Computer Final
View more presentations from cherrygurl88.
For the first semester of this school year, I learned to appreciate things a lot more. It is my last year in high school, so I knew that it would be the last time I would be experiencing things at my school. I would have my last spirit week, my last beach day, my last Christmas concert, etc. I was expecting this year to be a million times easier because that’s what everyone says about senior year. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. This past semester has been just as challenging as any other semester have been, only this time I had to deal with the stress of applying to colleges. I don’t know what the future has in store for me, but I do know that senioritis is starting to kick in. I have gotten into a few colleges now so I am worrying less and less. I know this is not a good thing, so I am constantly keeping myself busy with homework and studying to keep me on the right path. If I had to predict what next year will be like, I would have to say that it will be filled with living somewhere other than my own home, meeting a plethora of new people, and having complete independance. I will have to set boundaries for myself becuase my parents won’t be there to keep me on the right track and constantly tell me to study or do my homework. Out of all the things that I have learned these past couple years especially this past semster, three specific things stood out in my mind.
Something that I learned this past semester in personal finance was exactly how life is going to be when I go off on my own. I learned how to balance my checkbook, calculate all of my spendings per month, and calculate my taxes. I honestly feel like if I hadn’t been in this class now, I never would have known what to do when I got older. I’ve learned that I’m going to need to be a lot more responsible than I am now or else I won’t do well in the future. I will forever remember the good times that I had/am having in personal finance. I enjoyed the class because my teacher made it fun to learn.
Another class that helped me learn something valuable is my English class. My teacher has re-opened my eyes to the value of not just taking things as they are. When I read a book I am now starting to question why things are the way they are instead of just keeping on reading. I am learning to analyze things for more than just they are known to be. I am seeing things in a whole different light when it comes to the world of reading. I had never known that there were such things as acts withoout words before I was in this class. I am looking forward to seeing what is in store for this class next semester.
The last class that has taught me something of great importance is my advanced handbells class. Because of this class I have learned the meaning of teamwork and patience. I may not always play the correct notes or get down the time measures, but I have learned that I can play the correct notes and get down the time measures with patience. I just have to keep trying in order to get my part down correctly. But I must say, none of this would be possible without teamwork. I know that I can count on my fellow members when we are expected to be at certain places at certain times for performances or if I just have a question about a note in a song. But most of all, I have learned to cherish every moment I have. Since this is my final year in high school, I am finding it to be difficult to realize that everything that I am used to now won’t be there next year. I won’t be able to perform in the Christmas/Pops/Spring concerts nexts year. I won’t be able to travel to “Nevada” to perform with other schools. But most of all, I won’t be able to see my best friends in practice each week to do what we love: play handbells.
If I had to choose one thing out of the three that I would like to learn more, it would be to cherish every moment I have. Next year I will be jumping into an unknown world full of new people and a new environment. I’m not going to lie. I’m scared. I’ve never been away from my family for more than a week and now I will be away from them for months at a time, and possibly in a different state. My mom won’t be able to come see me if I’m having a bad day and just need her to listen to me. I won’t even have my best friend with me who is like my sister separated at birth. We already can’t stand not to hang out for more than two weeks at a time. What am I going to do in college? This is exaclty why I need to cherish these moments that I have with my loved ones.
I have included pictures to show the life-lasting bond that I have created with my best friends whom I now call my sisters.
Can you think of a luxury students are able to have because of being citizens of the United States? One is being able to continue their education after high school in a college of some sort. If one isn’t a U.S. citizen and is living here illegally, they are not able to do so. Struggling families from Mexico, for example, think of moving to the United States as a window of opportunity for a better life. The easiest way would be to just move to the United States, right? Wrong. The task of obtaining said better life and eligibility to come live in the U.S. can be cumbersome and daunting. For some families, it does not matter. They do not care about the process and just want a better life. Children of these families should not be penalized for the actions of their parents and relatives.
When a child of these immigrant families goes to high school and begins to prepare for life after high school, I am sure they are aware of the limitations they have. In order to apply to colleges and most jobs, the student has to put their Social Security number on the application. This often crushes the hopes of a student who wants to continue their education. They know they cannot get in, so why try? A new bill is trying to change that. “Undocumented immigrants living in America have legal rights to attend primary and secondary public school, but those rights do not extend to higher education,” comments columnist Jessica Calefati. The DREAM (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) act allows children of these families to continue their education in the United States. If the student would not only like to study in America but also become a permanent resident, all they would have to do is: study at least two years towards attaining their bachelor’s degree, graduate from a two-year college, or serve at least two years in the military. Seems easy enough right? While this act may seem to solve various problems of illegal immigration, not every agrees.
An organization such as the Federation for American Immigration Reform is one of the many opponents of the act. They believe that this act would support illegal immigration and then the number of illegal immigrants would continue to grow. What organizations such as this one may not see in or about the act is that it will help about 65,000 students graduate from high school each year. When they do hear about how many students it will help each year, they only see how much money it is going to cost. They believe it is taking financial aid money away from U.S. citizens. Studies have shown that students that are illegal immigrants do not wish to go to major universities. They have applied to community colleges that have inexpensive enrollment fees. Wouldn’t the world be a lot better if underprivileged students like illegal immigrants were given chances for a greater education such at this act?
If every illegal immigrant student were given the opportunity to receive a higher education we would not miss out on future discoveries. Think about some great discoveries that have ever happened. Now imagine life without them. That’s how life would be today had the discoverer not received an education. One does not know the countless possibilities that could happen if illegal immigrants are not given the chance to learn. In Atlanta Georgia, a student by the name of Amadou helped to create the mechanical version of Michael Jordan for a competition his school had entered. Only high ranked schools were allowed to join. Although they did not win, Amadou was given the chance to be a part of something great. Everyone in this world deserves a chance to learn to their highest capability. It is not the student’s fault that their parents decided to move to the country illegally. None of the blame should be put on them. With all this in mind, doesn’t it sound like our world would be better?
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/05/05/assignment_america/main1595837.shtml
DREAM act websites:
It has taken much thought but I have finally realized my dream job. I have changed my mind from being a teacher, to a nutritionist, and now to an adolescent psychologist/counselor. I love children and I want to help them. so naturally, my job has to associate with children and I have to be able to help them. At first I thought that being a teacher would fill those requirements. Teaching young children helps their minds to grow. I would be able to help them advance their minds. But then I thought to myself, I don’t know if I’m cut out for that. It’s still a possibility in my mind, but it’s not my dream job.
After my desire to be a teacher, came the desire to be a nutritionist. Because of my school’s constant need to eat no matter what, I naturally thought of having a career that affliliated itself with food. My family is food oriented as well. We are always cooking, baking, and eating. I have always been a healthy person. I think it is important to stay fit and maintain a helthy lifestyle. So the job of a nutritionist came to mind. When I heard that the course of nutrtion was going to be available at my school the next year I jumped at the chance to sign up for it. As the first day of class approached, I went through the book and looked at what I was going to be learning. I couldn’t wait. Well, not even 10 minutes into the class, I was completely discouraged. I didn’t like one thing about the course. Once the semester of nutrition was over, I wanted nothing to do with even. I still don’t to this day.
Then, when this assignment came, to find our dream job, I has to think about it for a little bit. I have been considering the major of psychology lately because it is now time to apply for college. My parents are the ones that have recommended the major to me. They have said that since I love children and helping people, I should consider the major because I also love giving advice. I am pretty good at giving advice because I care about what people are asking advice about and I take time to giving them the best adivce possible.
The job I have chosen fits every requirement that I have. It offers a safe environment for children, counselors are able to communicate effectively with the children. As I read the job description I became happy to have found such an amazing job.
http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/ApplyOnline/ExternalLinkApply.aspx?useframes=True&companyname=KidsPeace&cbsid=f93a4c749a9f43aba1d21ee842de561d-307809291-wd-6&Job_DID=J8C25M6QCXQ4XQ0JD1G&aourl=http://www.kidspeace.org%2f
For my entire life I have been a Cincinnati Reds fan. That’s what I am. I’ve been “brainwashed” into liking them because of my dad. Growing up, I didn’t really get the concept of baseball. I went to games and watched them on TV because it made my dad happy. I am a daddy’s girl and I did whatever made my dad happy. We traveled pretty much to any stadium nearby when the Reds came to town. ¾ of the way through junior high I finally started to understand the concept and truly started to enjoy it. This was when we took our first trip to Ohio. I have now been on several trips to Ohio and I am completely smitten. I would move there in a heartbeat. The atmosphere over there is exciting and friendly. Everyone is welcoming and just purely happy. A common interest of the queen city dwellers is the Reds. The Great American Ballpark is constantly filled with fans that stay till the last possible second even if the Reds have lost. We Reds fans are not bandwagon fans that leave when the team starts to lose. Having such a common interest it allows you to make lifelong friends that become a part of your family. This has happened to me at a Reds game.
On a summer vacation a couple years ago. My dad and I went to a game while my mom and sister went shopping. We stood by the foul pole on the third base line. I was standing by a person that I now call part of my family. We shared the common interest of the Reds and our favorite player. For quite a while we shared stories about how we became fans and past experiences. We parted ways not knowing we would meet again at a Reds event for Redsfest. December came around and it was time for Redsfest, an event for fans to buy tons of Reds merchandise and meet their favorite players. I sat front row waiting for the concert of my favorite player who is also a musician. A woman asked if the spot next to me was taken and I said no. I kept looking back at her because she looked so familiar. I couldn’t remember where I had seen her before. As I’m about to ask her if I we had met, she asked me if I was at the game she was at the previous summer. I said yes with excitement because I could finally remember her. For the rest of the weekend we met up and she took me to see players I wouldn’t have met otherwise. The next year came and it was time for our yearly trip to Ohio. We were shown on the big screen when they panned in on fans. The next day there she was again. I couldn’t believe it. We once again swapped stories and such. This time we vowed to keep in contact and have kept that promise ever since. She and my dad talk almost every day and I talk to her every couple weeks. She even came to us and we spent the day together giving her a tour. I can’t thank her enough for everything she has done for me. I am proud to call her a part of my family.
This is what being a Reds fan has done for me. They have included another irreplaceable member to my family and I can’t thank them enough for that. In the words of the band, freak bass, “I am a Reds fan, that’s what I am. I am a Reds fan, and that’s where I stand.”
No one ever said life was easy. I guess being a student comes with that. Let’s face it; school isn’t easy unless you’re a brainiac. When awards days come around and you only get one or even none, you put yourself down. You ask yourself, “Wh didn’t I get those awards? I try my hardest. Shouldn’t I get an award for that?” Trying one’s hardest is the most anyone can ask of a student. The student shouldn’t be penalized for not doing well as long as they give an honest effort.
Along with being a student comes the challenges of peer pressure, parent pressure and just pressure in general. Students can be put down for not trying hard enough or even trying too hard. It can be a lose-lose situation. If kids don’t try hard enough, they have to hear it over and over from their parents. On the other hand, if they try too hard and become an overachiever, they can be made fun of by other students. I have been called both.
To my parents, I can be somewhat of an underachiever. To my friends, I tend to be an overachiever. I can’t win. I try my hardest and with that come pretty darn decent grades. I’ve be on honor roll several times, but that never seems to be enough. My parents are constantly telling me that I can do better and that I’m not trying my hardest. But I think they don’t understand.
Going to a school like I do re
quires a lot more work that most high schools. They think it’s as easy as when they went to high school. They think wrong. I come home every night with countless hours of homework that never seem to end. Sometimes we don’t even get to the next lesson in class because we spend so much time going over the homework. Then they give us homework from the next lesson that we haven’t even gone over yet. And then parents wonder why we aren’t doing well in certain classes.
There are very few t.v. shows that I want to sit down and watch during the week. All I ask is for that 2-3 hours a week to watch those shows. But I can’t even enjoy that when one of my parents starts asking about school. Here is how a normal conversation about school goes in my house.
Parent: “Did you finish your homework?”
Me:”Yes.”
Parent:”Well, is there any more you can do?”
Me:”I already finished tomorrow’s homework and the homework for the day after that.”
Parent:” Well do you have any tests to study for?”
Me:”I’ve been studying for the past two hours. My test isn’t until next week anyways.”
Parent:”I don’t see why you can’t keep studying. It’s like you don’t care about your grades. Colleges are going to see your grades and not accept you.”
(The parent usually rambles on for a couple more minutes and I just sit there in a haze because it’s the same story I’ve heard since starting high school. By the time they finish, the show is over and I am told to go to my room and study.)
Isn’t school fun?! Not exactly. Parents need to realize the pressures we face each day. Note to parents: cut us some slack please! We promise to try our best if we could just have a little wiggle room.
