My Sophomore Year :)

     This school year has gone by so fast. I can not believe that the year is already over. I can still remember my first day of sophomore year, and I feel like I have gone a long way. I have meet so many new and exciting people, and I have learned so much from each and every one of them. I have also learned so many new things from my teachers this year. Each and every one of my teachers have their own special way of teaching, and they are all so insightful. I'm going to miss all the great times that I have shared with my friends, and teachers.

     I have learned so much, from all of my amazing teachers. My french teacher Mrs. Degani, has taught me, many new french meanings, and has taught me good strategies to learning a new language. I will defiantly miss all her crazy ways of teaching us, and all her little dance moves. Another great teacher is Mrs. Hoose, she has taught us many things by just telling us her stories. My honors English teacher, Mr. Leh is the most insightful teacher that I have. He has so many ways of teaching us, if you only stop and listen to what he is saying. I'm going to miss all of my teachers, and all their insightful words, of advice. 

     Even though this school year has gone by so fast, I feel that I have grown up, and come a long way from where I was a year earlier. There has been many things that I have learned academically, but there has also been many things that I have learned socially. I have made new friends, during these past months of school. I have all of my friends that I have known for awhile, and we're all pretty much comfortable in our own little circle, but I know that we need to come out and meet new people. Becoming apart of Student Council, has helped me meet new people, and come out of my shell a little more, and also know my school, and the kids that come here better. I am a very shy person, but now that I have made new friends with people who aren't like that, they have helped me come out and meet new people. I believe that high school are the years that you need to take advantage, and meet and become friends with as many people as possible. I am so grateful  to have all the friends that I do have because they mean a lot to me and they  know that I will do just about anything for them, and I know they would do the same. If there are people who decide that they don't like you and you don't get along with them, then those are the people who you shouldn't be wasting your time on, because there are so many other people, who love me just the way I am. I have learned the hard way that you can't trust anyone. During my time in high school, I have had friends come and go. I have made mistakes with the people that I have befriended, and as I make those mistakes I learn from them, every time. Every passing day, take in all the words of advice, and when you make a mistake don't get embarrassed, take it has a challenge. 

     I have learned a lot about growing up, and the responsibilities that come along with it. Taking on new challenges of growing up, and taking on those responsibilities are hard at first, because there is still a lot that I have to learn about. I have begun driving, and that was a big challenge for me, because when I get into the car and start driving I get nervous and scared of the other drivers. There is still a lot that I have to over come when driving, but that's all what growing up is about. Also, this summer I am planning on getting a summer job. This is a big step, to growing up, and soon learning about the responsibilities of financing and learning how to manage my money.   

     There are some new things that I have started to figure out, but still am figuring it out. Who I am as a person, and my place in life. I try and think about this as much as I can because I don't want to live my life, without knowing my place in life, and who I am fully. As time goes by, I learn each day, know that I am changing, and I figure it's for the best. I believe that we all change our self image, and who we think we are, as time goes by and as we grow up, but I don't want to go through life not knowing for myself. I haven't really understood, nor figured out my purpose in life, but I hope that I find it soon. This school year, has gone by very quickly, and I look forward to the bigger and better things that I know I am going to encounter in the near future. 

My Dream Vacations :) (Anything Essay)

     Throughout my life I want have the chance to travel to the places I have wanted to go to. The first place that I would want to travel to is New York. I would like to go to New York City. I have never been there, but I have heard so many good things about that place. I would like to go to college out there, but I don't think that is going to happen. Some reasons why I want to go there is because I want to see the Statue of Liberty, in person. Someday I would like to move there. I think that one of the main reasons why I want to go to college, and someday move there, is because I want to get away from the desert life, and experiment with a new life style. Another reason why I want to move there is because I am the kind of person, who always wants to be on the go, and always doing something. Also because I am the kind of person who likes the city life, and I like to be around people.

     Some where else I would like to go is the tiny island of Bermuda. Ever since I can remember I have wanted to go to the Bermuda Triangle. I'm not really sure why I want to go to Bermuda and the Bermuda Triangle, but it is some where I would like to go. I have always thought that the mysteries, and the stories about the triangle is very interesting, and now I want to got there.

     The other place that I want to travel to is Fiji. I would like the chance to go there because the islands of Fiji look so beautiful from pictures and I want to see them in person. I don't really want to go see places like Jamaica, because that is a common vacation spot, for many people. I would like to go there some day but, I would rather go to Bermuda or Fiji, as a island vacation.

     There are many other places that I would love to to travel to, but the main places that I want to go to is New York, Bermuda, and Fiji. I want to go see the small, islands, and countries, first. I don't want to go see the most common, places. I would like to wait, and see those places some other time.

My Own Wisdom Quote :)

"Learning something new is a challenge, but when you overcome a task, you get the greatest reward of all: Knowledge (Leyba, Cassandra)!"

     If today was my last day of my short life, I believe that this quote would be able to sum up pretty much everything that I have learned. Learning something new really is a new challenge because when you are being taught something that you have no idea how it works you, usually don't understand it, at that moment. If you are willing to live your life the way that you want to live it, then you have to be able to take on the new challenges that come along with it. In my life, I have learned that learning something new, has it's advantages and it's disadvantages, but when you overcome a task then you really do get the best award of all: Knowledge. When you have a task that you want to accomplish, because in your life you will have many goals that you want to accomplish, and when you do accomplish them then you get the knowledge of actually accomplishing it. 

     I think that this quote can apply to a lot of people because it applied to me through my years of school. When I first came into high school, my freshmen year was easy enough for me to get straight A's and pass that year. When I got to my sophomore year I struggled a lot to keep my grades up. The class that I struggled a lot in was geometry. Through the first semester I passed with a C. Learning something new, was a new challenge for me, and I think that I was making it harder then it was. Then when I started to stand up and ask my teacher for help, I then had a new task. The new semester was going much better for me, since we start back at a A, I had my chance to keep it that way. Now it's almost the end of the year and I have managed to keep my grade up to a B. Once I overcame my task, I got the knowledge of overcoming that task, and now I know the math. 

     In life you are going to go through many different obstacles, and you are going to go through many new challenges. Some might be harder then others, and at times you might want to give up, but when you have that courage and strength to overcome that new challenge, you will have the knowledge that comes along with the challenge. Through my life I have faced many different obstacles, and I do admit that I have given up on some of them, but I do regret not facing that challenge. There has been obstacles that I have had faced that I have stood up to and faced them. No one says that life is going to be easy but you just have to stand up, be yourself, and take those challenges as a step forward in life.

 

Music Poem: Auther Unknown

You can view the video of me reciting this poem at : youtube.com


Music is what makes you move
Music is what makes you groove
Music can be good or bad depending on how its used
Music can make you choose different clothes to wear
Music can make you change your hair
Music can make you choose new friends
Music can make you want to dance
Music can make you fight
Music can make everything alright
Music can take care of you when your alone
Music can make everything feel like home
Music can harm and take away
Music can make you want to stay
Music is the only friend I have
Music is my mom and dad
Music is what keeps me alive
When I feel like I can't survive 

 

For A Day...

     If I could be someone else for one day, I am not sure if I would take it. I don't think that I will want to be someone else for one day because I like who I am. I wouldn't want to change for any one else. I think that people change every day, even if it is the smallest thing, and that makes then someone else. Though if it was only for one day, then I think that I would want to change just for that day, to see how it is to be someone else.

     To be someone else for one day it would be hard for me to chose. Someone who I would want to be is my mom. I would want to be her for one day because I want to see how her every day life really is. My mom to me, is the best person ever. She is the strongest woman I know and I want to know how it is to be her. Every day my mom  gets up, takes me to school, gets ready for work and goes to her job. She knows how to take care of someone else before herself. She has to be the most unselfish person that I know. To be my mother for a day, I would learn how it is to be going to work, and having to take care of responsibilities of the every day life.

     Someone else that I would want to be is a celebrity. I don't have a specific celebrity that I would want to be, but I do want to be one for a day. I would want to be a celebrity for a day because I have always wondered what it would be like to have millions of people wanting to meet you. To be a celebrity would be a hard job because you would always have to be hiding for the crowds and you wouldn't be able to just go out and have fun without people always surrounding you. To be someone who is famous for a day would be fun. To be able to experience the life that they have, and the every day life that they have to go through would be an interesting way to a look at the simple life.

     I would want to be either my mom or some celebrity for one day because, I want to see how it is to be someone else, and how their life is, and to take a look at how my life reflects on theirs. To be someone else for a day would be a good way to take a look at your life, and see how easy for difficult it really is. You really don't know your life until you have taken a look at it from another perspective. I wouldn't want to change myself, to be any other person because I like who I am. I am, who I am because of the choices that I make. You could always change yourself, but it always up to you. If you don't like who you are as a person then you could always change your look at life.

Betrayal

 "Betrayal is the only truth that sticks (Miller, Arthur)"

     A time where I was betrayed, was not too long ago. It was summer vacation of last year. I met Stacey when I was in 7th grade, and she was in 8th. The summer going into my 8th grade year was our first summer, where we really go to know each other as friends. We didn't know each other until my friend Jessica  introduced us. We were best friends for about two years, so we weren't friends for the longest time. We spent so much time together, because we were best friends, and because she basically lived down the street from me. Since it was summer, we were always sleeping over at each others houses, and hanging out all the time. It wasn't long that she started to invite me over, when her other friends or cousins were over and ignoring me. I think that it was because we were hanging out to much and needed a break. 

     The next school year started, she had started high school,and I was still in 8th grade. At the school that we were attending the high school students and the middle school students had to be separated for lunch. We got the break that we needed and started hanging out again for the summer. I was going into 9th grade and she was going into10th grade. We were not going to the same school for the following year, and I think that she got mad at me for not wanting to go to Rio Grande with her. I wanted to go to Atrisco Heritage Academy. When  I finally started my freshmen year I wasn't into any clubs yet and I was still hanging out with my same friends from the year before, so Stacey and I would hang out on the weekends. Freshmen year is the year that everything happened and where we soon stopped being friends. 

     Freshmen year I slowly stopped hanging out with my old friends and got some new ones. I still hung out with my old friends sometimes but all of us got new friends and started with new adventures in our life. About a couple months into the new year we moved into the new building, which everyone now knows as the AHA building. Soon after moving into the building is the time where I all got new friends and I started hanging out with Monique, and Stephanie. Stacey started to get mad at me because I made new friends and she wanted her to be my only friend. I told her that she wasn't going to be my only friend, and she denied it. Stacey lived next door to Stephanie's boyfriends house, and would tell him things like, "Stephanie's cheating on you", but then go around and tell Stephanie and I that he was cheating on her.

     Everything basically started because Stephanie started going out with Andy, and Stacey started to get jealous. All through Freshmen year there was this tension that had been building up between my friends and Stacey. Stacey is the kind of person who wants EVERYTHING to go her way, and if it isn't her way then she's mad. Since Stacey started rumors about Stephanie, she started rumors about Monique and I. Then one night when I was spending the night at one of my other friends house, Miranda, Andy called me and texting me, that I was such a bad friend to Stephanie. He then started to threaten me that he was going to make sure that Stephanie and I weren't friends anymore. I got so mad, and decided to call Stacey to tell her all that happened. She was my best friend, so I thought. I had told her everything through a text message, and she then soon replied. She had told me that she didn't care anymore about what had happened, between my friends and Andy. Stacey told me that he had called her. saying that I had started rumors about Stacey. I felt so betrayed because she was supposed to be my best friend ,but she had believed some guy that we weren't even friends with anymore. After that had happened I got mad at Stephanie and told her that I didn't want to be friends with her anymore, only because I didn't want to deal with her boyfriend anymore. I had lost a best friend because of a guy that didn't like me. I had also lost a good friend because she didn't know who to believe, so she had to betray a "best friend", to find out the truth. Ever since that had happened, and Stacey and I had stopped being friends, Stephanie and I started talking again. Stacey had said sorry to be after everything she did, but I didn't want to forgive her. only because she made me almost lose my true best friends.

     I think that ending Stacey and my friendship was for the best because, I don't have as much drama in my life, and Monique, Stephanie, and I are not fighting anymore.I believe that I need to chose my friends more carefully, because after Stacey, there was another person who had betrayed me, and who still is. I have had some other experiences with betrayal. When my sophomore year started here at Atrisco, I made a new friend, and then soon was their "best friend", but now I know that you can NOT trust everyone because that person is most likely to be the one talking behind your back, when you less expect it.. Having that betrayed feeling, is the worst feeling that there is. When I was betrayed be someone who was close to me was a horrible feeling. I never thought that a friend would do that to me, especially one of my best friends. Sometimes I wish that I would have never became friends with her because she took away from my other friends. She would make me feel bad that I would "ditch" her to hang out with my other friends. I never thought that she would do that to me, but now I know that you can not always trust that person closest to you. Chose your friends carefully, and don't always trust the person, who you THINK is truthful!

Not Normal Remake

     If I was hired to come up with an alternative episode of the Spongebob Squarpants series, I would make an alternative of the episode "Not Normal". If you have never seen the original episode, the main idea of it was that Squidward told Spongebob that he wasn't normal, and Spongebob got sad so then he wanted to become normal. He then changed his house and his whole personality. At the end, Patrick convinces Spongebob that he must go back to the way he was. Patrick helps him by doing the weirdest things that he can think of, and Spongebob eventually goes back to his "normal" self. In my alternative episode everything changes.

     One sunny morning Spongebob wakes up to his very loud alarm clock. It's so loud that it wakes up Squidward. Everyone knows that Squidward can not stand Spongebob, so with all his anger he stumbles out of bed and goes to Spongebob's house. Spongebob is just having a normal morning, getting ready to go to work at the Krusty Krab. Squidward comes storming through the door, still in his pajamas. Do to Spongebob having such a great morning, like always, he is happy to see Squidward, even in a surprise visit. Squidward starts yelling at Spongebob, but he doesn't know what he is saying because Squidward is putting all his words together. The only thing that Spongebob hears at the end of Squidward's yelling was that he wasn't normal. Spongebob gets so sad that he starts to cry and Squidward gets even more angry , so he just walks away to go home. 

     Spongebob is so unset that he goes crying to Patrick, his best friend. Spongebob says "Patrick am I really the weirdest person EVER?!?!". Patrick replies "Yes Spongebob, you are the weirdest person ever", and starts crying. "Why are you crying Patrick?" Spongebob asks Patrick. Patrick, still crying says "Well Spongebob, I don't know why I'm crying. Why are you crying?". Spongebob knows that Patrick doesn't always understand what he tells him so he explains to Patrick again, what happened. Patrick told Spongebob "That yes, he is the weirdest person that he has ever met, but that's why he is his best friend, and Squidward needs some time to relax". Spongebob decides to take Patrick's advice and not bother Squidward all day, even at work. 

     All day at work Spongebob stayed in the kitchen, and made Krabby Patties. Squidward became curious to why Spongebob was quiet the whole day. When he asked him, Spongebob replied with "Well you told me that I was the weirdest person that you have ever met, so I decided to be quiet all day and be as normal as I could". Squidward was satisfied with himself, and continued on with his day. The next day he, walked outside and saw Spongebob walking to work. Squidward caught up with Spongebob to see if he was going to be his normal self today. When he looked at him, Spongebob wasn't square, he was round! He also didn't have craters on his body, and he wore jeans, with a collar shirt. Squidward stared at him with a shocked look in his face. Spongebob replied with "Hello Squidward, wonderful morning we're having". Squidward couldn't believe his eyes. Spongebob just continued on walking and as he walked off said "Well see you at work Squidward". 

     Spongebob stayed in the kitchen, like the day before and made Krabby Patties in peace. Mr. Krabs came into the kitchen to see Spongebob about some shipping that had came in, but stopped in the middle of his sentence to see the "new" Spongebob. Spongebob told Mr.Krabs "Hello Sir, what we're you saying about the new shipment that had came in?". Mr.Krabs just looked at him and continued with what he was telling him. 

     Squidward liked Spongebob being normal, but kind of missed the old, weird Spongebob. The next day Squidward went to work and saw that Spongebob was already there and now he was making all the customers be "normal". Spongebob was telling all the customers, what they needed to change, or they could never come back again. The customers would leave and come back different, and "normal". Squidward screamed and went to the kitchen, to get away from it all. He felt like he was in a bad dream, where everyone was bad dressed.  The end of the show would be Squidward telling Spongebob that he was sorry for calling him a weird person and telling him that he wasn't "normal". Spongebob tells Squidward that he was also sorry for bugging him and the last scene is the two of them hugging! 

Moment of Bravery

"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow (Radmacher, Mary Anne)."

     When I think back, when I had a moment of bravery, I can honestly say that I am not the bravest person, and I don't think that I have had my moment of bravery yet. I know that there were many times that came my way, for me to be brave, but I am not the kind of person to just speak my mind. I like to think about what I want to say before it's said, and think about the consequences before hand. I am not the kind of person to be in the middle of major problems, and the center of attention. I would rather stand back and let other people take the spot light. I'm the shy girl that likes to keep my thoughts to myself.

     I really like the quote the I chose for my bravery quote because I think that it explains my courage very well. The quote that I chose, to me means, that not everyone has to be brave, every single day, but they still have another day to bring that bravery out. This quote describes me because I am one of those people who has the little voice that keeps waiting for tomorrow for her bravery to take a stand.

      Bravery to me, is something that everyone does have within them, but sometimes it doesn't always come out. Everyone can be brave in their own way. It can be the smallest things, like standing up to someone when your being pushed around, to the biggest things like standing up to an adult, when you don't like how your being treated. then I am being brave I don't have the best bravery, and I think that the biggest bravery situation that I have been through is telling a friend that I don't like the way that she was treating me.

"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen (Churchill, Winston)."

     I found another quote that I think is a really good quote about bravery, because it is so true. Having bravery doesn't always mean that you need to stand up, and speak whenever you don't like how something is going. To have courage and bravery you have to understand that you can't speak your mind at any time that you would like to, you have understand that there is a time and a place for everything. At times you can speak your mind whenever you want, but to be the brave person that you are you have to have the courage to sit down and listen to what others have to say.

    

The Time Machine

     If I were to build a time machine, I don't think that I would go back in time. I would want to go to the future. I don't want to go back in time because to me the past was just the past. What happened during the past, happened already I wouldn't want to change anything. I believe that everything happens for a reason, so I wouldn't want to change the past. I would want to go to the future because the future seems for interesting then the past.

     If I were to go to the future I would want to travel multiple times, so that I could see things that happen throughout my life. I want to go to the future to see how the world has changed, for the good or the bad. Right now in the year that we're living in I think that the future is going to be full of technology. I think of solar powered cars, and everyone having the ability to travel through time. I want to and believe that the world is going to be a better place for everything, in the future. When I think of the future I don't think of the problems that everyone is facing now, I think of everything changing and the world being a much better place. There wouldn't be anymore pollution, and the Earth would be pure and clean. 

     When I would travel to the future, I would first want to go about 15 years later. I would want to to go that many years later because I want to see if I have the dream job and I want and to see if I am where I want to be in life. I were to be able to see that I am doing my dream job then, I think that if I were able to see my accomplishments then it would give me more courage to start now. To me being able to see the future, you can be ready to expect the unexpected. When I think about having the ability to travel through time and be able to see what is going to happen next, then I don't think that I would want to travel. To have the choice to see what is going to happen next, doesn't give life anymore meaning. If I were to know what happens to me in the next few years then there isn't any excitement or ambition  for what's going to happen next.

     To me I would rather keep my life a mystery and keep myself guessing. I don't want to know my life before it happens. To  know what is going to happen next and to know your life. If I didn't like something that was going to happen next I still wouldn't be able to change it because it would happen anyway and I still would be disappointed. My decisions would keep my life exciting, it would always be changing and I could look forward to something instead of knowing what's going to happen. I want to keep my life a mystery and let things fall where they may. I don't want to go to the past because the past happened already and I don't want to re-live it, if I wanted the result to change I should have done it then, and I don't want to go to the future because the future is a mystery and I want to keep it that way. 

Ancestor Story

      My name is Cassandra Marie Leyba. My parents are Beniva Abeyta, maiden name Salazar, and Dwayne Leyba. My grandparents on my mom's side are Jesse, and Benny Salazar. My grandma Jesse's maiden name is Baker. My grandparents on my dad's side are Rose and Valentino Leyba. I have two uncles and one aunt form my dad's side of the family. My two uncles names are Michael and Valentino Jr, Leyba. My aunts name is Carla Chavez. On my mom's side I  also have two uncles and one aunt. My two uncles names are Scott and Rick Salazar and my aunts name is Tina Driggers.

      My grandma Jesse is 70 years-old and was born in Pennsylvania, I don't know what city she was born in but she did live there. She now lives in Chama, New Mexico, alone. My grandpa Benny was 65, going on 66 when he passed away. He is of Hispanic descent, and had lived in New Mexico all his life. I don't really remember him because by the time I was old enough to have some memory of him, before he passed away, he was already getting sick. Which enabled him to speak much, but I do have some memory of him and I'm glad that their all good memories, I sometimes see my grandma Jesse, but mainly on holidays and occasional visits. I talk to her hardly ever. All that I know, and what I have learned from my mom was that she was born in Pennsylvania and she is of German descent.

      My grandma Rose is Choctaw Indian and my grandpa Val is from San Felipe Pueblo. My grandpa Val is 75 years-old, has lived here his whole life, and even went to the University of New Mexico (UNM). My grandma Rose is 74 years-old, going on 75. They are the healthiest people that I know. They are the closest people that I have to family, besides my parents. Ever since I was little, I have never spent time, or even saw my family much. The only people that I really have contact with are my parents, my grandpa Val and my grandma Rose. My family that are on my mom's side of the family mostly live in Pennsylvania, and my uncle Scott lives in Ohio with his family. My dad's side of the family mostly everyone lives here but I still don't have much contact with them. The closest cousin that I have, is my cousin Melissa and she lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

     I sometimes wish that I was much closer with my family because then I would know and understand where my ancestors really came from. I would know about their times and what kind of problems or achievements were happening during their time. I would really like to come closer to my family, from both sides, because I have cousins that I never see and I believe that if I don't start learning about my own heritage and where my families came from, I won't be able to tell other people and maybe I won't even be able to tell my future kids or grandchildren. I want to be able to talk to my whole family about their past and what they know.     

     My family and I don't really have a tradition that I know of, because like I said before I don't spend much time with them. The only thing that I think of that my and I do, are for Thanksgiving and Christmas we always go to my Aunt Tina's house. For years now, we have been going there for Thanksgiving and Christmas because there my grandma Jesse and we can meet there for that night. Other then that I can't think of anything else that could be considered as a tradition. 

     My grandma Rose and grandpa Val are the only people that I can rely on. I see them a lot and I am so thankful for them. I, Cassandra, am German, Choctaw Indian, San Felipe Pueblo Indian, and Hispanic all put into one. The End!

The Starfish Story!

     This story to me, met that it doesn't matter how small of a change that you do, it still makes a big difference to someone, or something. Not everyone can make a huge difference by themselves, they always need other people to help them, but when you do something small and simple you can do it all by yourself. I really enjoyed reading this story because it makes you start thinking about all the little things you can start doing to make a difference.

      To me, I think that the author is trying to tell people that we really can make a difference, even if we don't really make a big difference our self. You do not have to do something big, like going to poor parts of  the world and help them there, because many people cant do that, but if you do small things , like adopting a new puppy from the shelter, it can make a big difference. Many people know that you can not make a difference in one day and do it all by yourself, but if you take one thing at a time it makes a difference to that one thing.  

      The world is a big place and I believe that if you really do take one step at a time and not over pressure yourself you can get more things done, and make the difference that you want to make. The tiniest bit of good can make a big difference to everyone around. 

Stop the Abuse!!

     Animal Abuse stood out the most to me because their are a lot of animal abuse going on all over the world and we really do need to stand up for those animals in need of help. There are so many animals that need to be rescued from abusive homes, but aren't being recognized. There are also homeless animals that are in the need of help. There are so many ways to help abused animals. You can take the action of actually helping those animals, or you can "secretly" help those animals by using the great usage of technology. For example, I read a story that in the new Tim Burton movie "Alice in Wonderland", animals take a huge part throughout the whole movie and some of the characters mention that they will not harm any living thing. There are other ways that you could be abusing your animal. Most people think that neglecting, and physically abusing an animal are the only ways of abusing. That's a lie. Other ways of abusing an animal is not giving it enough attention, and not properly grooming the animal if they need it. Your animal could have fleas, or some other kind of illness and you wouldn't know because you don't give them enough attention. Animals could be suffering severely, but no one would know because they can't talk and take care of themselves. We need to be the voice for the abused animals out there, but are you willing to stand up for them? I am.  

The Great Debaters

     "The Great Debaters" was a good and inspirational movie. The movie took place in the time of the 1930s also known as "The Great Depression" time. During this time blacks did not have the same education and rights as the whites did. After watching this movie I became inspired because it showed me what dedication and hard work can do. Even though they were going through a hard time and many people thought they weren't able to accomplish their debates because they were African American's going against whites, but they did and did much better for themselves after that. A quote that I remember the most from the whole movie, was what James Farmer Jr, said for his last debate against Harvard University. The quote says, "In Texas they lynch Negroes. My teammates and I saw a man strung up by his neck and set on fire. We drove through a lynch mob, pressed our faces against the floorboard. I looked at my teammates. I saw the fear in their eyes and, worse, the shame. What was this Negro's crime that he should be hung without trial in a dark forest filled with fog. Was he a thief? Was he a killer? Or just a Negro? Was he a sharecropper? A preacher? Were his children waiting up for him? And who are we to just lie there and do nothing. No matter what he did, the mob was the criminal. But the law did nothing. Just left us wondering, "Why?" My opponent says nothing that erodes the rule of law can be moral. But there is no rule of law in the Jim Crow south. Not when Negroes are denied housing. Turned away from schools, hospitals. And not when we are lynched. St Augustine said, "An unjust law in no law at all.' Which means I have a right, even a duty to resist. With violence or civil disobedience. You should pray I choose the latter.'' This quote stood out the most to me because I thought that it was the most important one throughout the whole movie, and to me it also put the main idea of the movie into one powerful quote. During this time blacks were killed for no reason, their family and friends had to stand back and watch because they couldn't do anything about it. Blacks didn't have the power like whites did, and they didn't deserve the treatment they got. This quote is telling everyone how bad blacks had it, but they weren't able to do anything about it. The law didn't do anything to help those people that were in need of it, and I think that if they are going to work for the government then they have to stand up for everyone, not just the whites. I am so thankful for the change that we now have for blacks and every other race there is, but their is still racism all over the world and we need to end it now. 

Diego Rivera

This painting was painted my the famous painter Diego Rivera. When I first saw this painting the things that were going through my mind was the hard work and effort that women had to put into their days so that their family could survive. When I look at the painting and see the effort and hard work that women and children did for themselves and their family, I know that the times that we're living in now are much better and relaxed then the times where EVERYONE had to work and didn't care much for their education. During that time, everyone had to work to help their families, even little children. There are still places where everyone works, and they don't care for their education. I think for the children they should have to go to school because their education is important too. This picture tells a story. A story of a hardworking mother and her children.  

The Statue Of Liberty

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

(Lazarus, Emma)

To me this poem can be inspirational because when I read it I can get an idea of the real history behind the Statue Of Liberty. While reading this poem there was the power that lies behind the true story of the Statue Of Liberty. Not very many people know or notice that there is a powerful statement that goes along with the statue and if you really think about the meaning of the poem you can understand the word "Liberty".

My Favorite Quotes!

1. "A painter paints pictures on canvas. But musicians paint their pictures on silence (Stokowski, Leopold). " 
2. "Music is the strongest form of magic (Manson, Marilyn)."
3. "Life is what happens to you,while you're busy making other plans (Lennon, John)."
4. "I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination (Einstein, Albert)."
5. "Friendship isn't a big thing - it's a million little things (Unknown)"
6. "What is a friend? I will tell you...it is someone with whom you dare to be yourself (Crane, Frank)."
7. "You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you (Carnegie, Dale)."
8. "Find out what's really out there. I never said to be like me, I say be like you and make a difference (Manson, Marilyn)." 
9.  "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind (Dr. Seuss)"
10. "When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us (Keller,Helen)"

Valentine's Day

February 14 is the day of Valentine's Day. On this day everyone likes to celebrate it as a gift giving holiday and its the day full of love. The most common gift that people give each other are roses and chocolate, but I don't really think that people know the real reason why we have a Valentine's Day and the real meaning behind it. The name "Valentine" came from a Christian martyrs and was established by Pope Gelasius. This holiday was meant for showing affection to your loved ones and significant other. 

Stars

High up in the sky there are stars that shine with the brightness of your eye.

Animal Rescue

     Abusing and neglecting an animal is by far the worst thing you can do to an animal. Everyone has a voice and it's your choice to let it be heard or to continue to stand back and watch this negative things happen to a poor innocent animal. I don't understand way anybody would want to hurt and abuse an innocent animal! The abusers think that it's just an animal and that they don't have any feelings, but they're wrong.Every animal wants to feel loved and accepted, but when owners abuse them and use them it makes the animal afraid and lonely. For example, when people breed dogs, Pit Bulls to be specific, they train them to be fighting dogs and when dogs are brought up around that kind of environment that is all they know. When dogs are bred to fight and they end up getting rescued, they are less likely to be adopted and they end up having to be put to sleep, so when these dogs have to be put to sleep they don't have any chance to have the love that a lot of dogs have.

Paint the Sky by Tara Anderson

Waking up to the glorious multi-colors in the dark gray sky.
Looking far and beyond from what you can see outside your wide window.
The big clouds soak in the sun's heat while the rest of life stands back to watch.

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

A ladder could be just a ladder. When you think of a ladder, would you think of build or construct? To someone else a ladder could lead you to a whole other world. To a small child the ladder is leading them into that HUGE, tall adobe building they have been longing to see, what's inside. Finally taking those first steps down into the unknown. Then stepping onto the warm dirt with their bare feet. Waiting so patiently for something exciting to happen. For someone who is older the ladder is leading them into the unknown descents of their people. Knowing everyday is a day to learn.