High School- Shaped Experience

               These past four years have been a whirlwind of emotions, with the highs at times being outweighed by the low moments. There were even some moments over the four-year span where I did not even think I would make it out alive. However, I seemed to pull in the positive direction and as I walk out in the following weeks; I know that I am leaving with my head held high and filled with nearly half a decade of knowledge bestowed on me. I have pushed through all obstacles placed in front of me throughout high school and I sometimes laugh to myself on how I even made it as far as I have. Each face and lesson that had made its way over to me has impacted me in some way over the years; whether I know it or not, and I am very appreciative of it all.

                Who would have thought that four years can really warp a person into the young man or woman that will go on to face the world? To me, high school did much more than teach me Calculus (despite how hard it was), it also taught me how to interact socially as well as how to study and retain information to help me later down the road.

                The fact that I had come on top of my freshman year experience where for 105 days; (including weekends and school vacations) from December 9,2009 to April 5, 2010, I was not allowed to even step foot on the school property to now graduating the on the first of June. Although that incident was single-handedly the most severe punishment I had received and one of the post painful ones to sustain; I would not change a thing. I know that may sound strange, but it is remarkably true. I know having my grade point average drop from a 4.0 that year to a 1.9 was a drastic change, but it was one that caused me to take school a little more serious. Throughout school leading up to ninth grade, I was never challenged in school and I genuinely considered it a joke; but with having to face the matter of grade recovery in order to increase my GPA, I felt a challenge. Some days were harder than others, but knowing that I was accomplishing an almost impossible feat, a strong sense of pride came over me and I knew from then on I would thrive to do better and excel at whatever was on my plate.

                As I am finishing off the last leg of high school, I know that thanks to my freshman year I have truly excelled as a student and even more as a human being. I know my transcripts may not reflect the best of grades over the past four years, but on a yearly basis I have made it onto honor roll and have maintained A’s and B’s in my classes; both advanced and regular. My GPA has risen from 1.9 in my freshman year to now a 3.0; which is almost unheard of. In the course of three and a half years, I have raised my GPA 1.1 points, which by no stretch of the imagination is an easy task, but I feel very proud in that fact and no one can take that accomplishment away from me. Although my punishment I earned at GLHS three and a half years ago, was severe and drastic; it was truly I who made the drastic change by bouncing back from that event and coming out on the other end unscathed. 

This I Believe Essay

Through Pain Comes Strength

I remember walking into the house on a normal Wednesday afternoon- at least so I had thought- with just the same old song and dance routine I had used all that week. Waiting at the door was my mother which was an immediate red flag. She was not supposed to get off work until four o’clock but today something seemed wrong and oh how I wish my instinct was wrong.

After placing my bag on the floor, I had received the crushing blow that my grandmother had passed away; the news was devastating and I almost falling out of my chair. She had been sick for a month or two with pancreatic cancer and although her struggle was long, it was a positive that her suffering was over. On the other side of the spectrum, a sense of pain and resentment for her leaving us came over me. “How could she leave? I just saw her a few weeks ago”; thoughts that echoed through my head. I knew she was in a happier place, but to me I was not and I felt pain and an overall sadness come over me.

As time passed on, the fact of her no longer being here began to sink in, but a different feeling passed over me; a sense of resiliency.

I later found that the life lessons and ideas she passed onto me were not for nothing, and after applying these characteristics to my life I felt her make her way back into my life. Knowing her, learning to push forward from this was a life lesson in its own.

My grandmother was philosophical and “deep” like that, believing always to conquer obstacles that may lie in front of goals and aspirations. Thanks to her I found that although her passing shook me to the core, it also appeared to give me the will power to come out on top.

Although her passing was unexpected, my grandmother passed down more insight to me in seventeen years of life than some people receive in a lifetime.

Thanks to her love and support, I am fully in belief that I can conquer the biggest of problems that may arise in the future.

5-This I Believe

• "Tell the Children"- Theme: Children, courage, & death

• "Monster Juice"- Theme: Children & parenthood

• "The Triumph of Kindness"- Theme: Family, goodness, & kindness

• "There is Always a Way Out"- Theme: Self-determination

• "Why Are We Here"- Theme: Science

       To me the story "There is Always a Way Out" by Morris Mchawia Mwavizo stuck out as having the most impact to me. Morris's story truly resonates with me because he describes how even though times may be rough and tasks may seem impossible to conquer; there is always a way out of it. I like how his story demonstrates Morris's resiliency and determination to be a writer, and although it took him over a decade, he finally achieved his dream profession. His determination really gives people the courage and strength to push through obstacles in their path in order to obtain their goals and aspirations, and that to me is a very admirable quality to have and transmit to others. Although some problems that people come across may not be as severe and intense as Morris had to face; however even the smallest 'hiccup' can steer a person off course and due to Morris's words, I feel that I can shrug these problems off easier and keep pushing forward. That is why, due to all the essays I read, "There is Always a Way Out" stuck with me the most; with the strongest impact left on me. 

"Sweat" Blog (Theme)

        The theme projected in the story “Sweat” Zora Neale Houston is that of an intricate one. What Zora wants the reader to pull from this story is that karma for those who wrong others can be swift and severe. Throughout the story, Delia has to put up with her abusive, unfaithful, and cruel husband for a period of fifteen years. One of the only pleasures she maintains throughout their time together is washing clothes; but to no surprise he torments and ridicules her for the act of cleaning white citizens’ clothing. In the story, it is made very evident that she puts all the work and ‘sweat’ into their relationship; as illustrated by “Mah sweat is done paid for this house and Ah reckon Ah kin keep on sweatin’ in it” (2). Sykes thinks of nothing but to act on her new-found courage and beat her senselessly; showing his so-called dominance. He later decides to attack her psychologically with her biggest fear: snakes, by bringing in a six-foot rattle snake. As the story moved forwards, Delia becomes resentful and develops a hatred for her husband; being accentuated by “Ah hates you tuh same degree dat Ah useter love yuh” (6). Lucky for her, it does, as Sykes’s snake prank goes badly and backfires on him with the snake biting at his throat; inevitably killing him. The fact of the story is that throughout Delia’s life she (a kind person) had dealt with more than her fair share of pain and torment, and due to the mysterious ways of karma, things were balanced in her favor.

Blog 3: This I Believe

• I believe in a strong central government because without it, our nation would implode from the inside out.

• I believe in a loving and supportive family because they are the ones at the end of the day who will comfort you and even talk you down from the ledge, when problems present themselves.

 

• I believe in maintaining a thirst for knowledge because you can never be too smart, and an increase in knowledge to the world you live in can help open your eyes to things you truly never appreciated or cared for.

Topic blog

          Funny to think how far I have come in the past three years. The fact that I have made great progress throughout my high school experience is a feeling that seems to be indescribable. To think that my freshman year I was using drugs instead of my mind gives me cold shakes. How could I have been so naive? Well in my defense I did try my best to fit in with the "cool kids"; but the actions and decisions I made are those I have moved forward from.

          On a lighter note, I have been working to better my future in my DECA class. I seemed to overcome problems that have arisen over the past six months in comprising my project and it all in all has paid off. At the competition in March at the Career Development Conference (states), I- along with my group members- placed first in the state of Ohio out of thirty teams in our Buying and Merchandising category. Our win qualified us to compete at the international competition out in Anaheim, California April 23-29. I am very pleased with the progress I have put into this class along with other courses I have taken this year.

         I feel that my new-found success was all based around me getting in trouble three years prior. Getting suspended from school truly gave me the will and the drive to push through all obstacles placed in my path. Although, I am not proud of the person I was back in 2009-2010; I count my blessings each and every day that I pushed through and am turning into the remarkable person and student I had always thrived to be.

Boston Marathon tragedy

             Low and behold another tragedy has struck America, shaking it to its core. However this time it was not a federal building targeted in an act of terror, instead the innocence and excitement of the Boston Marathon; a very popular and competitive race. The fact that a bomb went off during this event is all in all appalling thing to happen. I honestly feel that the past year throughout America has been in a tailspin, with the theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado, Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting, and countless other acts of violence displayed in the U.S. The irony of the Boston Marathon bombing was that it was dedicated to the 26 people (teachers and students) who were killed at the Sandy Hook shooting. The event that was honoring and mourning a tragedy in fact turned into its own tragedy. I feel the overall inhumanity and cruelty displayed in our country is at an all time high and does not seem to be slowing down. However, sorting through all the negatives of the bombing, there were some glimmers of hope with Boston residents as well as sympathetic people across the globe. People demonstrating the strong sense of America that founders hoped to be implemented; with citizens offering meals, clothing, shelter, rides and their overall help to comfort those affected by the disaster. Although a great catastrophe has struck Boston, our nation's resiliency as well as its overall courage seems to counteract the acts of terror that have been presented to us.

Pianist Blog

             As me and my family are being boarded onto trains; going to God knows where, I feel a hand thrust at me and pull me aside. I look and it is the Nazi officer; Itzak Heller the same man who had saved me and my family is now the same one pulling me away from them. His words to this very day still sticks with me, with him saying: “I’m saving you!” Saving me? From what? The love and companionship of my loved ones? Little did I know that he indeed was protecting me from the pain and torture of the concentration camps. 

            Now I was on my own, no family or friends to rely on. This battle seemed to be one that I could not win and desperation and hopelessness soon set in. I began asking myself: How long will it be before I meet the same, if not worse fate as my family? Walking around this ghost-town of a ghetto, the torment and pain soon sank in. How am I going to eat?, How am I going to stay warm?, questions that seemed to just be embedded into my mind. All around me I see the dead bodies of those left behind, just as I was. Was I to end up in the same fashion. NO! I will move forward and survive, not just for me, but for my family.

Vocab 4 blog

                Throughout Will’s life, there has always been a fluctuation involving his self-esteem, and his parents never knew how to handle it. Although Will had a face only a mother could love, he had a very kind heart. When it came to the little things, he always showed a nonchalant attitude towards thing, and at times he always seemed to be omniscient towards the world around him. His cocky attitude caused others to resent him; causing him to skulk away his days. Everyone started to ask how someone could be so uncannily cocky. After all of Will’s friends dispersed away from his life, he began to reevaluate his decision-making. He began to expunge his trashed reputation in order to mend fences with his friends. Eventually all of Will’s past affiliated relationships started to turn away in a positive way. The attainment of regaining all of his friends was that which he would never forget. Will then felt proud of his panacea and knew he was becoming a better man overall.

The Pianist- Blog 2

            The theme of man’s inhumanity towards man seemed to be an extremely prevalent one throughout the movie The Pianist. The movie demonstrates how the Nazis throughout the Holocaust, with Jews being isolated and even murdered where they stood. The Jewish people were ostracized by the Nazis and in order to survive, some of the Jews had to hate and even beat other Jews to be fed or be forced to starve. In the movie, a man wrestles a woman for her food, and even though it fell to the ground, he began to eat the food off of the dirty city pavement for the food he had longed for. This cruelty showed how even the prisoners in the ghetto turned on one another in order to stay alive. This cruelty was also used by the Nazi/German police to keep their prisoners in line. The scene where the eight men are told to lay down and then are executed shows the horror of the inhumanity towards man that is exemplified throughout the whole movie. This theme all in all was remarkably similar to that of Elie Weisel’s Night with both showing the cruelty and senseless violence caused by not only Nazis but as well as the other prisoners. This pain and torture from one to another was a very prevalent theme throughout the movie The Pianist.  

The pianist- Blog 1

The experience of the Holocaust was a horrible one, and all the Jews and minorities all seemed to have more than their religion that bonded them together. Both Elie Weisel and Wladyslaw Szpilman seemed to have similar Holocaust experiences with the pain and inhumanity the two faced. Night explained the true pain Elie faced as he and his father were separated from the women in their family. Wladyslaw in The Pianist also was separated from his family as they were transported to a concentration camp; a horrible but common occurrence. However, a major difference between the two is that Elie was a twelve year old child and Wladyslaw was a grown man during the horrors of the Holocaust. Despite their age difference, the two seem to hold the similar traits of stubbornness as well as obedience especially when it came to matters such as standing their ground to Nazi tyranny. Wladyslaw was very persistent when it came to keeping his family safe but when matters became violent he would back down in order to stay alive. Elie was similar as well when it came to matters such as his gold crown, he stayed persistent to keep his ‘wealth’ but in order to stay alive and safe he was obedient to the dentist. The two both seemed to have a similar Holocaust experience, and although they were not the same age at the time and Elie had a more physical and painful labor experience, they had the same pain to match it appeared.

End of book: Night

The memoir of Elie Wiesel was all in all, very emotional, historical as well as interesting to read about.  Although the topic of the book was over a tragedy (the holocaust), it was told in a very unique and impressive manner; first-hand experience. The story itself presented the pain and anguish of a boy who from the age of twelve to sixteen practically grew up in the time of the Holocaust. Early on in the story, Elie and his family were taken from their safe life to all over Poland/Germany in concentration camps. During the beginning of their travels, the men and women were separated; Elie would never see his mom and sisters ever again.  The horror brought by the Nazis was painted very well in Wiesel’s memoir, showing the true savageness and cruelty behind the time period. Overall, I feel the memoir Night was very well written; although at times different to understand to language barriers, and all things considered quite enjoyable to read. 

Blog 2- Part 1 & 2

Part 1:

The relationship between Elie and his father at this point in the story is starting to dwindle down. It's not that Elie and his father are avoiding each other or hating each other, but it seems that Elie's father really seems to be physically drained and cannot seem to handle the 'experience' anymore and does not seem to have the energy to keep going with life. "What are we going to do?", said Elie (My father didn't answer). "What are we going to do?", said Elie (He was lost in thought). This really showed how Elie truly started to not consider his father's lead and some doubt of how far they'd go together kicked in.

Part 2:

Elie was contained at the worst concentration camps during the Holocaust; Auschwitz. Auschwitz all in all, had a death rate of over 1.1 million people; Jews as well as minorities or "imperfect people". The concentration camp was located in Oświęcim, Poland; being set up after Poland was invaded by Nazi Germany. The camp was operational from May 1940- January 1945, after Soviet troops liberated it on January 27, 1945. Auschwitz was ran with an "iron fist" to keep German control over the prisoners. Throughout the camp and its sub-camps; nearly 20,000 people were cremated or gassed in a single day. Also, prisoners were even tested on such as: how long a person can stay awake before death; by the "Angel of Death", Dr. Josef Mengele, demonstrating the true torture and pain brought during the Holocaust.

Blog Part 1-2

Part 1: 

All in all, Mrs. Schacter was a very valuable character to the story, due to her fear and paranoia she projected onto the other characters. Mrs. Schacter was brought into the story as they are all on the convoys getting transported to the concentration camps. She overall was delirious on the trip; claiming to see fire at every turn. However, although the other passengers were in disbelief of her "craziness", her paranoia seemed to prove true after all. As the convoy turned into Auschwitz, her fellow prisoners found that there was indeed a fire for bodies to be cremated, and it was then when all the passengers became afraid of what was to come. Mrs. Schacter represented the fear as well as the pain that was soon to come to the Jewish people during the Holocaust, and her character really helped change the mood of the story into complete fear. A man came up to Elie and his father and said "poor devils, you are heading for the crematorium"; really emphasizing her initial fear that she brought to the group. 

Part 2:

Elie had a gold crown filling in his tooth, which proved to be a good source of money for the Nazis. So as prisoners arrived to Auschwitz, prisoners were forced to give up their riches, gold, silver or jewelry. Elie proved to be somewhat stubborn about his filling and decided to fake sick to avoid the dentist. However it was pointless, the new dentist was not sympathetic to the "sick" boy. But luckily he seemed to avoid the pulling after much work. As Elie was in prison and was tired of the criticism that was given to him as he began to teach his father, he took a rusty spoon and removed his "stubborn" gold crown filling.  

Part 1:

    Throughout my life I have been taught about the holocaust and the overall damage brought by it. I learned that roughly 6-7 million Jews as well as minorities and countless other "lesser people" (at least viewed like that to the Nazis) were killed. I know that Adolf Hitler led the Nazi party and overall hated those who were not blonde haired, blue eyed and he hated Jews. I also know that as history has shown us Hitler himself was an Austrian Jew raising questions on why he developed his hatred towards Jews and others.


Part 2:

Image 1-

• Cold
• Children standing behind barbed wire
• Sadness

     Keyword: Captive

Image 2-

• Pained
• Starved
• Pained men
• Cramped together

     Keyword: Malnourished

Image 3-

• Pile of glasses only assuming burned corpses
• Tons of glasses meaning tons of deaths
• Torture
• Pained
• Slaughtered

     Keyword: Death

Video-

• Pain
• Blood dripping away from a dying man
• Concentration camp
• Kid and man getting shot
• Girl hiding under bed
• People boarding a train

     Keyword: Fear

Part 3:

   The captives of Hitler's persecution were treated with nothing but disrespect and were tortured and killed exemplifying the severity of his overall final solution. 

Reflection Blog

     As a whole, I feel I have done very well in Senior Comp so far. Aside from a few hiccups I had with participation, I have received nearly 100% on all my assignments and work. Although on some vocab quizzes I have made a few mistakes, I am nearly flawless in my work and assignments. I got a 99% on the reflective narrative essay; after putting copious amounts of effort into it, I feel very proud of my writings and knowledge got in this class.

     The scholarship assignment  I feel was very well composed and good enough to possibly earn me a scholarship. My narrative essay in my mind was one of my best writings I have produced in high school and was graded appropriately at 99%.

     The class blog is helpful to keep me up to date with what is going on as well as missing assignments in class, and I find it very useful.

    All in all, I feel that I am doing very well in this class as of now with my 102%, and other than a few minor mistakes I really don't think that I am doing much wrong in this class overall.

10 Words: Story

As the great Adam Rocca approached the town, the citizens began to have a strong and benevolent feeling over what had happened. Adam dropped the dragon’s head in front of the inhabitants, and their averse feeling towards the former trouble-maker turned into them extolling the warrior in copious amounts. Adam, who seemed to be impervious to the mighty dragon, dropped to his knees to rejoice with his town of the dragon’s death. The jeopardy of the mission did not even seem to faze the adroit soldier. Many of the people in the town did not even think that task was not a feasible one.  The crowds began to scrutinize the creature’s head and were relieved; for their foe had fallen. Adam and his meticulous style of fighting proved to be too much for the dragon to handle, leading to their death. It was a weird feeling for Adam, knowing that his foe had fallen. However, as time went on he developed a feeling of nostalgia, where he missed his frequent encounters with the beast. That feeling soon passed and just knowing that the monster was gone, Adam soon felt relief once more and lived out the rest of his life without a problem.