Letter to Obama ..

Dear Mr. President,

As you can see here this is a picture of a young boy who fled from Tunisia and is leaving a immigration center from an Italian island called Lampedusa. He is angry, afraid and lost. North Africa has already been through many horrible events which have left Tunisia's civilians in a deep hole. They have many many other countries who have been through the same thing and who we have been through the exact same thing and who have been helped by the United States to help the people who are the innocent ones in the battles of war. Like in 1947 the United States helped out Europe $13 billion which helped for over a period of 6 six years. So whats the difference with North Africa? I believe although we are in debt already as it is we have been in debt before and helped our fellow brothers and sisters(other countries) out and have had no big problem with it. Say if we were to send medical aid to North African countries for example Tunisia for now; and we were help the civilians who are suffering and starving from what they are not even apart of.

The United States was willing to offer Europe $20 billion but only if they could come together and agree on a way to split the aid, but they didn't so they were given $16 billion in the end. So why can't we do the same? I feel like America has always been the big brother to other countries when they needed tit most. I feel like we aren't being that big brother now, I would like to know the pros and cons if we provided a Marshall plan with North Africa.

Thank you for your time Mr. President and hopefully we will see you at High Tech High Internationals graduation!

Sincerely, Shyana Brown a student from High Tech High Media Arts

Another Honors history BLOG

December 8, 1941

To my dearest mother Ethel,

I know you have heard about the bombing of pearl harbor which took place yesterday, I want to let you know I'm okay. Things have changed and some people have opened up and started to talk to me. It's hard being black in this war, all I can do is wash dishes, cook and clean. This isn't what I wanted to do with my life I wanted to make you happy mom and become the man I should be. I hear rumors when the soldiers are in the dining hall eating, I heard this thing about teaching the soldiers a new code something called the navajo code; so that other countries wouldn't understand what is going on and it would help save a lot of soldiers and will make it easier to invade. Even though it will take time I am pretty sure it will work. So how is everything with the kids and the house? I know I don't get paid very much but I will be able to help you later mama. Since the western and eastern front are developing and starting to come into place, some black men are being able to go out and help. I wish I could help and prove to them whit folk that I ain't a dumb man.

This navajo code will go through and hopefully help America because Lord knows we need it more than ever now, everything is so crazy because everybody is spending most of their times training on this code and getting ready to go out and fight that people are barely eating. I remember hearing this white boy named Tommy that if we don't take Hitler down then America is gonna be looking at a big change. Hitler is powerful, strong and smart; not to mention the most racist guy against everybody that don't look like him. It's crazy momma, just imagine if Hitler comes to America and tries to take over. I hear this navajo code translates its words into English and there are certain words that they telephone to one another . Like if I tried to say airplane it would be translated to Wo-tah-de-ne-ih. Or if I wanted to say submarine it would be Beeh-lo.

Well gotta cut this letter short, so by mom I love you and stay safe.

Love your son, Michael

Honors Blog #2

In a well developed, thoughtful piece of writing that uses direct quotes, explain the use of symbols to develop a theme in your novel


In the book I'm reading Native Son written by Richard Wright, I was given this book by my advisor who believed this would be a great book for me to read. It is about a young black boy named Bigger who in growing up in poverty having to see his mother struggle and siblings walk around with their heads hung low, but like every other teenage boy Bigger wants to do what he wants to do and not want to hear what he mother has to say about every little thing he does. Bigger has a few friends who see his town in a different way, Bigger sees white. White walls, white cars but most of all white faces. He looks at them all the same, they are no different from each other they are selfish and racist.

Bigger's mother mentions a job that he should take, he would be a chauffeur for the Dalton family; a white family. And to Bigger that is what he doesn't want. But he goes to check out the job anyway, Mr. Dalton interviews Bigger and sees he is the one to hire. He meets Mrs. Dalton and sees that she in blind, he can tell the way she touches the white walls to find her way and stumble a few times. He starts his first day off by having to take Mary Dalton (the daughter) to a university for a program but instead Mary mentions she won't be going to the university and will be going to see a friend of hers. Bigger catches on pretty fast and understands what Mary meant, after bringing Mary home from a night out he helps her up the stairs to her room because she cannot make it herself because of the rum they drank earlier that night.

After a few kisses between Bigger and Mary, Mrs. Dalton enters the room although she is blind Bigger is afraid of Mary saying something about him. So he covers her face with a pillow after a while he realizes that he was suffocating Mary and she had died. He picked up her body to discard it in the furness, her her can't fit in the furness so he cuts it off and burns everything he can but takes her purse. That was just the end of his first day.

The symbol I chose to talk about is Mrs. Dalton's blindness. Bigger notices Mrs. Dalton's blindness because how she touches the white walls trying to find her way around the house, after murdering Mary Dalton, Bigger starts to realize other blind people in his life who do things to get reality out there head for a while. Bigger notices his mother and family being blind to the world of white people are superior and that's just the way it is, he wants to do something and not graze by it. In book two part one he starts to think about Hitler in Germany and Mussolini in Italy and how they came and helped their people and how he wished someone could come and "end fear and shame." He says it as if Hitler and Mussolini were people who helped when all they did was destroy. He also mentions his girlfriend Bessie and how she is blind and she drinks alcohol to cover up her worries.

But I start to think of how Bigger is blind as well. Because when he talks about Hitler and Mussolini he seems as if he doesn't know what he really is talking about. Hitler and Mussolini were people who came along and made a problem everyone else's problem and that's why he is I guess seen as a hero in Bigger's eyes. This symbol is very important because when looking around there are people who are blind in our lives, we are even blind at some point. For example it seems like the government can be blind when it comes to people's need and how they make it seem as nothing is wrong and there is no problem but there is. Like how today is the 150th anniversary of the civil war and how in every document we looked at in class, they failed to use the word slave or money. When most likely those probably were significant reasons which caused the civil war.

How many people do you see that are "blind" which don't realize what is actually going on?

Are you blind?

Honors blog #1

All over the world women's rights have been taken and made women feel like trash. Different countries have different rules and regulations about what they can and cannot do, and to this day there are still things that women in lets say Iran can't do because they simply have different body parts.

Women's rights in America started in 1800's, the first convention for women's rights is held in Senaca Falls, New York. Women's rights hurted, destroyed and broke many women across the country; Men were superior regardless of what unless you were a negro. Racism is simliar to women's rights. They both grew up the same way, they both were "solved" in the past but still tend to creep up and hurt in so many ways. We see cases of racism and womens rights being used everyday; 'oh a woman can't be a firefighter because this is a mans job! She needs to stay home and take care of the kids and house like she is supposed to' Or 'that nigger is useless just like all of the other ones that we see around here!'

What is it that we can change to help this racism and women's rights die down forever, what can we do each day to help those broken women and the African Americans who have lost loved ones due to racism?

What can we do?

To learn more about women's right and racism visit the sites below.

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/womenstimeline1.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism_in_the_United_States

Blog #3, semester two.

Post links to two exemplary interviews that you can use as models for your mentor interview.

Under each link, describe the writing techniques that the author/interviewer uses to create a finished piece of writing that both accurately portrays the interview subject as well as results in a polished work that the reader can enjoy.

Consider the structure of the overall piece, what information is in the beginning and/or end, if an introduction is used, if there is additional writing throughout the piece, if there are references to any follow up questions, physical formatting, etc.

http://premium.europe.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0005/16/lkl.00.html

The first link is an interview about Nelson Mendela and things that have goen on in his life.

http://blogcritics.org/culture/article/interview-with-donald-trump-im-worth/

The second interview is about Donald Trump and his show ans the things that he has experienced when it comes to money and such things like that.

Semester 2, Blog #2.

What have you read lately (say, since last semester), that you found interesting?

Well I started to The Color of Water and it's pretty good so far, it was recommended by a lady at my church and I started to read it and it was pretty interesting and the way the words are used makes the reader understand what the author is trying to portray. I recommend this and the link is at the bottom of the page for a summary.

Why did it catch your attention?

Because it has a great use of words and I like the way he describes the story because it's almost like you are there and you can picture everything that is happening!

Semester Two, Blog #1

What are the big ideas that you are taking from internship into the next steps in your life?

ANSWER: One of the biggest things I'm taking into semester two as a student is everything doesn't always fall into place like you want then to, because internship was something I was excited for and I didn't get my first choice so I jumped into an internship and I wish I would of looked more. But since I didn't I learned a lot about myself and life, because I decided why am I going to stress out because I'm not doing what I want to right now so I came in everyday and tried to do the best I could everyday and I think did a good job of that!

What are your plans for the coming semester?

ANSWER: I planning to do way better than I did last semester because I didn't turn in some honors requirements and that resulted in me having my grade dropped and so I plan to do way better than before and do more than expected!

Semester Two, Blog #1

What are the big ideas that you are taking from internship into the next steps in your life?

ANSWER: One of the biggest things I'm taking into semester two as a student is everything doesn't always fall into place like you want then to, because internship was something I was excited for and I didn't get my first choice so I jumped into an internship and I wish I would of looked more. But since I didn't I learned a lot about myself and life, because I decided why am I going to stress out because I'm not doing what I want to right now so I came in everyday and tried to do the best I could everyday and I think did a good job of that!

What are your plans for the coming semester?

ANSWER: I planning to do way better than I did last semester because I didn't turn in some honors requirements and that resulted in me having my grade dropped and so I plan to do way better than before and do more than expected!

Internship Blog #3

7. Do you have any regrets so far? What would you do differently if you could start internship over?

Since the YMCA wasn't my first choice, I think now looking back I would of looked harder and more than I did before. Because it seems as if everyone's experience is going pretty good, I hate that I didn't look more because this is a great experience for a high school student and I should of took more time and shouldn't of jumped so fast because time was winding down and I didn't have an internship. I wish I would of looked for more organizations like my first choice and looked and looked because I would of got what I wanted, but during this internship I have learned you don't always get what you want because that's just how life is. And instead of complaining and having an attitude I think it's best if you make it something you can remember and learn from. I have a quote that I have cme up with since internship.

"When life gives you apples and you expected lemons, make lemonade. No matter how much work you have to put in because that lemonade will definitely be a taste you will remember!"

I use this quote now because since I didn't get my first choice, even though life gave me apples and I expected lemons then I have to make the most of what I have and do what I have to do to make it something I'm proud of.



3. You are half-way through your project. How is it going? What challenges have you faced? What have you learned? What are you doing to ensure a successful completion of your internship project?

I don't have the resources I need to do what I want, I originally wanted to complete a video then I realized I didn't have Final Cut Pro or Photoshop so I decided to make an art piece. then my mentor mentioned he would like a video so it put me on edge because this experience is about us making our mentors happy but also learn things about ourselves. But I guess I have to compromise and think about what will benefit myself and my mentor.

(The picture you see in the upper left hand corner is the start of my art piece.)

Internship Blog #2

3. How do you see yourself growing or changing over the course of your internship?

There have been many things that have changed me as a person and as a student already, preparing for internship was hard for me because the internships I wanted didn't want interns or already had enough interns. So my last choice being the YMCA I think I came with this attitude as if it wasn't going to be what I wanted it to be, so I came in with a smile but a hope it would be what I expected. It was nothing I expected. Instead I sat in a corner all day filing papers and calling parents to inform them about their child's game this weekend, I constantly found myself dazing off looking at walls and rolling my eyes asking myself how I would be able to cope for the next three weeks. Then I started to realize that this is life. You don't get what you want and if you find yourself in a position like that then you don't always get what you expect, I've learned that I have to make the best of this and to deal with it.

I've also learned that no one is going to hop off the train to help you, meaning if you are slacking and not caring then no one will help or care. There are kind people out there and if they see you making a difference they will make a difference in your life and help you out. Make everyday important and make mistakes because they pay off!


7. What lessons or experiences at you internship will you bring back to school to help you to further improve in your academics?

I'm sure after this everyone has the same idea but different experiences, I want to bring back a quote "We are put one earth to become something bigger than what we imagined, we don't get what we want, we don't have the thins we imagined but we have the mindset that sets us off into the world."-Shyana Brown
I made this quote to say you are never left with nothing, we always have our mind our common sense and our dignity so if we don't get the job we want then so be it. Use your mind to get another one and make the best of it, Coming back to school helped me realize that I'm not the only one without my first choice. Lots of people didn't get what they wanted and if they did it wasn't was something they are turning out to like. But it's up to yourself to make it something you will remember, I have learned a lot and it's changed me as a human being.

Internship Blog #1

3. Describe the project you'll do at internship, including the skills and technology you need to do it and what you hope your project looks like as a final product.

Answer: When I met my mentor, he let me read a letter that someone wrote about the YMCA and about Tim. It touched my heart because I would never in a million years think that the South Bay YMCA would touch someone so dearly, just to see how this person was touched inspired me. So I decided to reach out to people and see what the YMCA meant to them, I wanted to know why people feel special about what the YMCA does for them and how they have changed. My project hopefully will touch people's hearts even more and catch a few tears, I will take the time out to get everyone's opinion and answer. I am kind of familiar with Final Cut Pro and maybe some Photoshop, I know I will need some help editing this video to make it something the YMCA and I will be proud of.


6. Describe the company culture at your internship, including how people interact, communicate and work together.


Answer: When you walk in you are greeted with a smile and the warmth of friendliness. When I first met my mentor and as I was introduced to everyone, I saw fresh smiles and "Hi, how are you?"'s everywhere there was a client. There is a special ed program at the YMCA and they way the people care warms your heart, it makes you think about the people who take there time out to reach out to people who are looked down upon.

Honors #4

Taking honors really opened my eyes to the real world, because I usually don’t like taking challenges and it made me understand that I have to take challenges to accomplish certain things in life. It made me feel inspired to take more challenges so I can become a successful young lady and it pushes me to do better and strive.

I would of went over the requirements and did more than needed instead of doing the minimum, honors has helped me in many ways and I will keep moving on with this experience.

Take honors again and go over and beyond the requirements and do what I need to do.

I want to learn more about slavery and things related to that, because it fascinates me and I love to learn about things that are related to topics about how they got here and what happened and how it happened.

Honors #3

Today in America, there are many agencies like the one Roosevelt wanted to make after the Wall Street Crash in 1929. People who are struggling always seem to find a way with help whether it’s help with financial problems, food or housing. Roosevelt was a significant person and he helped a lot and wanted to see people working and succeeding, when everyone lost their jobs he wanted to start the New York State Emergency Relief Commission with Harry Hopkins, it was meant for people out of work and too old to work. This is similar to a lot of things in America now, like Medicare in a way. Because if you are too old and can’t work then you don’t get benefits and you don’t have the money to accomplish things needed. It’s also like Workmens Comp , because people who get hurt on the job and won’t get better until a few months later can’t afford housing and food. So thankfully there is an organization that helps people get back on their feet.

Blog # 20

Slavery in America has been going on for years; people have lost their lives, have been beaten and hung for the color of their skin. People have also lost their lives trying to help these slaves make a run for the good life. Slavery in America just as well as in any other place in the world was a bad dream you had to wake up from, these slaves were hated, spat on and treated like an animal. The fire of slavery still burns today, in many ways. There are still people who don’t like any other race but theirs. "We will be ourselves and free, or die in the attempt.”-Alice Walker
There have been heroes who have tried to helped and have succeeded but have lost their lost trying to help, in World War II there were also people who have lost lives and loved ones helping. World War II had a huge affect on the world. People were killed because of not being of “importance.” But does helping get you? It leaves you dead. Slavery has been an important event in American history and people’s lives.
Interview Part
My mom has told me many stories about even when she was growing up, she said she remembers seeing white people looking at her crazy and the rebellious flag on people’s car. My mom grew up in Arkansas in the 70’s, she always told my siblings and I that we shouldn’t acknowledge the past. Meaning just because there was chaos and things going on with my ancestors we shouldn’t be upset at people that are living now because they had nothing to do with it. She said multiple times that “History is how we learn our lessons” and I look up to her for saying that because it means something and I’m glad she is teaching us to not grow up to be angry at people who did nothing to us.

Blog # 19

1. I feel that even as bad as I thought I did, I realized I actually took time and did what I had to do to get my work done and this piece of writing is something I can be proud of.

2. I think I have developed some writing tips and realized how important they are .

3. I would get a little more creative, because I realize anybody could of did what I did in my paper .

4. It makes me want to try harder, bacause I know it's hard to do. But you have to get your work done and do what you do.

Blog #18

So my character is Ellen Clauson and she is a single mother of two living in New York, One of her daughter's has autism and the other needs a heart transplant. So her main priority is to ask for an expansion on the SCHIP program. Because technically she making "too much money" to qualify for SCHIP, but she can't afford health care plans so she is stuck in the middle with no way out of getting what they need.

I want to win, I want to get an expansion on SCHIP.

I plan to talk to each senator democrat or republican, to try to get what I want passed so my children adn I can survive.

I'm working with senator Charles Shcumer, to get what I want passed in the bill he is proposing. (Marlene plays Charles)

Blog #17

Obama's Health care will make the nation go bankrupt, I think it is right for health care to be provided to all that cannot afford it. We all pay taxes so we all pay for health care. So what's the big deal? Why can't the United States of America make more money just for health care? There are so many questions about health care and why America is in such a debt, it gives me a headache because I have healthcare covered by the government but sometimes I feel likes it's unfair that I get free health care but people who are sturuggling more than my family is doesn't.

The government is controlled by power. When everyone is giving power then everyone feels the need to jump in and act as if they know what they are doing and what should be done. In these articles people state their opinions and the problems but noone states specific simple reasons to help the debt we are in. What should we do? Cutting off our health care or not giving people it will not helo the debt we are in. There will still be problems! As of right now there are being budgets cut from school and police departments, because what we need are schools and police departments. Reading these articles make my brain think about simple things that could be changed to stop the necessary cuting. I feel like after hearing both sides of the arguement i realize that there is so much more to it than just the side I want to hear. For example in article 4 Joel A. Harrison states "By any measure, the United States spends an enormous amount of money on health care. Here are a few of those measures. In 2006, U.S. health care spending exceeded 16% of the nation’s GDP. To put U.S. spending into perspective: the United States spent 15.3% of GDP on health care in 2004, while Canada spent 9.9%, France 10.7%, Germany 10.9%, Sweden 9.1%, and the United Kingdom 8.7%. Or consider per capita spending: the United States spent $6,037 per person in 2004, compared to Canada at $3,161, France at $3,191, Germany at $3,169, and the U.K. at $2,560."

It is obvious that the U.S. spends a lot of money but the point is what are these people doing to help our problem?

Blog #16

After reading these articles, it has changed how I looked at the world: Nothing is FREE! This true in many cases, because there are things yu have to do to recieve the things that are free. There is paperwork and so much one would have to do to even qualify for things you may need such as healthcare. America I feel sometimes is so focused on this "need" of money that we overlook people who actually can't do for themselves. Or they can do for themselves but just can't do as much, for example I have insurance that covers a lot and I don't have to pay anything, but if I didn't then it would be impossible for me to pay for it because I have a single mother and she no longer works so there would be no possible way for me and my family to afford the medical expenses, I think sometimes that people who have money and have good insurance then they think insurance isn't good just because they can afford it. But even though I do have insurance I'm grateful because I know if I didn't have it then it would be a totally different situation.

In the first article I think that he obviously is like every other American that has the same problem because it's either living on the streets because you can't afford health care or dying. Which do you want do participate in?

Blog #15

PART ONE BLOG!
There are many health care ways to go about it:
*Public Health care
-Federal Employees Health Benefits Program
-Indian Health Care
-Medicaid
-Medicare
-Military health System/TRICARE
-State Chilldren's Health Insurance Program(SCHIP)
-Veterans Health Administration

*Private Health Care
-Health insurance in the United States
-Consumer-driven health care
+Flexible spending account (FSA)
+Health reimbursement account
+Health savings account
+High-deductible health plan (HDHP)
+Medical savings account
-Managed care
-Health maintenance organization (HMO)
-Preferred provider organization (PPO)
-Medical underwriting

Health Care has been a hassle for many years because the government wants to keep health care and keep it running on the service and funds it is now, but then some think that the government should cut the funds to a more reasonable price. Many people who recieve health care from the government have to pay little or no coat for times when they need dental of medical help. Some people get health care from the government, some pay it out of pocket(FULL cost) and some get it at work. It's hard to get health care because for example who are immigrants and stuff they can't afford it and don't want to be deported so they don't go to the doctors. There are many cases dealing with health care. There are health care services that apply to certain people, like seniors people with dissabilities, families with children or employers. It could apply to people who have certain problems that others don't and I believe tat why thr government always has different opinions because I might have cancer but someone else might and we have to go by the government's health care that they give to us and it becomes tough for them.


PART TWO BLOG!

1. I think a compelling character is someone with a desire, specific description and someone who goes through conflicts and seeks solutions but has to go through a series of problems so he/she can find a way to end what they need to.

2. I think an interesting plot is one that has problems and reaches a climax and has a resolution. For example Harry potter, he lives in a closet and has to deal with rude people just so he can overcome his fears and find his true self, as he goes to Hogwarts he figures out that he is the chosen one and he deals with many different problems so he can become what he has wanted to be, a normal person.

3. I believe they take an extra step to make their writing something that everyone will understand in their won way and won't have a problem with understanding, when I read Their Eyes Were Watching God it was a south-based book about a young girl who was forced to get married at an early age and move off a lot of unwanted places to be with the ones she were in love with at the time. During the entire book the dialogue was very difficult, starting at the beginning of the book I really didn't understand a lot but during the middle of the book I started to understand what was going on and how it was going on. So with that being said, I think it's good sometimes to have some dialogue that may be confusing and slang.

4. I think that authors take simple steps like making a character that relates to the reader in simple, different ways and things they can know the character feels when certain situations occur. Another way I think is because sometimes the author uses sad ways to pull the reader in like for example if the character got pregnant and couldn't take care of it and had to give it up for adoption. Would be a great way, because then it almost seems like the reader gets attached to the character by the things they had to go through.

Blog #14

So my topic is Birth Control and I'm not really sure what stage birth control would go under because it could be adult hood and adolesense. But I think it will be better under adolesense because a lot of people are bias about whether it should be avaliable to teenagers and other help that for example Planned Parent Hood helps with.

Right now I believe there are a lot of stories about how Planned Parent Hood's services aren't the best thing and people are upset with what they do and how they carry their services. I think birth control is a great service because it gives females optons and Planned Parent Hood offers great services and they give you a great opportunity. Here is one story about Planned Parent Hood and birth control. In this link in 1968 Pope Paul VI argued that it is wrong to prevent a human being from being born. Check the links on the bottom ot this blog.


Birth control has been around since 1900 B.C in Egypt according to I believe that for a preventable medicine to be around for so long that people have not had problems with is amazing because it takes courage for people who believe birth control is a way out because they have to deal with parents who might be upset about their daughters getting services at Planned Parent Hood. There are many times that birth control and Planned Parent Hood has took the heat many times for doing what they feel is right.

I really believe that birth control and other services at Planned Parent Hood to find out more click the link below.



href="http://www.catholic.com/library/Birth_Control.asp">