was only one empty chair so I let Junior have it and I just pulled up another one next to him.

“So Jacqueline, your mom tells me that you want Miguel to be your chamberlain for your fifteen”, Lupe says turning to me.

“Yes”, I nod, “I have been looking for one for over a month now and when my mom mentioned Miguel”, I say turning to my mom who was staring outside at the rain fall silently on the floor, “ I just went with it.”

Lupe turns to my mom and says, “So what made you think of my Miguelito?”

My mom began out saying that she had always been thinking of a time to get together and blah, blah, blah. I zoned out, now my turn to stare outside the window at the rain that gradually intensed since I last noticed my mom staring at it.

            Back when I was in 4th grade, there was this huge storm on the way to the area where our house was at. My mom told me to stay in her room with Caleb, who was a year old at that time, and Anna, who was five. She told us that our dad was on his way home from work so he’d be home in a few minutes as she went out through the garage to her car, that slowly disappeared in the rain as it backed up and zoomed away. I stood there in the garage just watching the rain pour down onto the pavement that stood still without fear. A slash of lightning startled me followed by a clash of thunder. I heard my brother cry and I ran back inside. I held him on my mom’s bed with Anna hugging my arm next to me. All three of us terrified at the sound of rain attacking our house. We all closed our eyes and I began to pray. I prayed and prayed and prayed. I prayed that mom would get to work safely and that dad got home safely and- “Hello”, a voice interrupts, “Niños?” It was dad! I look down at Caleb, who fell asleep in my arms, and to my right at Anna, who was laying on her back fast asleep. I put Caleb in his crib and go meet my dad. “Where is everybody”, he asked. “Asleep.” We walk to the garage and just stare out at the sight of the slanted rain pour and pour and pour...

            “Jacqueline!” I look to my right to my mom, “I asked you a question.” I stare at her blankly. “When do you want to start practicing your dance”, she sighs.

            “Oh! Umm, well I don’t know. Do you really want to be my chamberlain”, I ask Miguel, who throughout my whole gazing out of the window time he magically appeared next to his mom staring at me.

            “Yeah, sure”, he says smiling at me.

            “REALLY? Cool! I mean, okay then how about next Monday?”

            Lupe and my mom exchange looks and Lupe nods, “Alright Monday then”.

            Once my mom and Lupe got each other on the same page, arranging the time and the place to practice, we all get up and said goodbye. I ran outside with my brothers in the rain that slowed down to a sprinkle, waiting for my mom to open the door of the van. I wave bye to Miguel and Alex who were standing at the door waiting for Lupe.

            As me and the boys hop into the van and buckle up, mom gets in laughing at something Lupe yelled out. “What”, I asked her.

            “Oh, nothing. So what did you think of Miguel? He’s very handsome isn't he”, she teased.

            “Oh my gosh, mom!”

            “Oh come on! He really is handsome!”

            “And his friend isn't that bad either”, Anna butted in.

            Mom and I both stare at her and then burst out laughing as she backs out of the parking lot and onto the road to go home.

Article 2: School Uniforms

  Khaki and navy colored pants and white, red, blue colored shirts. These are the colors of the uniforms; boot-cut jeans or skirts that are 4 inches above the knee. I don't know who came up with uniforms, but whoever did is a genius.

                School uniforms go back to the early 90’s at a 3% of public schools using them, slowly graduating to a 12% and then a 42% of schools having dress codes. Many people find uniforms as a benefit in school by keeping increasing the schools safety and behavior of the students. They are even a huge benefit for parents financially, makes life a little bit easier.

                The safety of the schools increase with the help of uniforms because it “eliminates the gang-related clothing”, avoiding any gang related violence in the area of schools. It has the students looking sharp and makes the school look better. Every student dressed neat and clean walking around school impresses many administrations, sending good buzz around about the school.

                The use of uniforms helps with the behavior of students by not leaving anybody left out. In schools, many kids get picked on for wearing something that is out of style or because it only looks good on certain people. Now with everyone wearing uniforms, none of the students have anything to say about each other because they are all dressed the same. All students can participate in school activities without the worry of “does this look right”.

                School uniforms aren’t cheap, but since it’s the same thing every day, parents don’t have to buy new clothes each year. Instead the same uniforms can be used for as long as they fit the student. Parents don’t have to worry on how much money is going to be spent on graphic tees or 30 dollar jeans for their kids every year. Uniforms cost up to 150 dollars, but with the use of more than over 2 years, parents don’t have to keep buying and buying every season, leaving more money in your pocket.

                School uniforms might not be for everyone. Not all people believe that school uniforms are good, but there are several benefits with uniforms that people who oppose don’t see still. So, give it a go and see what outcome you take from school uniforms.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/08/12/style.rules/index.html

Article 1: Weight Loss Surgery is NOT for Kids!!!

            Many people have seen the weight loss surgery commercials on TV. All of them show adults explaining how much they love their body after having a weight loss surgery with a certain doctor, but never in any of those commercials have they shown a small child saying how happy he or she was in going through that procedure as well. A morbidly obese two-year-old from Saudi Arabia is the youngest person EVER to have gastric bypass surgery. In my opinion, this is wrong; a small child shouldn’t be put through this. They are small and their bodies are still growing and adapting. To have a child as small as him to have a surgery as huge as this one, can be very dangerous. There are many chances of the surgery to not work or even cause death.

According to the Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) in Gainesville, Florida, their research shows gastric-bypass surgery’s death rate at between 1 in 1,000 and 1 in 200. Then in an AHRQ study, 4 in 10 patients developed complications within the first six months. Not only have that, along with the complications being diarrhea, infections, and up to a 40% chanced of nutrition deficiency and other extreme cases. Kelvin Higa, M.D., immediate past president of ASMBS says, “This is a serious lifelong commitment.” It’s an adjustment so profound that patients are screened to make sure they’re psychologically up to the task — tests that, according to a recent study in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, one-fifth of would-be patients fail.(- http://www.nbcnews.com/id/26076054/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/t/miracle-weight-loss-isnt/#.UkDShtKkr6Y -)

Although in this certain situation the bypass surgery came out to be a success, it still doesn't prove that it is safe. The doctors had tried to have the child on a diet, but due to the parent’s lack of control and care for the child, said on Yahoo Health, his situation worsened. I don’t have any proof of the parents of this child not enforcing healthy eating habits, but just having a bypass surgery won’t just end the obesity.

In my opinion, this bypass surgery wasn't necessary. All of these facts about how the bypass surgery could go wrong is towards adults. There has only been one child other than this 2-year-old that has gone through this procedure, except he was 7 years-old. Even then 7 year-old and  2 year-old children shouldn't go through this surgery. These two children are the only ones that have gone through this so how can people derive that nothing will go wrong. If so many adults have these side effects, imagine what little children would go through.

http://health.yahoo.net/articles/obesity/obese-2-year-old-gets-weight-loss-surgery 

5, 6 , 7, 8!

       

Many people have a hobby. They either run, play chess, hike, and maybe even keep a rock       collection! I don’t know, but what I do know is that my hobby is to dance.

Dancing isn't just ballet or hip-hop. There are tons and tons of other types of dances all around      the world. My personal favorite is Hip-hop, reggaetón, bachata, cumbia, norteñas, and many others I can’t think of at the moment. I love them, actually. The way you dance them makes me feel alive, free, sexy even, and not have a care in the world. I love the type of music that goes along with it, the passion within the lyrics. All just combine and become a whole other world, a world I am proud to be a part of. I dance because there’s no greater feeling in the world than moving to a piece of music and letting the rest of the world disappear.

My mother was a dancer when she was in high school at R.L. Turner. She was even on this               newspaper I found in one of my mom’s things. My thought at first was be, “Maybe dancing is in my blood?”, because I started dancing when I was 2 years old, but as I got older my dancing got more intense. I had never taken a dance class in my life! So, when I walked into dance class in my freshman year of high school, I knew that something good was going to come out of this. During that year, two professional dancers walked into our class and taught us some moves (hip-hop to be exact), and till this day I still remember the routine. At the end of class my dance teacher and the two professionals asked me to stay behind to talk to me. I thought I was in trouble at first for some reason, but as I closed the door after everyone had left and walked towards them and saw their smiling faces, I knew that it I was good. I sat in front of them on the dance floor, looking up at them and them looking down at me, like tall skyscrapers.  One of the dancers kneels down next to me and says, “Heidy, you really impressed me today. You are a great dancer and I can see that you really love it”. I nod. “How would you like to be a  member at our dance academy?” I breathed in those words and felt it fill me up with excitement. I jumped up and screamed my head off thanking them for giving me that opportunity and telling them that I’d get back to them as I ran out the door to get to my next class.

I didn't join the academy (mom didn't let me), but I still keep that in the back of my head all the time. The way the words came out were like music to my ears. Now every time I dance, her voice is in the back of my head reminding me that I am a good dancer and that I have good potential in my dancing, that it can becoming something more than just a hobby.

Triple T

What I LOVE about school:

1.       The amazing teachers. They’re really cool.

2.       The spirit within the school. We go all out!

3.       The freedom to express ourselves in our clothing and hair.

4.       Being able to see my friends. That would be hard not to do.

5.       The use of new technology. I honestly have never used an iPad or an Apple computer till now that I am in high school and the school provides that.

6.       New relationships made every day. I’m a very social person.

7.       Learning new things. The number one reason I’m at school in the first place.

8.       The variety of choices to take in our high school journey.

9.       The AMAT academy!! I’m in that by the way.

10.   Our mascot and the color blue, one of my favorite colors.

What I HATE about school:

1.       The lunch food. It tastes gross.

2.       The small narrow hallways. There is not enough room to get by.

3.       The different colleges. Now, I can’t be in cosmetology because then I have to decide on staying in one college or going to another.

4.       How only seniors get to leave off campus. Why can’t we all go out to eat?

5.       The waste of paper!!! I am pretty sure that all of the papers given to us goes straight to the trashcan.

6.       Having to get good grades to get into college. Okay yeah, I have good grades now how am I supposed to pay for it?

7.       The snotty stuck up people. No, you are not better than anyone else in this school so swerve.

8.       The little crowd of people in the middle of the hallway. The hallways are already small enough!

9.       The 5 minutes to get to class. I also have to use the restroom and 5 minutes isn’t going to be enough for me to do my business and get to class on time.

10.   How early it begins.  Can we all just sleep in?

-The Fault in Our Stars