INVENTIONS OF THE YEAR

Recently, people have been paving the road for innovation through their brilliant inventions that are sure to make a difference in the world. However, three very important inventions stand out as the "Inventions of the Year" in the 1839 edition of this newspaper. William Otis was born on September 20, 1813 in Pelham, Massachusetts. He received a patent for the steam shovel in February. This invention will aid in the moving of rocks, soil, and debris. This will also facilitate building, moving, and creating. Later in the year, Thaddeus Fairbanks, another American inventor born in Brimfield, Massachusetts, invented the platform scale. This invention can and will be used to measure the weight of more massive objects with greater accuracy. This technology is crucial to the future, and will possibly be put to fantastic use in households. Charles Goodyear, born in New Haven, Connecticut, was perhaps the greatest inventor of the year. He created a process to vulcanize rubber, which will be useful and essential in future inventions. Perhaps it will be used for small household objects or large locomotives. These inventors are working to make a more convenient world for Americans, and are improving the efficiency of society.

With these inventions, Americans will be seeing a lot more efficiency in the coming year, 1840. When these items reach the market, they will be the most popular things to buy. Americans everywhere will be wanting to get their hands on these up-and-coming products. Keep an eye out for these items so you or your company can become the most efficient around!

Caption for First Photo: William Otis' invention, the steam shovel, digs in piles of soil

Caption for Second Photo: Thaddeus Fairbanks' invention, the platform scale, sits on green grass.

Caption for Third Photo: Charles Goodyear stands in his workshop, holding rubber.

OBITUARIES

Feb 10, 1839

Josiah Collins II, owner and operator of Somerset Place died and will be buried in St. Paul's Churchyard. Before his death, he prepared Somerset Place for his son to take over.

April 1, 1839

Benjamin Pierce, an American politician and the ex-Governor of New Hampshire, died in a car derailing. His funeral will take place in Old North Cemetery in Merrimack County, New Hampshire.

June 10, 1839

Nathaniel Pryor, the Sergeant in charge of the Lewis & Clark Expedition, died. Pryor was previously recommended to President Andrew Jackson as an Indian agent.

1839

Major Ridge, a Cherokee leader and alliance to President Andrew Jackson, died in White Rock Creek in Dallas, Texas.

WORKS CITED:

"America's Best History - U.S. History Timeline: The 1830's." America's Best History - U.S. History Timeline: The 1830's. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Feb. 2015. <http://americasbesthistory.com/abhtimeline1830.html>.

"Benjamin Pierce (1841 - 1853) - Find A Grave Memorial." Benjamin Pierce (1841 - 1853) - Find A Grave Memorial. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Feb. 2015. <http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=6659809>.

"Famous Deaths for Year 1839." HistoryOrb.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Feb. 2015. <http://www.historyorb.com/deaths/date/1839>.

"Josiah Collins II (1763-1839)." North Carolina History Project :. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Feb. 2015. <http://www.northcarolinahistory.org/encyclopedia/905/entry>.

"Major Ridge (ca. 1771-1839)." New Georgia Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Feb. 2015. <http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/major-ridge-ca-1771-1839>.

"Obituaries - 1839 - Nashville City Cemetery." Obituaries - 1839 - Nashville City Cemetery. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Feb. 2015. <http://www.thenashvillecitycemetery.org/1839.htm>.

IMAGES:

"Goodyear Corporate." Charles Goodyear. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2015. <http://www.goodyear.com/corporate/history/history_story.html>.

"Popular Items for Platform Scale." Etsy. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Feb. 2015. <https://www.etsy.com/market/platform_scale>.

"Steam Shovel Working at Mount Morgan Mine." Wikimedia Commons. Wikimedia Commons, n.d. Web. 4 Feb. 2015. <http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:StateLibQld_2_290983_Steam_shovel_workng_at_Mount_Morgan_Mine,_1905.jpg>.

          Yo escogí la canción “Todos Somos Ilegales” por Calle 13. Calle 13 es una banda formada en Puerto Rico por los hermanastros René Perez Joglar, Eduardo Jose Cabra Mentirez, y la hermanastra, Cabra Joglar. Así lo veo, la canción se trata de como todos piensan que América es un buen país, pero en realidad, la gente que crean nuestro ropa, comida, y otras cosas son oprimidos. Llaman a América la “tierra de parásitos”, y dicen que es un “nación de sadistas”. Piensan que si una persona es ilegal, todos son ilegales (como el título de la canción), porque todos somos en las tierras de los americanos nativos. Hay muchos mensajes en la canción entero. Hay tanta información, entonces el tono de la canción tiene mucha emoción. Están cantando casi si estan hablando a otra persona, y esto significa que los temas son importantes. Con un tono especial, puede difundir un mensaje especifíco. Por lo tanto, pienso que el ritmo es perfecto para las palabras, porque es medio rap, y media canción hispana. En un rap, es muy útil para decir muchas ideas muy rápido, y hay un ritmo especial, porque las palabras riman. En una canción, es un poco diferente, pero cuando mezclas los dos, creas un tono especial que es perfecto para compartir un mensaje importante. Pienso que el propósito de la canción es para mostrar un mensaje, y la instrumentación es importante cuando escuchas a un canción.

          “Pobreza, Esclavitud, Sadistas, Inmigrantes, Ilegales” son unos de los temas, y es significativo para la gente que pueden aprender nuevas cosas con la canción. La canción puede contar la historia para algunos que pueden relacionar, y simbolizar las vidas de los que son oprimidos. El coro es el parte de la canción que repite mucho. El frase que repite aún más que los otros es “todos somos ilegales”. Para mi, pienso que el mensaje de la canción esta hablando de como no debes pensar en unas personas como personas o gente ilegal, debes pensar en todos porque todos en América somos en la tierra de los nativos americanos. “Yo soy ese secreto, ese detalle sucio” es muy llamativa porque el cantante está cantando que hay muchos secretos, y no siempre son buenos. Puedes pensar sobre los imágenes representados en tus pensamientos cuando escuchas a las palabras. Pienso que este línea en la canción significa que la gente que crean el problema son parte de la solución, pero nadie sabe esto. 

          Para mi, yo pensé que la canción iba a ser sobre como todos somos inmigrantes ilegales a la planeta, pero yo era felizmente sorprendido. Lo más importante es que el mensaje de la canción era difundido. Yo puedo conectar con las problemas en América, porque vivo aquí. Por otro lado, yo no estoy de acuerdo con las mensajes que cantan en la canción. Pienso que la canción tiene razón en muchas maneras, pero por otro lado, en muchas maneras no tiene razón. Entiendo que mucho es de verdad, y estas problemas son reales, pero también muchos son irrelevantes. Yo no aprendí nada nuevo, pero hice nuevas conexiones después de escuchar la canción. Hice la conexión que nuestro fortuna buena en America esta a la expensa de las fortunas buenas de otras personas. Es una tema muy controvertido, y ahora tengo mi mente en perspectivo. Por lo general, la canción obviamente es realmente para difundir un mensaje, y ya puedes ver que hizo un buen trabajo con eso.

Vivo en el barrio de Northern Liberties, y he vivido aquí para todo mi vida. Mi barrio es muy moderno en unas maneras, pero en otras, es muy viejo. Me encanta mi barrio porque hay todos tipos de casas, pero no me gusta que están construyendo tantos nuevos condos. Para mi comunidad, hay muchos jardínes que todos comparten, y también hay muchas tiendas pequeñas. La Piazza de Schmidts está casi tres o cuatro bloques desde mi casa, y es muy importante para el barrio. Cuando pienso en mi barrio, pienso en parques, jardínes, panaderías, muchos árboles y plantas, etc. Aparte de los nuevos condos en todo mi barrio, no cambiaría nada. Mi mural sería ubicado en Ridge y Fairmount, porque es muy cerca de Broad, y todos pudieron ver. Sería en una propiedad que parece abandonado, y ofrecería algo bonito para mirar. La pared es perfecta para dar un mensaje, y asegurar que todos pueden ver. Como yo lo entiendo, será inútil si nadie puede ver el mural.

Desde mi punto de vista, el arte puede tomar muchas diferentes formas. Pienso que las características del arte incluye que usas para representar tu mismo. Pienso que la gente no tienen el derecho a criticar el arte de otras personas. Solo pienso que tienen el derecho a mirarlo y disfrutarlo. Puedes decir si le gustas o no, pero no puedes criticar con palabras malas o negativo. Esto es porque algunas personas tienen más experienca en la arte, y quizás no han realizado el potencio total. Pienso que el propósito de la arte es para representar a tú mismo con cualquier color o marcador o pinta que quieres. Pienso que algunas formas de arte son atractivo a unas personas, y algunas formas de arte no son atractivo a otras personas. Depende en la persona. Como lo veo yo, toda la arte tiene que tener un mensaje, porque cuando dibujas algo, o pintas algo, estas pintando con tú corazón. Pienso que algunas formas de grafiti son arte, pero los que solo quieren decir que estaban allí no son arte (marcas). 

Quiero que mi mural muestra un mensaje. Quiero que todos ven, y quizas piensan sobre el mural después de verlo. Mi motivo para hacer este mural es para mostrar a todos que la tierra es para compartir, y no tenemos recursos ilimitados. Entonces, Pienso que muchos imágenes de árboles será necesario, con plantas y flores emparcidos. Pienso que quiero una carretera en el mitad para representar el camino de la humanidad, y al final, hay plantas y árboles para representar lo que debemos tener en la mente. En mi mural, hay muchos colores para capturar la atención. Quiero que dice “Un mundo. Tú decisión.”, porque representa el mensaje que estoy tratando de mostrar. También da la gente un opción. 

Para mi, mi mural representa un mensaje importante, y satisfecha el rol de arte público por muchos razones. Las imágenes de mi mural representan que debes cuidar la planeta. Sería significativa para mi barrio porque hay muchos jardínes y árboles, y importa a la gente para ayudar a todos. Pienso que la gente va a disfrutar mi mural, y va a difundir el mensaje de que tenemos que salvar la planeta. Mi barrio va a ser muy diferente con el adición de mi mural porqué estamos en el camino para ser mejor, pero necesitamos el empuje extra. Todos van a ver a mi mural y va a ser en su cerebro subconsciente, y poco a poco, podemos hacer la diferencia.

Arriba es una foto de un pared en Ridge y Fairmount donde quiero que mi mural sea ubicado. 

Haz clic aquí para ver en Google Maps.

Este es un foto de mi mural. En el humo del barco, la palabra “polución” está flotando hacia el cielo.

Este pared sería lo mejor para un mural para muchos razones. Este pared está ubicado en Ridge y Fairmount, y está unos pocos pies de Broad Street, que tiene muchos transeúntes que pasan cada día. Está en un lugar donde todos pueden ver, porque está ubicado en una calle que tiene mucho tráfico.

Frida Kahlo era muy importante para la Revolución Mexicana, porque su arte inspiraba a muchos. En la vida de Frida, había mucha dolor. Para sacar el sufrimiento, Frida Kahlo pintó. También Frida era casado a Diego Rivera, quien era otra persona en la explosión de arte que era muy importante. Él pintaba murales que tuvieron un mensaje de la Revolución. Frida era muy importante en la Revolución, y sería diferente sin ella.

Esta es una oda al asombroso Frida Kahlo...

Artística, creativa, innovador.

Cuando yo te veo, pienso en tu vida, tu pincel y pintura, y como era para vivir como visiste.

Me haces pensar en cómo sería ser en un hospital por tanto tiempo y pintar tu dolor.

Tú, una artista. Un ejémplo. Mujer conmovedora y poderosa. Una persona fuerte.

Este es una foto de Frida Kahlo. (Estaba editado para ser en tan gran qualidad.)

Este mural, ubicado en 2632 Master Street en Filadelfia significa muchas cosas para las personas que viven cerca. Este mural revela que el jardín debajo da vegetales a muchas restaurantes. Es importante porque representa que el jardín es un lugar donde los residentes pueden aprender sobre la nutrición y cocinando. La mural es importante porque representa que muchas personas aprendan cosas con la ayuda del jardín, y la mural añade a la belleza. En la mural, hay un grupo de remolachas pintado en un color borgoña. A la izquierda hay zanahorias y un río, y también hay algunos flores, como las girasoles. Este mural es significativo para la comunidad, porque está pintado en un lugar que muchas personas van a aprender muchas cosas, y envés de apartamentos y un hotel, hay un hermoso jardín que la gente puede disfrutar.

(Sits down cross-legged center stage, holding a stuffed animal.)

I get in trouble for taking a cookie from on top of the fridge, and the only thing I can ask is... why? There are so many other things worth getting in trouble for. Pollution. War. Genocide. Cheating. It’s all wrong, and yet it still happens, and they don’t get in trouble for it. Why does it seem that only children get punished for stupid things like taking cookies, and adults let the things that are much worse just... happen? The atmosphere struggles to breathe with all the chemicals seeping into the air. Thousands of innocent people die in the combat of war. Whole races die in the process of a genocide. I just don’t get it. Why can’t the whole world just be like you and I, Mr. Velvet? 

(Holds out stuffed animal and looks at it. Strokes the fur.)

Why does it need to be such a bad place. I wish we could just fly away and be gone of all the troubles that get in our way. Because, well... When we get to be adults, we’ll have to deal with all the problems that adults in this world now are passing down to us. The worse they make it, the harder our job will be when we get that old. I mean, that won’t happen for like... I don’t know... Whatever. I guess the only thing I can do is just sit here and watch. Adults don’t care what some kid has to say about how the world works, and how to fix it. I might as well not even try. It’s not like I’ll actually help, right? It’s just me and you, Mr. Velvet. We’re in this together.

(Leans back on hands, and crosses legs while looking off into the distance.)

  I don’t know for how long we’ll have to be, but we’ll be in this together for as long as we need to. Grownups just don’t understand that there is only one planet. They don’t understand that once this one is destroyed with their carelessness, it’s over. I know I’m too old to be talking to some stuffed animal, and my parents have the mindset that I must be 8 years old, but I guess I just have to deal with it. Deal with the world. Deal with everything. Who knew what the weight of living would be? But... Maybe I can do something. Maybe I can let my voice be heard.

Trataría muchas cosas y comidas más.

Intentaría buscar un trabajo cuando soy más jöven para tener más dinero para viajar.

Sería la mejor persona que pudiera hacer.

Tendría más connecciones porque sería mas extrovertido.

Viajaría a mas lugares.

Estudiaría mejor para aprender mucho más.

Tomaría mi tiempo con todo para disfrutarlo.

Iría a más eventos para conocer muchas más personas.

Haría una programa de reciclar o algo en mi comunidad.

Hablaría con muchas personas, y lo más que puedo.

“The Root of Language”

“When people put down the way others speak, they sometimes forget that everybody speaks with an accent, so before you jump to conclusions, consider the many ways of talking Americans have and remember that what sounds funny or odd to one person is music to the ears of another.” The previous quote from “American Tongues” illustrates the point that accents and dialects can be taken in different ways, and different ways of speaking can be either accepted or rejected because of what you’re used to. I’m from Philadelphia, so there are plenty of factors that come into play when taking apart my accent and figuring out which parts come from where or what. Diversity in metropolitan cities such as Philadelphia differs greatly, and therefore affects the subconscious code switching ability that many people possess through their accent or dialect. One problem that many people face is the stereotypes and prejudices that unfortunately come with a lot of accents. Like other Americans, my speech and accent is different from a lot of people, and is affected by the subconscious code switching ability that everyone has, and “American Tongues,” a documentary directed by Louis Alvarez and Andy Kolker about the English language from 1988 touches on how individuals in systems are affected by prejudices and stereotypes.

Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love, located on the East Coast can be defined as a very separated or segregated city, but in reality the mix of all races and dialects comes into play when you include them all together. Neighborhoods in Philadelphia can be characterized by the ethnic or racial makeup, but there are so many sections that come into one through education, work, or recreational activities that it should be considered diverse. Each racial or ethnic group has their own accent, and they can and usually develop it to be their own through what is most comfortable to them.  I think knowing another language might be able to alter your natural accent in the long run. I’ve been speaking fluent Spanish for almost nine years now, and I’ve been to several South American countries to immerse myself in their culture. By now, I believe that pronouncing Spanish words for so many years must have had some effect on my accent in general, because the ways that you pronounce things in Spanish are hard if you say them with an American accent. My brain just subconsciously changed the way I say certain sounds to ease the transition from Spanish to English. In general, I believe that my accent has changed through the grand diversity that I have experienced through my life, and also affects the natural code switching ability that everyone possesses subconsciously.

Growing up in a city is a lot different than growing up in the country, both language-wise and diversity-wise. Cities tend to have a greater diversity of the general population, while the country has usually one main group of people integrated with a few different types of people from other places.Every race and/or ethnic group has their own accent or dialect, and being in the city where everyone is so close together affects the way everyone talks.The past 10 years that I’ve gone to school, I’ve subconsciously code switched between different cliques, my own home, and the adults that are in my life.With my friends, it’s easier to speak in a more slurred tone, use slang, and/or abbreviations.With my parents, there’s still some slang occasionally, but it’s not really a big deal. Teachers, mentors, advisors, and other adults are talked to without the slang, my speech slows so I can pronounce the words better, and I tend to use a bigger vocabulary. Through the help of a metropolitan city like Philadelphia, the language of the area can be changed through code switching.

Unfortunately, a few very big problems facing Americans today are the generalizations and stereotypes that come along with one’s accent or dialect. During the process of growing up, you tend to speak like the people around you because it’s what you’re used to. When you’re an adult and are seeking a job, sometimes your accent can get in the way. For example, through the media itself, in a lot of movies or television shows, east coast accents such as the ones from New York City are used to portray businessmen, rude taxi drivers, or street criminals. In another sense, country style accents are used to portray old-fashioned people, motherly like figures, or extremely religious people. Through the media, stereotypes are built up until they become the norm, and people begin to subconsciously associate the stereotypes as true. Even though the stereotypes are not true, they begin to get associated as true, which encourages people to believe them.In general, stereotypes about accents or dialects can lead to discrimination.

Bibliography:

"American Tongues Transcript." American Tongues Transcript. N.p., 1987. Web. 03 Nov. 2013. <http://www.cnam.com/downloads/amt_ts.html>.

"Penn: The Philly Accent Is Steadily Changing." Penn: The Philly Accent Is Steadily Changing. UPenn, n.d. Web. 03 Nov. 2013. <http://www.upenn.edu/spotlights/philly-accent-steadily-changing>.

Other information:

• A "language autobiography," presenting scenes from your own life and reflection on your language.

Questions that were touched on:

• What is the role of the individual in systems?
• Where is language an area of conflict? at home? In school? In other aspects of public life?
• How do you consciously change your ways of speaking? Do you code-switch? Why?
• Do you have a public persona that is different from your intimate persona?

Sources that were touched on:

• Ideas presented in American Tongues

Mi nombre es Ava, y soy una chica con pelo rubia y ojos azules. Nací en Filadelfia en el año 1998. Juego hockey, y hago muchas cosas para pasar el tiempo. Me gusta leer, escribir y dibujar. Tengo un perro y dos pájaros como mascotas. Asisto a una escuela que se llama Science Leadership Academy, y me encanta aprender cosas nuevas. También, me gusta cocinar y crear recetas completamente nuevas.

Mi apariencia física es algo que distinga a mi. Tengo pelo rubia que mide más de veinticuatro pulgadas, y ojos azules. Soy de tamaño normal, de cinco pies y cinco pulgadas. Tengo el cuerpo de una atleta porque tengo musculos grandes, y tengo una resistencia buena. Tengo manos y pies pequeños, pero funcionan como deberían, así no me importa que tamaño son.

La gente dicen que le encantan a mis ojos, y dicen que cambian de color. Algunas veces dicen que mis ojos son azules, y algunas veces son de color gris. Nunca veo mis ojos cambia de color, pero quizás no estoy buscando lo más duro que puedo. Muchas personas también dicen que le encantan mi pelo porque es muy largo. Tengo unas amigas que le gustan jugar con mi pelo y ponerlo en trenzas. No quiero cortar mi pelo hasta que me gradúe. Seria lo mas largo que he tenido en mi vida entera.

Mis mejores amigos me entienden, y están allí para mi todos los veces. Cuando tengo una problema personal, ya estamos hablando sobre la problema, y mis mejores amigos pueden ayudarme para encontrar una solución. Nos llevamos buenísimo, pero algunas veces, como todos los relaciones, tenemos unos peleas. Está bien, y la mayoría de las veces, no dura por mucho tiempo. Mis mejores amigos me dan risa casi todos los días, y sin ellos, sería muy tranquilo. Son muy cariñosos y graciosos también. Me cae bien con mis otros amigos también, y ellos están allí para mi cuando necesito. 

En general, mis relaciones académicas son muy buenos, y me cae bien todos mis maestros. Me entiende la Señora Jonas, porque ella es mi consejera, y vamos a tener consejería los cuatro años que estoy en esta escuela. Me inspiran todos los maestros, porque si ellos pueden completar la escuela secundaria, yo puedo completarlo también. Algunos de los maestros pueden ser muy autoritaria, pero está bien, porque saben que están haciendo,  y es para un razón importante. La Señorita Manuel es muy simpática y me da risa porque muestra vídeos en la clase de Español. Con la ayuda de mis profesores, puedo graduar de esta escuela con buenas notas y una cabeza llena de ideas y conocimiento.

Espero que tengo mis amigos para el resto de mi vida, porque seria un dia muy triste si no tengo amigos. Humanos deben tener amigos o personas que pueden confiar en. Sin ellos, no pueden reír o contar cuentos o realmente disfrutar la vida.

Soy una persona muy simpática. Tengo una imaginación bastante grande, y me gusta hablar y hacer cosas con mis amigos. Tengo personalidades diferentes cerca de mis amigos, pero cuando soy sola, yo soy una persona muy madura y segura. Cerca de mis amigos, tengo una personalidad gracioso. Me inspira cuando veo a una persona ó un grupo de personas tratando el mejor y tienen éxito con cualquier cosa que están haciendo.

Mis relaciones con mis amigos difiere, pero sobre todo tengo relaciones muy bueno y todos nos llevamos bien. Me lleva bien con mi familia también, y tenemos conversaciones largos.

Soy una chica que tiene pelo rubia, ojos azules, y piel blanca. Valgo mucho de mi familia, mis amigos, la escuela, y mis extracurriculares. Tengo quince años, y en el futuro, no tengo ningún idea de que quisiera ser. Me molesta mucho cuando personas piensen que saben todo, y usa eso para decir a los otros personas que hacer. Sueño con ir a una universidad bueno, y tener buenas notas. No tengo miedo de casi nada, pero las cucarachas y ciempiés me da un poco de miedo. Me siento feliz cuando estoy con mis amigos, y la única cosa que podemos hacer es reír porque estamos tan felices. Soy una persona muy simpática, pero puedo ser huraña. Soy muy creativa, artística y organizada. Puedo ser un poco misteriosa.

Mi máscara es de un zorro. Yo escogí un zorro porque ellos tienen muchos secretos y son muy misteriosos. También, ellos pueden esconder muy fácilmente y son hurañas. A mi, los zorros miran artístico porque tienen el pelaje muy rojo y brillante. Yo pienso que son muy bonitos, y una máscara de un zorro seria hermoso.

Este es el frente. Mi nombre está en el nariz en color plata.

“DIARIO CINCO”

~Descripción Física

Soy una chica que tiene pelo rubia, ojos azules, y piel blanca. Valgo mucho de mi familia, mis amigos, la escuela, y mis extracuriculares. Tengo quince años, y en el futuro, no tengo ningún idea de que quisiera ser. Me molesta mucho cuando personas piensen que saben todo, y usa eso para decir a los otros personas que hacer. Sueño con ir a una universidad bueno, y tener buenas notas. No tengo miedo de casi nada, pero las cucarachas y ciempiés me da un poco de miedo. Me siento feliz cuando estoy con mis amigos, y la única cosa que podemos hacer es reír porque estamos tan felices. Soy una persona muy simpática, pero puedo ser huraña. Soy muy creativa, artística y organizada.

Mis mejores amigos me entienden, y están allí para mi todos los veces. Cuando tengo una problema personal, ya estamos hablando sobre la problema, y mis mejores amigos pueden ayudarme para encontrar una solución. Nos llevamos buenísimo, pero algunas veces, como todos los relaciones, tenemos unos peleas. Está bien, y la mayoría de las veces, no dura por mucho tiempo. Mis mejores amigos me dan risa casi todos los días, y sin ellos, sería muy tranquilo. Son muy cariñosos y graciosos también. Me cae bien con mis otros amigos también, y ellos están allí para mi cuando necesito. 

“DIARIO UNO”

~Describir a nosotros

Mi nombre es Ava, y soy una persona muy simpática. Tengo un imaginación bastante grande, y me gusta hablar y hacer cosas con mis amigos. Tengo personalidades diferentes cerca de mis amigos, pero cuando soy sola, yo soy una persona muy madura y segura. Cerca de mis amigos, tengo una personalidad gracioso. Me inspira cuando veo a una persona ó un grupo de personas tratando el mejor y tienen éxito con cualquier cosa que están haciendo.

Mis relaciónes con mis amigos difiere, pero sobre todo tengo relaciónes muy bueno y todos nos llevamos bien. Me lleva bien con mi familia también, y tenemos conversaciones largos.

The project really reflected five of Science Leadership’s core values. Inquiry was used, because we needed to ask questions. Without asking, we wouldn’t know any information about our element, and therefore, we wouldn’t know what to put on our print. The information and images we used were condensed into a single or few things that represented the element. The next core value that was used is research. We needed to research a lot about our element before creating a print. You can’t do a project on something if you know nothing about it. Collaboration was used when we talked to eachother about what we can use to represent our element. I found myself asking people what they were doing, and how they were going to pull it off. I also found other people asking me about my project. Presentation will be used through this blog post, along with showing Ms. Hull our creations. The prints we created will be displayed, and people can scroll through the abundance of blog posts to see how everyone decided to represent their element. After working hard for weeks doing sketches, cutting the linoleum, and finally printing, we’re going to be using reflection on the Science Leadership Academy blog for art class. Through this blog post, everyone can see our beautiful work! It’s also a chance to talk about the experience that we had. 

Overall, I really enjoyed the project, and I think it was so much fun. In the beginning, I was sort of bored because all we were doing was sketches, but after we started actually cutting the linoleum, it was really entertaining. It was also a whole lot of fun playing with colors on the prints. I learned a lot about how to put the colors in stripes, and to make good multicolor prints with three colors.

The project really reflected five of Science Leadership’s core values. Inquiry was used, because we needed to ask questions. Without asking, we wouldn’t know any information about our element, and therefore, we wouldn’t know what to put on our print. The information and images we used were condensed into a single or few things that represented the element. The next core value that was used is research. We needed to research a lot about our element before creating a print. You can’t do a project on something if you know nothing about it. Collaboration was used when we talked to eachother about what we can use to represent our element. I found myself asking people what they were doing, and how they were going to pull it off. I also found other people asking me about my project. Presentation will be used through this blog post, along with showing Ms. Hull our creations. The prints we created will be displayed, and people can scroll through the abundance of blog posts to see how everyone decided to represent their element. After working hard for weeks doing sketches, cutting the linoleum, and finally printing, we’re going to be using reflection on the Science Leadership Academy blog for art class. Through this blog post, everyone can see our beautiful work! It’s also a chance to talk about the experience that we had. 

Overall, I really enjoyed the project, and I think it was so much fun. In the beginning, I was sort of bored because all we were doing was sketches, but after we started actually cutting the linoleum, it was really entertaining. It was also a whole lot of fun playing with colors on the prints. I learned a lot about how to put the colors in stripes, and to make good multicolor prints with three colors.

Treasure Island is a novel published in 1883 by Robert Louis Stevenson. The book was meant to just be stories that he told to his stepson, and ended up being published into a great story that has been famous and told for generations. The movie “Pirates of the Caribbean” was based off of the well-known novel, and for that I have based my creative portion of the individual reading book project on the movie’s ‘theme song.’ “He’s a Pirate” was composed by Hans Zimmer and Klaus Badelt and is used in the movie as the background and occasional ambient music. I think it goes perfectly with the book beccause I couldn’t help but imagine that music playing while I was reading. The song has an epic feel, and for that I decided to play it on piano and use it as my creative piece.

Billy Bones leaves a chest at the Admiral Benbow for safekeeping, and stays there along with it. He dies from a fatal stroke. Jim Hawkins, the protagonist, finds a treasure map in the chest, and with the help of characters that were introduced earlier in the novel, he goes in search of Treasure Island with the crew. The treasure is from the already deceased Captain Flint. Will the treasure be found? Read the rest to figure out what happens in the rest of the gripping story.

The main character is Jim Hawkins, the narrator, and son of the owner of the Admiral Benbow. Jim tells about his adventures with the pirate crew, and his experience in his “coming of age.” He uses his feelings and emotions to portray the story in his own way, explaining everything that happens in good detail.

The main conflict is getting along with Captain Flint’s old crew, and getting to Treasure Island. It isn’t until they get there that they all realize something has happened, which could change the entire story from the expected outcome.

My favorite character is Jim Hawkins. I think this because first of all, his name is pretty darn epic and awesome. Also, he has a sort of mysterious nature. It’s hard to explain, but when he explains the story from the narration point of view, he tells it in his own way, unlike any other books that I have read previously. He also has a sense of adventure, and I like his personality. It really fits the story.

I think the reader should take away the fact that even if the book is old and a little challenging, it can still be a treasureable story. The words and lingo used are a little more traditional, and adding the fact that it contains a lot of vocabulary that I’m not used to, it was a challenge to read. There were words like “dubloons” that I have never really heard as part of a story before. It was interesting to see how pirates would have talked, too. I think one huge theme is how when you “come of age” you can prove how heroic or gallant you can be.

I don’t think I can relate to anyone in the book, considering the setting was in the eighteenth century, and most of the characters were pirates, but I still enjoyed the book either way. I don’t think books need to cater to the reader and have to be relatable to be enjoyable. Adding to this, I haven’t had any similar experiences to the characters in the book either, because, well... The characters are fantastical pirates from the eighteenth century that go on adventures in search of treasure!

Overall, I enjoyed the book very much because it was a challenge to read and comprehend, and I’m not usually a fan of old fiction. I think it’s something that I wouldn’t pick up first if I were given a pile of books to choose from, but I’m very happy that I did pick it up to read, because it’s a very enthralling novel.

I think a major strength of the book is the ability for the writer to change perspectives. It was very interesting to read when Jim Hawkins traded in telling the story with Doctor Livesey, who had a more accurate version of the story, while Jim included what he felt like. Also, the reader is painted a picture of exactly what every staggering detail is. Without the visualization in a fiction book, the book easily becomes boring, and it’s not as fun to imagine or think about the plot.

I don’t think I would change such a classic book, but if I had to, I would change the beginning. I find it very confusing on how the events take place, and I had to reread a lot of parts, just to understand what was going on. Once I did understand it, it was really worth it, and I was glad that I had gone through again to read it. 

I think I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys suspense and adventure. I often times found myself wondering where something that had happened in the beginning of the book would come back. It made me wonder if it was foreshadowing, or if it was going to eventually tie into the later plot.

I enjoyed the book, and am proud of my creative portion that I have created. I don’t think I would change a single thing about it. Please watch my video of me playing “He’s a Pirate” on piano. 

Click this link.

For my Agent of Change part in my You and the World service project, I have been volunteering at animal shelter for 7 months now. I started in early November, and have been going as often as I can. Overall, it’s been an absolutely inspiring project, and without having this due for English class, I don’t think I would’ve gotten into it so easily! Helping people is one thing, because you can communicate and encourage them to improve themselves and the community, but helping animals is another thing, because they can’t speak our language, and don’t have anyone to speak up for them. Through this project, I have learned so much and have been able to say that I’ve been making a difference in the world, one animal at a time.

To begin, I had to take an orientation session at Operation Ava, the shelter where I have been volunteering. They helped you get to know the ropes, and know exactly what you have to do, and where everything is. After that, you were free to go to the shelter as you pleased, walking dogs whenever you could manage, and playing with cats. I began by walking dogs in the yard, so you could get a feel for the dog, and understand how to hold the leash, etc. After a while, I could walk them out on the street and through the park. I started playing with cats as well. The cats were really adorable. I was petting one cat named Brody, and then leaned down to pet Soza, and before I knew it, Brody was on my back and licking my neck. I also washed and groomed lots of dogs. It’s strange when you wash the first one. There’s a huge sink, large enough to fit a pitbull, and there’s a hose connected to the top. Most of the dogs liked getting cleaned, but some didn’t like it, and I got all wet. 

This project has had an extremely huge impact on me. I realize that through just coming to the shelter, the people there are so nice. They have since then inspired me to be more outgoing. Being in front of people, or with new people has been really hard for me, but by taking the opportunity to help animals, I’ve also been helping myself. I have definitely seen the difference, and I’ve been saying as much as I can to new people. 

So far, I haven’t encountered any problems besides the fact that I can’t go and volunteer everyday! I have ice hockey four times a week, now that the season is over, so it’s been a little difficult to squeeze in the volunteering, but I’ve managed so far.

I feel like I’ve also inspired other people, because when I tell people about how I volunteer at an animal shelter, they might want to get themselves to go and volunteer as well. 

In the community, I see myself as a female teen that people may be bias towards. I know that through my experience, teens have many stereotypes, such as being lazy, listening to loud headphones all day, being rude, and not caring about school or the people/things around them. I hope that through this project, people will be able to have a more open-minded view on teens, and realize that the stereotypes are not all true, and that we can be whatever we want to be. I know that I’m still learning, and that nobody is perfect, but through this project, I have been striving to be a better person. I’ve usually been a follower, depending upon the group of people I’m with, but since I started volunteering, I’ve realized a definite change in my schoolwork. I’ve been taking more of a leadership role, and I feel that I’m becoming someone that represents Science Leadership Academy better.

I’m going to take this newfound courage and leadership, and use it to make a better community for everyone. I think that I have already started subconsciously, becuase I’ve been taking a leadership role in school already!

I hope you take the time to watch my video showing the shelter, dogs and cats, and featuring a few brief interviews that were done with the Operation Ava family. Please like, subscribe, or share with your friends! Operation Ava said they might even be able to feature my video on their site, so please like and share! It will also be passed along to the founders and their mother by the director of Operation Ava!

Final Perspective Drawing

One thing I learned that I did not know before was bringing out an object. I sort of knew how to make it look somewhat 3D, but I didn’t know how to really bring it out in the correct way. I also learned how to make the back wall, which was actually one of the hardest parts in the entire project. Making the back wall was difficult because it had to be perfect, because everything was drawn around it, so if it wasn’t perfect, everything else would turn out wonky as well.

I think if I did the assignment again, I would definitely take more time to finish the actual drawing before doing all the details. I started drawing everything on the ceiling tiles before I finished drawing everything else, and it made it hard to finish at the end because I was running out of time. I would definitely need to use my time better, because it was really stressful at the end, especially because I had to color in the entire picture at the end. Coloring my drawings is usually not my style, so I just added a few bursts of color in certain areas such as the tables, stools and wall. I also added a small amount of color in certain ceiling tiles. I was actually pretty proud of the outcome.

To people that have never drawn a one point perspective drawing before, I would definitely say to do the back wall perfectly, and if it’s not, do it over. You’re going to make it a lot harder for yourself later. If it’s too big, you won’t be able to fit much in the room, and you’ll have to zoom into everything and the detail will have to be better. If it’s too small, you’ll have to draw almost everything in the room, and it might not be in proportion because you’re drawing it too far back. So, if the back wall is not perfect in your artist’s eye, do it over, and you’ll be much happier with the outcome.

I think the resource that helped me the most was Ms. Hull. I think she really knew what she was doing, and that’s why she helped so much. In the beginning, I was really nervous about finishing on time, or not doing it right, but she helped me through those tougher times, and it made me learn even more. The online resources were not much help, because they couldn’t answer specific questions that I had. Ms. Hull answered all my questions, and made the oncoming process a lot easier. (Thank you Ms. Hull for such an inspiring and thoughtful project!)

The following was a project for a 9th grade English class, using creativity and imagination to extend a quote analysis into an engaging piece that shows that character journey of Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth is an inhumane controlling power-hungry woman that wants to leave her gender, but after King Duncan is murdered, it turns her into a frail and broken self-loathing human being. This is shown through the project I decided to do, using clay and sterling silver to create one of a kind pendants that represented the character change of Lady Macbeth throughout the entire play. 

PENDANT DESCRIPTION

To create the pendants, I had to do many things before actually producing the finished product. I needed to plan out nine emotions that I could portray. I made a list of parts in the play where Lady Macbeth had a prominent emotion. Later, I researched the relationship between colors and emotions and what colors represented which emotion. The colored sphere in each pendant represents a different emotion. After that, I had to create the pendants, so I used clay for that. I made sterling silver hooks, and then after the pendants were dry, I reinforced them with epoxy and added gloss glaze.

I think one huge difficulty in this project was that it was extremely time-consuming. The pendants alone took me around ten hours in total to complete, and that’s not including the display. I did spend a lot of time on them. I think that next time, I could easily start earlier if I didn’t want to do so much work at one time. 

I am most proud of the fact that no one else had my kind of project. I also am proud of sticking with it even if it did take a long time. I hope that everyone else enjoyed my project as much as I did.

If I were given the chance to do this project over, I would 100% go with the idea of the pendants. My original ideas weren’t as great. I originally wanted to do a pop-up book, but I thought that with all the people that were touching it, it wouldn’t last very long. It would also take most likely more time than the pendants did.

My colleagues also did creative projects to represent the character development of Macbeth or Lady Macbeth. I think that they were very well done. A lot of them made me see the character development in a whole other light that I hadn’t seen before. Also, some of them pointed things out that I had never noticed. It made me realize how creative we all are, and how differently our mind works from the rest of us.

Through this project, I realized that I can most definitely complete something even if it seems impossible, if I put my mind to it. I also learned a bunch of different creative ways to represent a storyline that I could use to my advantage in the future.

As said before in my previous post, my name is Ava and I am a teenage girl from Science Leadership Academy striving to make a difference in the world of animals. I believe anyone can make a difference, no matter how small of a voice they start out with, and that’s what I’m hoping I can do through this project... Make a difference.

With the start of a new year, there’s a new hope for animals across America. 2012 was an increasingly better year for the animals, and there have been many adoptions. Many shelters and organizations helped in the time of need when animals yearned for care during the stressful event of Hurricane Sandy. 

Hurricane Sandy was a devastating time for both humans and animals alike. Although according to the ASPCA, there were 129 happy pets that were reconnected with their owners.

In addition to the good news, an article published in December of last year talked about how more and more shelters are becoming no-kill. When a shelter becomes no-kill, they need to have a large amount of help in the process because it’s very difficult to have a successful shelter that doesn’t euthanize animals. In one shelter alone there can be hundreds of volunteers. Volunteers work at the shelter to help take care of the animals, but they do not get paid. Much of the success of the no-kill shelters is because of the wonderful volunteers who devote time out of their personal lives to go out and help the cuddly creatures!

Through a recent survey I created, I asked several simple questions. Almost 70 people filled out the survey! I wanted to know if people had ever adopted a pet from a shelter, if they believed that animals deserved better care in shelters, and if they had ever been to a shelter. Most of the results surprised me. I didn’t expect as many people to say that they had adopted an animal before. It also surprised me that almost half of the people that filled out the survey had never been to an animal shelter.

I believe that through this survey, I have learned that it would be in my best interest to educate more people about the shelters along with encouraging them to take a brief tour of one.

Through the research I’ve recently done, I think that my opinion is not as biased. Although I do believe that many shelters have terrible conditions, my opinion has shifted and I now reassuringly know that there are many people out there who do care about the animals and are willing to do almost anything to help them.

I’ve started volunteering at an animal shelter, and so far, the experience has been amazing! Every week I go to the shelter and walk the dogs there. It’s a great feeling to get to know some of the dog’s personalities, but also a little sad to see them go if they get adopted. I know it’s better for them that they have a home, so I’m glad to see them leave for a better life. Below is the logo of the animal shelter I volunteer at.

For another section to this project, I plan on collecting old towels. Shelters use towels for many things, and when they wear down, the shelter needs new ones. Collecting towels would benefit the animals there, and the shelter would have one less thing to take care of. 

We are their voice. Let us be heard.

Theresa Weir, the author of The Orchard, begins her novel with a local legend from her town, Illinois. This book was a 2011 Oprah Magazine Fall Pick, Number Two on the Indie Next list, a featured in a B+ review in Entertainment Weekly, and was presented Librarians’ Best Books of 2011. The novel follows the life of a woman named Theresa that lives with her uncle in a bar because her parents were out of her life early on. She works at the bar, and one day chances to meet a man named Adrian Curtis with a supposedly cursed farm. The two talk and eventually get married at the local courthouse, and begin a new life on the farm. No one except the couple agree with the marriage, which poses a problem along the course of the story.

I believe my favorite character would have to be Adrian Curtis, because he can be very unpredictable, and you can’t really understand what he’s thinking throughout the book. It gives the text a lot of suspense and makes the reader feel like somewhat of a sleuth. I think an important thing that you could take from the book would be that even if Theresa made a risky decision to marry someone she didn’t necessarily know, if you follow your heart, you’ll know the way. She made uncertain choices throughout her life, and it’s what crafted her lifestyle and who she is.

Relating to the characters is a fairly easy task. I believe that I am most like Theresa, because sometimes I don’t think very much about the things I decide to do. She didn’t really think about what it would mean to be married to someone she hardly knew that is bound to a farm for their entire life to carry the family tradition.

I definitely thouroughly enjoyed the book, and I think that it was great how every other chapter explained a memory she had from when she was little, and then somehow connected it to the next chapter of the present. I don’t think I would change anything, especially because the author has their own style of writing, and I wouldn’t want to damage the great balance it has.

I would recommend this book to a more mature audience, because there are some scenes that contain some parts that a younger audience wouldn’t understand, or wouldn’t be able to handle. 

As you see here, I created a slide. To create my slide, I used the concept of bleeding to the picture of the piano keys, so the viewer is left with some wonder and has to think about what the rest of the picture is.  I made the type big so people would be able to read it easily, without taking their attention from me speaking. I made the slide mainly visual by making the focus the photos that I added. I created the slide so you would only have to glance at it. I used the rule of thirds to somewhat separate my photos into three columns, and added a small amount of text to narrate what I was talking about. I tried to make it as brief as possible, considering how many things I could’ve added.

As you see here, I created a slide. To create my slide, I used the concept of bleeding to the picture of the piano keys, so the viewer is left with some wonder and has to think about what the rest of the picture is.  I made the type big so people would be able to read it easily, without taking their attention from me speaking. I made the slide mainly visual by making the focus the photos that I added. I created the slide so you would only have to glance at it. I used the rule of thirds to somewhat separate my photos into three columns, and added a small amount of text to narrate what I was talking about. I used three photos of things that represent me. I tried to make it as brief as possible, considering how many things I like. 

The definition of “world” is The earth, together with all of its countries, peoples, and natural features. Animals are part of this world, fitting into the category “natural features” and yet some shelters are not exactly fair when it comes to a subject that happens to everyone eventually. The sad part is, some animal’s fate comes too soon. Animals are euthanized every single day as a result of overpopulation or careless mistakes.

Can you possibly believe that 56% of all dogs accepted into shelters are killed? It was estimated that approximately 3.7 million animals in total are euthanized every year. Look at it this way: There are roughly 315,000,000 people in the United States alone. If 56% of humans were euthanized every year, we would be killing 16,800,000 people. That’s a lot of people with individual lives and personalities and experiences. Dogs are alike in that way. Each dog has a special life worth saving. Each dog has a personality that you can come to love. Each dog has a different experience in their life that shapes who they are as an animal.

I’m not trying to convince you that dogs and humans are identical. I’m trying to convince you that dogs are animals, just like humans, and there are too many similarities to be euthanizing them at alarming rates. The following is a photo of the conditions at a shelter with a high kill-rate.

This is a photo of a high kill-rate shelter. The conditions are cramped, and there are many animals in one place. It's not very sanitary, either. Credit goes to the website for this photograph. Click here for the website.

Many animals in shelters are fortunate enough to be adopted into a loving home and receive affection and care. Unfortunately, accidents happen. Pets are lost, and families become devastated. There was a reported story that a man needed to leave home for business and asked his friend to watch his litter of puppies for him. To his surprise, when he came back, the friend had accidentally let the puppies escape and they had been brought to their local shelter. They called the shelter many times without getting an appropriate response. The puppies were euthanized, and the shelter’s spokesperson gave misleading information to the press regaurding the situation. The owner was so devastated that he was admitted to the hospital for symptoms of a heart attack.

Events that are easily preventable should be avoided, because the lives of so many innocent animals are lost every year. It’s up to the people at this point. Should we be helping? Of course! Animals need help from humans. After all, using the words of the ASPCA, “We are their voice.” Only humans can speak for the animals that deserve homes and shelter non-permanently until they are able to find an adoring and devoted family that the animals deserve. The PSPCA helps with animals from Pennsylvania.

There are three types of shelters for animals: Municipal animal control agencies, which are run by more local sources. Private non-profit, which have a board of directors and do not keep any of the profit. Private non-profit agencies, which have a permit from the government to supply animal control services. Through the help and association from these three types, animals can at least get a temporary home to shield them from the cold and provide them with food and water.

For a copy of my bibliography, please click here.

I learned that the internet is permanent, and anything you post will remain there forever, even though you delete it. I also learned how the local area network functions and what the ISP stands for (Internet Service Provider.) It was very interesting to understand how the network works, and learn about how everything is connected.

For people that need to know something about having an ISP/home network, I would tell them that they need to be careful about what they put online. That being said, I could say that they should definitely read a lot about it and ask a lot of people for advice if they need help because it's a lot of information to absorb the first time you read about it. I think they should definitely be educated in it before they get an ISP or home network.