Quarter 2 Reflections

Quarter 2 Reflections

Quarter two has been a stalemate for me in  my ELA of my classe. And in my academic goals it has been a stalemate as well. Area’s in ELA that I believe I've done the most improvement in is grammer and investigative journalism. In ELA I’ve began to become more comfortable with my signpost  throughout the quarter. In ELA I've put more focus on the class and have began to listen more closely to the small details in wording and vocabulary choice in writing. However, I still struggle with my confidence in my sentences and end up making run on sentences.

One thing that I’ve accomplished since the new year is  making more time for myself and putting myself first at times. I’ve done good with my work, my time and choices in school. However, the most challenging thing is I had to overcome in quarter 2 is managing my time and making time for myself academically. Time always seemed to go fast for me or as if I have no time. This has constantly been a complication for me all of second quarter. I would implement to much time into one thing like studying for one thing or not enough time for another.

 I’ve had a lot of progress on this quarter. Although, I feel I still struggle with minimalizing my writing and getting to point I'm trying to get across. Quarter two has been a blast being the roller coaster that it was, and I hope quarter three can amaze me with greater things. Through my my struggles I've progressed greatly in ELA and have become way more comfortable with writing.

Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova

Summary: Awkward is graphic novel that centers around Penelope. Penelope is coming to a new school Berrybrook Middle School and she has no friends. She then ends up bumping into a boy and drops her stuff. People see Penelope getting helped up by Jaime the smart introvert. People call her and him “in love” and she storms off.This set her off to start ignoring him in order to avoid all gossip of her situation with him.

One month later, Penelope has a few friends and is in the art club. The art club is going through a crisis where they are not having importance to the school. All they want is a table at the club fair, however, the only way to get a table they have to contribute to the school. They get the idea to make a newspaper, to actual contribute to the schools news. Although, they have competition because the science club wants the last table in the club fair. The science club has always been the forever rivals to the art club. Both want to be the club that helps make the school look good in order to be the best club.

Penelope however, is going through a dip in her grades in science. The science teacher a.k.a the leader of the science club wants penelope to get tutoring from one of her best students. Penelope then finds out it is Jaime the same guy she bumped into of her first day. Jaime is in the science club and is the best member of the club. Penelope and Jamie soon the find out they have many likings to each other. Jamie like a little bit of art and Penelope like a bit of science. They begin to become friends, however, she would be betraying her club to spend time with Jamie. She’d also be breaking her friendship with Jamie in order to stay royal to her group. She fall in the middle of a crisis that defines the fate of her and her friends.

Review: Why I enjoyed in the book was the hilarity in the characters and the art within the book. Because the book truly did relate to me somewhat did make me like it more.What I remember the most from the book is when we get introduced to the art club and its rivalry to the science club. I thought it was silly but fun, and it made story more interesting to me. I do recommend this book. I recommend it  because if you're an artist or you're really nervous and quite a lot. Then you will like this, the characters all relate to the attributes of a actual teenager in highschool. And it's just a fun book to read and enjoy. I think this book is a must get, if you really enjoy fun and relatable books then this is a must get.

“Police Brutality is brutality to us all…”

Do you have dangerous or violent officers your neighborhood? Did you become a victim to the act? Have you lost something important to you because this? These are all questions that are asked when someone has been a witness to a officer abusing his power and his job.This is called police brutality, when a officer inflicts violence or crude behavior onto a bystander. Police brutality is a serious topic that has become a country wide phenomenon. Over the past few decades people who are of the African American community or are of any other diverse race, have been a main target. A retired officer in Chicago would say officers “ arrest people and abuse them constantly...they would also come into their homes without their consent.” However, the person or cop who has done this isn't given a consequence. They would lie in order to have the victim face a punishment. Although, Barack Obama says, “ This problem was already solved and officers do have their condolences.” However, a family in St. Louis Missouri didn’t get their condolences.

For example, at a Walmart in St. Louis, Missouri a “race neutral city” said by St.Louis citizens. Many African Americans would come into the Walmart almost frequently to buy things. However, a white officer who saw a African American family of four stopped them. The officer wanted to see if they stole anything or were planning to. The officer then patted the wife down and without her consent and then arrested the husband beating him down to the ground. The officer got no consequence for this, however, the husband did. The husband spent 2 years in prison for assaulting an officer.The father of that family of four did get out and we're free from his imprisonment. That officer then did pay his time in prison when he were found again harassing a African American couple in St. Louis Missouri.

Another example of police brutality is with the very well known cases that has remained to be a open case, Laquan Mcdonald. Laquan Mcdonald were only 17 years old in 2014 and lived in Chicago. He was preparing to graduate high school and soon go to college. However, on October 20, Laquan Mcdonald was walking across the street where cops were stationary. The cops thought he had a knife in his hand and shot him repeatedly 16 times. Laquan was left unresponsive and were announced dead. The officer responsible for Laquan’s death is Jason Van Dyke. He were charged with 1st degree murder, and were sent to prison.This is an act of police brutality, Laquan didn't hold a weapon. However was identified as a threat and were killed.

 Although most policemen are put into the category of “ bad, sinister, barbaric, and abusive of their power”. However, some cops are aware of the problem at hand and try to resist this kind of conflict. Policemen become as much of a victim to police brutality as citizens are. Barack Obama comments on this at a Conference saying, “If
communities are mistrustful of the police, that makes those law enforcement officers who are doing a great job, who are doing the right thing, that makes their lives harder,”. Cops are also seen as racist and direct most of their brute force onto African American citizens. Or the African American race is the victim to police brutality. However, that isn't the case, Barack Obama comments and says “This isn't just a black issue. ” All races come into this problem, Latino, white, Syrian, and black get killed and abused by cops. Officers do get what they put out to people. They do get killed and abused due to this dilemma. Officers and Citizens constitute their own problems in this situation. A 34 year old african american mother says, “If we're fueling the cycle that is police brutality, then what should we do?”

In order to cease all brutality from the law enforcement and cease all conflict from citizens against the brutal and violent cops we must confront the cause. The cause of this is the law enforcement being inexperienced or immature with their power. Some officers inflict brute force and their frustration on criminals or innocent people. If people can identify those cops who do these things, that can make the example toward other cops. Showing the consequences to being brutal to people can correct cops and prevent the to going down a road of crime.

December 7th, 2016

First Draft

Police Brutality

Police brutality is a serious topic that has become a country wide phenomenon. Over the past few years people who are of the African American community have been the main target. Policemen and women have been abusing there power for the past decades. Policemen would arrest people and abuse them constantly. They would also come into their homes without their consent. In the perspective of the law this is seen as a minor set back and isn't a big problem. Although, the African American community and other races do not see the same.

For example, at a Walmart in St. Louis Missouri a race neutral city. Many African Americans would come into the Walmart almost frequently to buy things. However, a white officer who saw a African American family of four stopped them. The officer wanted to see if they stole anything or were planning to. The officer then patted the wife down and without her consent and then arrested the husband beating him down to the ground. The officer got no consequence for this, however, the husband did. The husband spent 2 years in prison for assaulting an officer. There are many other cases on this topic that are more well known. For example, Labuan McDonald a Adrian American teenager who was shot 16 times by white officers. As of today that case is remaining to be controversial.

The father of that family of four did get out and we're free from his imprisonment. That officer then did pay his time in prison when he were found again harassing a African American couple in St. Louis Missouri.

Nofiction Reading Blog


November 30, 2016

What I’ve read in my book “Witness to War” is introducing the conflict for people in the mid 1900’s. The book is giving a timeline to all the horrible events that take place. Nazi soldiers began to breed people in order to have system made give them stronger soldiers. They would brain wash the breaded children to be raised as men ready for war. The Nazi’s not only created a breeding system, but they took over the Jewish race. In the book the Jewish are the primary victims, they are punished because of their race and religion. The Nazi’s planned to take over Germany and then Europe. They would also take over the Jewish race in the process. Jewish people were either set to camps to be tortured and beaten, made a Nazi soldier, or get killed on the spot due to ignorance of Nazi soldiers. However, children were individually sent to camps. They were told not to speak of their kind at all, if so they were punished. When the war ended children were still out there alone. Some were sent into Europe or The United States and never saw their families again. The War ruined these children's lives, and the ones who manage to recover were known as survivors to war.

One thing that caught my attention in the book “Witnesses to War” by Michael Leapman was “ needed to breed prolifically to keep up their number...Other took this theory further and suggested that you could apply it to human beings by selective breeding. I found this interesting because I didn't know that this was used as war tactic for Nazi’s. I found it to be somewhat a intriguing but an uncomfortable tactic, I believed that the Nazi's would try only physical or deadly things. However, breeding children and having them grow to becoming a Nazi soldier is brilliant for their situation. If they lost soldiers, they couldn't care because they have an endless supply of people to recruit.

What I have learned from this book is the true cruelty and evil things that the Nazi army had done. I feel like I have better understanding of things back then during the Nazi war. I believe what I will remember the most is how children were treated by the Nazi army. They were put into camps and told not to speak of their religion and language. If so they were punished with no food and no medical help. I see that as probably the most intense thing that could happen to a child.

I commented on Vannessa'sBlog , Anthony's Blog , and Denise's Blog.

This year I have changed a lot and have learned so much. So many great and new things have happened to me that I am grateful for. I've met new people and my time with people I know are becoming greater. My friend and I have a greater day with each other because we've come to a understanding of who we all are. Not only are my friendships becoming better but my art skills are as well. Ive succeeded goals I've never thought I could succeed for myself throughout this entire year. These are some things that I've always been grateful, and I have always been the one to give back from all these great things. ( Which I’m also grateful for… )

One thing that I'm really grateful for this year me still having a home and my family not falling apart. In the past financial problems were a big problem as well as getting along. However, this year the script has changed, my family is happy and content. Along with that I still have a home, I am truly grateful for this because from how my family always youst to be...this was something impossible to get.

The last major thing that I’m grateful for is the people I met and been with this year. From the amazing people I've met I know that I'm not alone. I know that there are people out there who are as kind and outgoing as me. My friends push me to become a better with my art. My teacher's push me to better with all my subjects. And my family helps me continue to push forward and succeed in life. These are all of the things I’m grateful for this year and I hope for the best there's more to come.

This year I have changed a lot and have learned so much. So many great and new things have happened to me that I am grateful for. I've met new people and my time with people I know are becoming greater. My friend and I have a greater day with each other because we've come to a understanding of who we all are. Not only are my friendships becoming better but my art skills are as well. Ive succeeded goals I've never thought I could succeed for myself throughout this entire year. These are some things that I've always been grateful, and I have always been the one to give back from all these great things. ( Which I’m also grateful for… )

One thing that I'm really grateful for this year me still having a home and my family not falling apart. In the past financial problems were a big problem as well as getting along. However, this year the script has changed, my family is happy and content. Along with that I still have a home, I am truly grateful for this because from how my family always youst to be...this was something impossible to get.

The last major thing that I’m grateful for is the people I met and been with this year. From the amazing people I've met I know that I'm not alone. I know that there are people out there who are as kind and outgoing as me. My friends push me to become a better with my art. My teacher's push me to better with all my subjects. And my family helps me continue to push forward and succeed in life. These are all of the things I’m grateful for this year and I hope for the best there's more to come.