CT Mayhem `07 - `08

Values

What is the most precious item in your life?  The one thing that you cannot do without. The thing in life you value the most.
The most precious item in my life isn’t an item.  It’s a person.  My sister is the person who helps me through everything and will always have my back.  She’s my best friend, and I have no idea where I would be without her.  I think I value her life more than my own.  I love her, we do everything together from watching out favorite TV shows to getting ready for concerts.

Hawkesdale College Questions

1. What is the best thing about living where you do?

The best thing about living where we do is I like having four seasons.  Not all places experience winter or summer or even fall and spring.  The weather varies so well that sometimes you never even know what the next day will be like.  After a few months the weather becomes completely different.  It makes sports seasons clearer and more designated.  Sports are a huge part of my life so it benefits me well.

2. Tell us why your school is unique?

Our school is unique because we are very technology-oriented.  As sixthe graders we take a computer class and as you experience new teachers you experience new projects.  In some classes we make videos and in Social Studies we have basically everything on computers.  We are learning the Classroom 2.0 tools and different ways of communication.  I like being able to talk to people from other states and countries.  It makes learning interesting and fun.

Three Words of Advice

What three words of advice would you would give one of the Presidental Candidates?

End the war.

The people of America want change.  We don’t want another George W. Bush.  We want some difference, so variety, someone who will ask themselves “What’s the best thing for America as a whole?” everytime they need to make a decision.  Personally, I am so sick of listening to my parents and relative whine and complain about the President’s bad choices.  I’m too young to have an actualy say in the polls, but I know enough to understand what’s going on.  It seems like everyone is focusing on the war these days.  It’s definitely one of the major issues today.

Growing Up; Technology Style

I believe that we use technology in our classrooms to define one purpose; the future.  We all know that the future is coming quickly.  Technology is rapidly advancing everyday and new things are created constantly, whether it is for recreational purposes or for the future in scientific advancements.  All that we know is that the future is coming and there is most definitely no stopping it.  The future is so important because it’s where our fate lies.  It’s where we’re headed no matter what.  If we want to go to the past, our first destination is the future.

So why is the future of technology being taught in modern day schools through modern day products?  Well, because that’s where it starts.  You have to start somewhere before getting on that rocket ship and flying to the moon.  Communication is the key.  Most future predictions are based around computers.  That’s how we’ll learn, go to school, and communicate with the rest of the world.  Students need to learn how to use computers and become familiar and comfortable with them; using them; and communicating with them.  Our generation is the generation.  We are the ones who will be most knowledgeable of technology.  We were born along with it.  The scientists and technical educators who are teaching us have only just learned.  Technology hasn’t been around that long.  We’ll be so advanced in the future, because our generation grew up with technology.

We learned how to play computer games at such an early age, we learned how to type in elementary school, and we were even given specific computer education classes before we made it to middle school.  And in middle school, we have Tech Ed classes.  We’re being taught how to build and program simple robots.  In high school you can sign up for advanced Tech Ed classes to learn exactly what they’re preparing us for.

Everyone is listening.  Everyone is watching.  Everyone is waiting to see our mistakes and ways to solve them.  We are the guinea pig generation.  The next generation will run smooth and flawlessly because we were the ones to test drive the road to the future.  People all around the world are excited, possibly jumping out of their desk chairs to see what will happen.  The people who have given us the leg-up, the boost, the head start are the ones watching.  They are the ones most excited to see where their creations will go.  They want to see how we react with their creations and how our reactions will create a better, more advanced future.

There’s no stopping it.  It’s coming no matter what.  It can either be good or bad.  It can be the catalyst for our success or the Doomsday we hear so much about.  It’s called the Future.  It’s being taught around the world whether you recognize it or not.  It becomes the past with every passing second but we’re all eagerly awaiting the next moment in time.  People are waiting, people are watching and people are judging.

Blogging Buddies - “United States”

Hi, I’m —. I’m from Connecticut in the US. I was just wondering what you think when you hear someone say something about the United States.

Comment your answer on my blog. (”

That was what I put on Peter’s blog, from Canada. Click here to view his blog.

 I have yet to receive a response. But when I do, it will most definitely be up here.

 What do you think of when you here the United States mentioned in conversations?

Six Months and Counting

This fall me and 300 other students will be attending high school.  We’ll be the new kids on campus, the freshmen, the fresh meat.  I’m not too worried about it because I have an older sister that will be a senior.  She’ll be able to help me out until I get a good grasp on things.  I think I’ll be able to handle the work loads and keep my grades up.  I hope that when I get up there, I’ll meet new people and learn new things.  Although I don’t think there will be tons of new students because most of us went through middle school together and already know each other pretty well.

I want to make sure I keep my grades up, so I know I will be working a lot harder and testing my limits.  I’m taking all honors classes except for Geometry, which is Academic for me.  I have 7.5 credits on my course selection sheet, and that’s 1 credit over the recommended amount.  I guess I’ve always been a little bit of an over achiever, but I have good time-management skills.

 The thought of high school doesn’t scare me.  I’ve been through things with my sister that some students haven’t, so I’m comfortable with the thought.  I’ll be going to school with people four years older than me, but I know a lot of them through my sister.  I know there will be the not-so-great-to-hang-out-with kids, but I wouldn’t interact with them.  I wouldn’t get involved with people I shouldn’t.

 The thought of high school actually excites me a little.  I know it’s only February, and I’ve got at least six months before I even start school.  Then again, there are more classes, block scheduling, new teachers, and more classrooms.  You won’t be limited to just one team, or a certain group.  Each class has different people that you are unfamiliar with.  The only thing I’m afriad of is not being with people I know.  But I don’t have the biggest concern for that.

“I Have A Dream.”

We have no school on this upcoming Monday to honor Martin Luther King Jr.  He was thirty five years old when was the youngest man to receive the Noble Peace Prize.  School’s all across American are being taught about this man and all of the good that he has done.  We first learn about this man when we are still in single digit ages.  He wanted all people to be treated equally.  We know what he did and how he has affected all of our lives.

 When we don’t have school, we figure there is a reason.  We don’t just get school of for random reasons, we have holidays to honor people and certain moments in history.  We get Christmas break to celebrate the birth of Christ, and we get Presidents’ Day to honor all the great presidents in our history.  We have Veterans’ Day off to remember all the men and women that fought in wars for the country.

 I think it is good to have this day off; but not just because there is no school.  We have time to think about what happened on this day, or because of it.  We get to watch all the television specials and programs on Martin Luther King Jr.  All of the morning shows we normally miss, we get to watch and they all feature him.

 Martin Luther King Jr., was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia.  He was a religious man, and strongly believed in God and faith.  He was one to believe every man was created equal.  He was against segregation.  He knew it was wrong for African Americans to have to sit in the back of the bus because of their skin color.  He knew it wasn’t fair to the children to have uneducated teachers because they were a little bit different.  He knew they were all people, black and white, small or big, boy or girl.

 I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.”

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today.

–Martin Luther King Jr., August 28, 1963, Washington D.C.

King organized multiple rallies, protests, speeches, and marches.  He was a peaceful protester, and believed in never using violence.  Even if someone struck him, he would never fight back. 

On April 4, 1968, he was preparing to lead a protest in Memphis, Tennessee when he was assassinated. 

Presidential Election v. 2008

What is the difference between a Democrat and Republican?  When you register to vote at age eighteen, what party will you register for and why?

In my opinion, people have different views, opinions, and interpretations of what the Democrats and Republicans stand for.  The differences to me are that the Republicans tend to spend money on government issues such as the war while the Democrats spend money on the welfare and benefits of the people and economy.  Either way, both groups spend a lot of money.  To me, the Democrats give away money and the Republicans work for it.  I believe that I want to be a Republican when I am eligable to vote.  I will not let my parents, my family, or anyone else influence me.  I’ll register to be a Republican.

This is a quote I found:

Democrats are kind, benevolent people who are genuinely concerned about the welfare of ALL Americans. Republicans only think about themselves and how they can make slaves out of the people they do not like—Democrats and the poor.

I think this is a very poor outlook on politics.  I think you shouldn’t be tearing down the opposing party, but just simply stating constructive differences.  Sure, Democrats can be kind but so can Republicans.  I’m sure a few Democrats can get nasty sometimes.  Republicans do not make slaves out of people.  They do not only think about themselves.  If they did, they wouldn’t be helping out with the war and funding national safety.  They wouldn’t be working for allies in other countries.

Dare To Be Different

I think this video delivered an important messege to me.  What I got out of it was that no matter what you have to say, no matter what people think about it, you should say it because it could mean something to the world.  People shouldn’t judge ideas when they might change the world one day.  Someone had to think of the idea to put music in a hand-held device.  Someone had to think of the idea to communicate with people all over the world with a small piece of technology that can fit in your pocket.  Sure, the whole world might think of you as insane, but who cares?!  You’re creativity and imagination is going to make the world better. Dare to be different and step outside the box.  You can take yourself anywhere.  You don’t need to follow the crowd.  Change the future.

I’m So Lucky That I’ve Found You

Outside of parents, who has influenced your life more than anyone else; who had an impact on your life and what was it about that person that meant something to you?

The person that has influence my life the most is my best friend.  I think in a way, we shape each other.  Our lives reflect off each other and make us who we are.  Her attitude makes my attitude what it is, and my attitude makes her attitude what it is.  It’s confusing at first but take the time to think about it and you’ll understand.  It’s like osmosis, once you spend enough time with someone you become like them and equal each other out.  Your best friend listens to what you don’t say.  They help me through hard times and teach each other life lessons no one else can.  They don’t play by the rules and never let you down.