A Whirlwind Of Change To Be Made!

Chilling huh?

Are did you just surpass the video?

Go ahead. Give it a go. I bet that it will touch you on a level that you never expected.

Did you watch it yet?

Well, if you did, then I bet you are lost for words. I know I was. Those are real people reaching out in a way that many people are starting to. And the message they spread is one that all too often gets ignored.

This is a message that is near and dear to my heart. As a gay teen, I know the struggles that are faced each and every day. I live in a community that isn't very open and accepting. At least, that older generation isn't. As time goes by, more and more people either come to accept it, or let it be. There are very few people in the area that are openly rude to me now a days. I only wish that was the situation across the globe.

We hear all to often about teens committing suicide because of others being down right rude and ignorant. And that right there is the cause of it all: ignorance.

Adults teach their kids ideals that promote hate and anger. They want their kids to follow their ideals, because in turn, those were the ideals that were instilled into themselves. There aren't very many people out there that are willing to end the generational trends that they are born into. Its just easier to follow the crowd, to do what is expected. And those that turn from it? Well, they are outcast and shunned from society, treated as if they are lower individuals.

But those that dare to stand up for what is right are slowly but surely making a move forward. They are forcing change in the places where change needs to be made. These are the people that are paving the way into a new and hopefully better future where tolerance is the first value that is taught to the youth that is to be born onto this planet.

All I can say is that I can't wait to see what tomorrow has to bring. I am aware hat it might not be much prettier then what today is, but even if just one new cloud gains a gold lining, that will be more then enough to help me move forward, to help me think that this world is headed in the right direction.

I just want people to feel safe, to feel loved. I've said it before in my blogs, and I will say it once more. I may not know you, but I do love you, just like you should love everyone else in this world. And remember: If there is at least one blade of grass on your side of the fence, regardless of its color, what does it matter if it's greener and fuller on the other side?

Picking Up the Quill

Wow. I have almost forgotten the pure joy and serenity that comes from keeping a blog. Transcribing my growth over time was something that helped me to continue moving forward. I started this blog for a class that I had senior year (I have graduated this past June). At first, it was designed merely to track the progress that we were making in that class. I made it because I had to. I never once thought that I would take to it like a fish to water. I personally believe that I fell into it so easily because it wasn't like keeping a record in a way that we had to in other classes. We weren't writing about nonsense. I wasn't having to write about things that I didn't deem important to myself. We were reflecting upon the things that we were doing, reinforcing and reconstructing them in our ways, our own words.

These past few months seemed to drag by. I forgot the one thing that my Principles of Democracy and 21st Century Global Studies teacher (Ms. Suzie Nestico) had taught us. That lesson: reflect upon each and everything. I wasn't thinking about the journeys that I was taking and the lessons that were coming out of them. I as just going along for the ride and then later turning to wonder what they were actually about. And now as I sit here, reflecting for the first time since I was handed my diploma, I can see all of the lessons that life has handed me, sometimes in the funniest of ways.

I had plans, dreams for what I would do after high school. I was to attend my dream college (Arcadia University) to further my studies. What those studies varied from day to day. One day I would want to be a Marine Biologist and Zoologist and travel the world. And when I was ready to begin a family, I would become a high school biology teacher. Another day I would want to be a photo journalist and work with National Geographic. So many different thoughts and career choices have flown this teenage mind of mine. But sadly, that didn't fit in with Gods plans. So I am still in Mount Carmel. But I think I may be finding my place in the world. I think I know why God chose me to stay where I am.

Many teens in today's society are interested in one thing: having the time of their lives. And why shouldn't they? We are young. There is so much out there to experience, so much to learn about and do. The pull that the smallest things have on us immense. It can get hard to resist. But I personally have been able to see beyond that. I was born with the gift to see the way things will turn out before I take part in them. I have managed to stay out of major trouble up until this point in my life. And I plan to keep it that way. I'm not saying that I am better then anyone. I have had my fair share of mess ups in my life time. I was just fortunate enough not to caught doing them or afterwards. And I thank the Lord for protecting me.

But My purpose in this life is to help people. I am a born helper, I have always been that way. SO many times in my life I have had people coming to me, looking for words of comfort, or looking merely to vent. And I am always willing to listen if that is what you need. I will do my very best to point you in the right direction. I wont do the work for you, but I will watch and help you up after you fall and hit the ground.

At times though, I think that I often times put other people first too often. Sometimes I need to do things for myself first. And that is why I am beginning a new chapter in my life. I am currently working two jobs. On top of that, I am working on getting an apartment. A very close friend presented the offer to me, and with the rest of my household moving into a new house, I thought that this would be a wonderful time and experience. So I gladly accepted. I know that an entirely new level of responsibility is going to be coming with this. And although the weight of it all is going to enormous,  I am not going to let it get the best of me. For the first time, I'm not going to be able to fall back on my mother to care for me. It is time for me to show the world that I am ready for the worst that it has to offer.

It was a beautiful and liberating thing to reflect once more. I hope that I will soon be able to write once again, to get my words out there. Who knows how my blog may evolve. It already has hit a few different levels, each better the last last in my opinion. I hope that whom ever might have stumbled across it can find my words pleasing and pleasant to read. Don't fear commenting. I would love to get the feed back. to see what the rest of the world things. Who knows, maybe we can teach one another something. Until next time, please remember, if you don't feel loved, someone loves. Heck, I love you and I don't even know you. The world would be a much better place if people would love without caring about what the other person is like. So love each and every person that you happen to see. :)

My Walk With Kony

From the day that Kony 2012 was published onto YouTube, I was following it like a plague. It captured me and held me close. The thoughts that there was a man out there, doing horrible things to children truly made my blood boil. And I wanted to do something right away.

But over the pat few weeks, I made several blog post based on my findings. The researched ranged from the LRA to the Ugandan government and from the Invisible Children to those the critique their works. I have been held into a slightly falsified situation, one that has been stretched to make hearts break by those who weren't 100% honest.

Below is a list of those posts that I have made, my journey with Kony:

1. MAKE KONY FAMOUS!!!

2. Action Through Knowledge

3. Snap To Decisions

I want to thank the Invisible Children. They taught me so much. First, they taught me what not to do when working on a cause. I learned that instead of rushing right into making a decision. That is the worst thing that you can do. You need to take the time to look into the truth behind a cause.  Just because a group of people got together and presented you with a bit of information doesn't mean that you know enough. They are giving you some information, all of that has been learned and repeated to you in a way that is based on their own personal feelings about the situation. One of the most important things that you need to do is form your own ideals. You need to know where you lie in with the situation. Don't let someone else spoon feed you. You won't learn a thing that way. Through researching, processing, and utilizing information is the only way that you will truly learn something.

Second, they informed me about a situation. The things that are going on in Uganda are truly horrible. And the saddest part about it is that very few people knew anything about it. I know I personally was completely unaware. But with the release of the Kony 2012 video, information was spread far and wide. But, their video was seriously lack quite a bit of information. The biggest thing that was missing was what's going on right now in the area. We were mislead about the present. Another that was missing was an actual plan of attack. How are we supposed to go about bringing down and capturing Kony? They got so many people ready to do something, but they left out the actual plans. So now we have a bunch of teens that are willing to put in time, but now they are left alone, standing on the side, waiting for the next order of business.

There was a lot of things that Kony 2012 did right. But along with that, there were even more that went wrong. We need to learn how to research information before hopping on board with something. I learned this information the hard way. I, like so many people, was ready to hop and rush into acting upon the request of the Invisible Children. I'm glad that I took the time to find out for myself what was really going on. I just hop that many other people also take the time to learn for themselves what going on.

Research

Make sure that you do look well into the things going on. Don't simply accept the information that you are presented from other people. If there is something out there that you feel you need to or want to be apart of, get your own information. Look at several sources. One source is an introduction. The second is a briefing. Any other source after that is when you will truly begin to learn.

Recollect

Think about the thing that you have read. This may be the most crucial part. You need to come to your own decisions. This is when you will find out how you truly feel about the situation. At this point is the moment that you will know if the cause is worth fighting for or not.   Take your time, think it through, and make sure that you can enjoy and work through the choices you are about to make.

Action

When you have decided where you stand, that is when you take action. Come up with a plan. Don't just go rushing into anything. You need to know where you're going and what you're going to do. This is the moment for you to put your knowledge to the test. You can now go out and educate that people. Inform them about the cause that you are fighting for. Take a moment, follow your heart, and make your  mark, change the world.

Snap To Decisions

I'm a typical human being. I can easily be led into making decisions just because of the things that are said. You can probably easily convince me into helping out in any sort of situation. My heart just wont allow me to walk away when I know that there is something going on. And if it is a big enough situation, I act. I get thoughts into my head without truly knowing the facts. All I know is that I love to help. I feel a fire grow inside of my chest every time a situation is presented to me.

Joseph Kony - Is the video enough?

By now, everyone has heard about Kony 2012, a video made by the Invisible Children. If you are new to my blog and are unaware of what it is, I posted a blog about it. You can scroll down for a bit of information. But I'll run through it briefly. Kony 2012 is a campaign aimed at putting pressure onto the government to capture Joseph Kony. Joseph Kony is the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda. Their goal is to take over the government and rebuild it based on the 10 Commandments. He was known for kid napping children right of their houses and either forcing to fight, or selling them into sex slavery. This was going on for about 20 years. He is number one on the International Criminal Courts most wanted list. A man by the name of Jason Russell directed a video that brought to the news to many Americans. Two days after the video was posted onto YouTube, it went viral. Many Americans, including myself. rose up and wanted to be involved almost instantly. I know that I personally only saw the first 13 minutes or so of the video before I started Tweeting about it. I post it on my Facebook, changed my default picture, and spread the video to anyone and everyone that I saw was online. The very next day, I presented it to two classes in my school. I know I wanted to be apart of the movement. I felt inspired by this video.

But is inspiration really enough? Can inspiration truly bring about change? I thought it was enough. I thought that if I simply told enough people or spread the word far enough, that things would begin to change. But that is SO far from the truth. Inspiration is simply the very first step. But sadly, that is where most people end it. They don't pursue it, they don't keep with it. As soon as the get the common knowledge, they are done. At first, I was thinking like that. But my teacher pushed me to take a closer look. She herself was just becoming familiar with the movement and encouraged me to keep on the hunt. She wasn't about to let me look like a fool chasing his tail, take a bite out of something that was far bigger then it seemed on the surface then it really was. And I'm glad she pushed me.

The Invisible Children, an organization that was also founded by Jason Russell and the minds behind Kony 2012, had A LOT of things hidden from the world. In their video, they did the one thing that they knew would get people moving. They played with out emotions. They knew the buttons to pressed, and the jabbed at them through the entire video. My heart ached and panged through the entire half hour long video. There wasn't a second that I didn't want to hop on a plane, fly right over to Uganda, and hunt Kony down myself. The things that the video brought to light coupled by the numbers were outstanding. But could the entire thing have been over played?

One thing that I found out through my search for more information that, conveniently, wasn't a part of the video, is that the Ugandan army itself was also taking part of the awful crimes that the LRA were committing. The very system that was supposed to protect the people of Uganda were hurting the citizen in the exact same fashion as the rebels. The soldiers have been known to use rape as a form of military strategy. They are just as violent and brutal as the LRA themselves. And these are the people that are supposed to helping and protecting the citizen of Uganda.

Some times I just don't know what to think. People surprise me all the time. You put all of your faith into something, hoping that it turns out one way, but then they turn around and do something else. And I found myself in that very position this week.

Jason Russell - This the man we're going to follow?

Jason Russell was recently taken into custody and hospitalized. He was found walking around San Diego clad only in his underwear (later removed, leaving him solely in the nude). The man, 33 years of age, was screaming and pounding his fists on the sidewalk as passer watched. As it turns out, Russell is suffering from a psychosis, or the loss of reality. The Invisible Children have reported that this was brought on by the stress that has surrounded the Kony 2012 video.

This must have really put an unfix-able dent into the Invisible Children's campaign. To have their ring leader get caught up into something like this isn't going to look very good. With Russell be the one that made the video and the driving force behind it, many would question his sanity at the time. How can we be sure that he wasn't having similar issues at the time? Are all the facts completely correct? I'm not saying that the video is completely wrong. But I just want you to be aware of the possibility that it may not all be as it seems.

Russell isn't the only one that has made me question. There have been many reports posted about the Invisible Children. Many things were brought to light about them. But, seeing as I can't be 100% positive about their accuracy, I only give them a portion of a thought, just like I am with the video now. But as a person that was truly considering following this cause to the very end, I know the importance of reading up on it it. Many have called the Invisible Children out. Some simply destroying them with words, others simply informing readers. Many just want those that are wanting to get caught up in the Kony action be aware of that else they aren't thinking about. One college professor from Yale has done just that. The Invisible Children have even refused to share their financial information as set forth by the standards of the Better Business Bureau.

There is so much more then what meets the eye when it comes to movements, and Kony 2012 has taught me just that. Do I still feel like I should do something? You bet. Do I know exactly what I am going to do or how I'm even going to do it? Nope. I want to that the Invisible Children for exposing this to me, even if they aren't 100% creditable.

One day, I will do something. It may be tomorrow, it may be in a few years. But all I know is that if I ever want to be a changer of the world (one of my BIGGEST dreams) then there is a lot of work that I have to do, tons of research to look into, and loads of time to dedicate. No more running head first into something. After learning of it, you have to take a step back, ingest it, process it, work on and develop it, and then spew back something that is plausible.

Action From Knowledge

On Tuesday, March 5th, Kony 2012 went viral. This video exposed to Americans what is currently going on in Uganda. It told the story of a man named Joseph Kony, who, for the past 26 years, has kidnapped children out of their beds. In the first decade that he was in power, he had taken 8,000 children. That's roughly two kids a day. He would force young males into his war efforts, a guerilla tactics group called the Lords Resistance Army (LRA), and young women were forced into sex slavery. His vision? To create a government based and ruled upon the Ten Commandments.

I, along with many other people, have not been shy in telling where I stand. This man must be brought down. He should not be allowed to continue these horrible acts. The numbers that appeared in the video were astonishing to say the least. I felt my heart ache with each new statistic that appeared on my computer screen. And, after only 13:25 of the video, I knew that I had to try and do something. I wanted to help out all those people in Uganda, the Conga, and Sudan. The children needed to be saved. Almost right away, I began to send out Tweets, Facebook statuses, e-mail, etc. I sent the video to everyone that I saw online that night. I began talking about it, and even brought it to my school. A few had already viewed the video, but many were still way in the dark. So I took the time to explain the little that I knew.

But that's all I had, was a little. There was, and still is, so much that I don't truly know about this situation. As a typical American, I only knew what was going on in my own country, and even then, I wasn't all that informed. I'm not very bug on watching the news. Not that I have anything against it, I simply am never around when it's on the television. But still, I wanted to do something.

After reading many other articles and blogs from other people, on big thing was floating around. Most people had similar thoughts. Others were looking for information, or extending the knowledge that they had. No doubt the things going on in Uganda are horrible. Yes, that man should be caught and arrested. But what can we do? It doesn't involve us, and we aren't even close to them.

Another thing that I saw floating around rather shocked me. These people still agreed that things were horrible, but didn't agree with the video. They said that it felt out too much. They don't believe that simply spreading the word, one of the biggest points of the video, would truly show any help, that the video was simply a waste of time and why should we help now when it has been going on for a long time...

But how do you get something to happen? How does a cause start? How do you get people to fight along side you in protest?

Information and education!

People need to be aware of what's going on before they can take a stand. They need to be informed of the situation before they can pick a side, let alone come up with ideas or plans on how to help. Kony 2012 did just that. The video did a good job at showing the things that were going on in Uganda. They even talked of the efforts that the Invisible Children, a group founded by the same individuals that made the video, are taking in order to have justice. And they kept very realistic ideals with it. They are not sending people to Uganda, or trying to have solders shipped over there. They are informing people. They travel throughout the country talking to people about the things going on.

And although the Invisible Children may have shady parts, this shouldn't take you away from the cause. You don't need to be a part of them to care about the situation. Take a stand. Raise your voice. Pressure the government into giving their all into catching Kony. Because in the end, it will be with our help that Joseph Kony will be put behind bars.

So, spread the word. That is the key. Before anything can take place, before anything can happen, people need to know. The plans will come from those that care. And for people to care, they need to know. If you know, then it is up to you to let the person next to you know and then they must tell the next. The more people that know, the sooner the government will know that people care. When people care, then the government will continue their actions in assisting Uganda! So, make Kony famous! Whether it's through Invisible Children, or because your heart asks you to, do it for the children!

MAKE JOSEPH KONY FAMOUS!!!

I started blogging just over a month ago and have pumped out six posts. With this being my 7th, I feel as if it is THE most important. If anything, I hope you read this post, watch the video I'm going to attach, and spread the word.

Joseph Kony (picture from NEWSi7)

Joseph Kony needs to be made famous. Not because he is a singer. Not because he has written a book. Not because I like him. He needs to be made famous for JUSTICE! This man is a MONSTER!

He is a leader of the guerrilla army named Lords Resistance Army (LRA) and is bent on, through extreme violence, turning Uganda into a theocracy based on the Ten Commandments. For the past 26 years, he has been abducting children right out of their houses! Young boys are being forced to fight in the war, and young girls are being sold into sex slavery! If they try to resist or escape, he kills them on the spot.

The United States, after many longs years of effort, has finally sent over 100 soldiers to aid in training Ugandan soldiers in ways to catch him. But with the lack of knowledge of this man, the people of this country aren't interested. Most people don't even know his name, let alone what he's been doing. And without the interest of the citizens, the government may be pulling those men and woman back! This would only aid Joseph and take away any hope that Uganda has!

So please, I ask of BEG of you, PLEASE watch this video! Spread the word! Make this man famous!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc

Will You Accept Me?

The hardest thing a teen will go through is finding themselves. It is a battle that everyone goes through. Without that knowledge, they feel lost. It's similar to drifting through space, with nothing around to clutch onto. We just watch everyone else form into their groups, and all we want is to be a part of it.

Many times though, a teen will but on a front, trying to get into the "cool" groups, the masses that everyone else seems to like. The problem with that is that more often then not is that they really don't belong there. I'm not saying that they aren't good enough to be in that group, just that they have different ideals then the rest of the group. But all teens care about is being accepted.

The world is a hard place, and with others to help you through it, it becomes just a slight bit easier. So why shouldn't they search for those people that they feel will help them? I remember when I was in that stage. I was always trying to make friends with the cool kids. I would try to do the things they did, listen to the music they did, even dress like them. But then I realized that the life they had wasn't the same as mine. They had things that I would never get to see. But you know what? As soon as I realized this and accepted the world and my life for what they truly were, my life began to become a little better.

I was able to flourish and become my own person. I took a stand for who I am and what I believe in. People got to finally know who I am. And that is the most important thing in the world. YOU need to be the one to define yourself. Don't allow the world depict you. Look to the stars with your eyes and head held high. The second you discover who you are is the second that you will finally begin to live.

Now, the journey may be scary for some. I knew it was for me. But I can honestly say that I have never felt better. I have grown to love myself! I hope that you also have found yourself and are able to love that person that is inside of you.

Starting Again

People are more then likely looking at this and thinking I'm a bit wacky. I have changed my mind and changed my goals. I had said before that I was going to keep a blog about the things I'm doing in class. And then I changed it to talking about that, plus the lives of teens. And now, I am going to change it once again. I am still going to continue forward with the previous two, but now I am going to be writing TO teens. I mean, who can speak to them better then a teen them self?

I'm young, only 18, but I feel like I have so much good and love to share with the world, and I want to start with those my age. I understand what times are like. I am living it everyday I wake up. And for all those people in this world that have held my hand and shown me love, I will forever be in their debt. And now I feel as if it is my mission in life to in turn show the rest of the world all that love and then some more. Just because this has started out from a school project, does not mean I am going to let it fade. I will fight everyday to conquer a new heart, a new person to share love with, in the hopes of making a difference.

So, to what ever teen may have stumbled across this, if you need help, even though I don't know you, I want you to know that I love you. Never forget that! There is always someone there for you. You may just have to search around a bit!

Struggeling Forward

Normally, I would write about the things that I am learning in class. I mean, that was the point of this entire blog. I wanted the world to get an idea of ways that school can be fun through the eyes of a student. I felt that it would be better that way. Many teachers have done this, but all you are getting is their ideas and views. I wanted to present the feelings of a student that is going through it, experience the new changes that are taking place across school.

But, why can't I take my blog a step further? Why can't I express more then the education I am going through? I want to start sharing the norms of a teenagers live. Maybe that way more people can see why they are doing the things that they do. Maybe then teens wont be as misunderstood.

As a teen myself, one that has gone through many of the difficulties, I know what it's like out there. High school, even middle and elementary school, is nothing but one giant ocean filled to the brim with sharks. Life gets crazy, and many have no clue how to handle things on their own. And it isn't from lack of trying. Many have tried all they could, but when they reached out their hands, they are left to fend for themselves. Too many people are focused solely on their own problems to help another. And when a teen has to endure that pain and hurt, they shut themselves off for them world, and turn to things that they should never have even seen.

One of the biggest things that is going through the school systems is bullying. I know it seems like I'm beating a dead horse with this one, but it is something that is seen everyday. In the past week, I have witnessed about five fights. What can cause all of this pent up anger?

All it takes is for one person that is different, someone that doesn't fit the norm, and the ball begins to roll. At first little more then words are shared, but as that ball picks up speed, the real problems begin to take form. Things escalate to shouting and, with enough force driving it, things turn physical. And the attacks can be brutal. I have seen more blood shed by fists then was ever needed. I personally can't see the satisfaction in hitting another human being.

Many adults say that teens are ruthless, that they don't care. But when you ask them where they are getting it all form, the parents have no idea where to point the finger. Sadly, more often then not, they should point the finger at themselves. They often are the ones that instill the core values into their children. But, that isn't true all the time. There are MANY parents out there that have a wonderful home life and have nothing but love for their kids. And still, some don't come out so well. So where is it coming from then? Well, society. Outside, the world is cut throat. Every election year, we see the politics going at each other, trying to make one another look bad. And the youth is seeing this. They are thinking that because the people running the country act like this, it is fine and dandy. It's time that the real world sees this and fixes it.

I'm the type of person that will talk straight to your face and sort things out. And, if in the end, should things not get resolved, I wipe my hands clean and leave you to yourself. I don't allow myself to dwell on the past, because you miss what's to come. So, with my head held high, I can rest knowing that I have done the things needed to try to fix the problem. And I can rest easy with that.

I wish I could instill this into more people. I have come to find that sharing love and hope with others is the best way to reach them. Being the writer that I am, I cranked out a 3 page, 2 column poem. The poem is me telling the world that I have gone through things, but I haven't let them defeat me. So, with the wind on my back, I have opened my arms to the world, inviting it to take hold of me, to feel the love and hope that I have to offer. My only request in the end is that, should I help them, that they in turn turn to the world and open their arms. I want them to stand next to me and love without question, without thinking, without caring what the person has done, without discrimination.


I hope my words will one day impact every generation, both older and younger. I want the world to love one another, to truly live as on community. The fighting needs to stop. War needs to end. Hate needs to be stomped out. And for that to happen, we need people to stand up and take control. Start with the teens and the children, for we are the ones that will decide where the world to go. Maybe with your help, we WILL see a better tomorrow!

From Start to Finish: The Journey Through A Project

I have recently blogged about our FedEx Day project, a project that is completely student based.  It is up to the students to get their ideas for the project, complete it in the time allowed, and present it to the class.  There are very few rules that go along with the project, and it is an adventure that is worth taking.

This sort of project really allows for students such as myself to look into the world and see things in a new way.  We aren't just being spoon fed the information.  This allows for the discoveries to stick much better.  With little help from the teacher, each student is truly in charge of their own learning, something that they in turn will be able to extend that knowledge to the rest of their class, and even their teacher(s).

Mr. Stumpenhorst, a teacher from Chicago, IL, took to his 6th grade class rooms with the same concept. With the rest of the teachers in his wing of the building, Mr. Stump took a step out of the normal ritual of preaching. And the end result? Nothing but positive and exciting feedback. His students truly enjoyed the experience, most of the time going above and beyond that anyone thought they would be doing. The administration from his building even swung by, along with other teachers from around the building, to see, help, and learn about the different things that the students were doing. Very rarely do you see such and interest from a lot of people like. It isn't very often that a teacher will willingly give up their few moments of free time to go to see what else is going. That may have just been the start of an endless tradition. We will just have to continue to watch.

Anyway, lets take it home for a second. To my smallish classroom in North Eastern/Central Pennsylvania, where the coal mines cover the land. There are some many things that we as a small community have not seen. So many things that we don't know about the world. There is a lot of information out there that, because of our small town ways, seems to by pass us. So many people around these parts seems oblivious to the world around us. But one woman, Ms. Suzie Nestico (my 5th period Principles of Democracy and 8th period 21st Century Global Studies teacher), has managed to break through that barrier that surrounds us and is bringing the cows back home.

She is the woman that has brought this concept to us. And if I may, I would like to thank her now. This project is allowing everyone to truly spread their wings and find the right winds that fit them. I personally have chosen to look into the meat industry, a topic that has haunted me for many years, and am in the process of filming, editing, and presenting a documentary on it. Now, it isn't one of those videos that you'll find that are against easting meat, although I personally don't. I am shooting from an angle that I hope will encourage people to step up and demand higher standards and laws when it comes to the meat industry.

Through the course of the work, we will see how much each student learns. Through the power of being in charge, more and more students are going to be interested, wanting to work harder, learning more. I hope that everyone else in my class will enjoy this project as much as I am.

I will be sharing a few of the projects that others are doing in the future, and hopefully I can get a few comments from them about their journey through it. Good luck guys!

Student Centered Learning

As a senior through high school, I have learned a lot. Well, maybe not a lot. I know I memorized more then I learned. From vocab words to mathematical formulas, I forced the information in and held onto it long enough to spew it out just in time for a test. I would be lying if I said that it was a good way to learn things. After not using it, everything seems to slip away like a cat in the night.

This is a trend that seems to be growing more and more everyday in high school. Not very many people are interested in the classes they're taking because it just doesn't interest them. They do the work to get the grade, nothing more. So how do we get more students such as myself interested? How do we get them to LEARN something, not just memorize it?

Student based learning. But isn't all learning based on the students? Well, yes and no. The things we learn in our classes are based on the things that we are looking to learn, things that are going to later help us in the future with our job options. But it is also based on the things that the teachers feel they should learn, a curriculum that is usually set so strictly that most teachers never really think about straying far from them.

Student based learning, in my opinion, is a fabulous thing. And, I am very excited to see how it is going to work. This is a new technique that my 8th period class (21st Century Global Studies) is taking on, a new challenge for us to work through. But what is it?

To put it into simple terms, you have the students ask a question. Normal right? Students ask questions all the time. The catch is, the student has to pick their own question. There are no guidelines to the questions that they can ask. As long as they are interested in it, they can use it. The goal is to have them go out and, with their question in mind, find a way to answer or solve it. In the end, we are going to create a project of any form (something that, once again, the student is in charge of developing) to present it to our class mates. The goal isn't to completely solve anything, just form an idea that could assist in the progression of a solution.

Over the next few days, I am going to be talking to class mates, getting their feed back, and sharing it with the world. Maybe this is an idea that you would want to use. Take a shot, steer away from your comfort zone, and allow the students to take over for a while. You just may be surprised at what you find they can come up with.

Learning Through Asking?

There are many different ways of teaching. From the traditional class room setting where a teacher lectures students through out class to a more innovative process that allows students to be given a topic upon which they are responsible to look into and eventually draw their own conclusions. But through both processes, the teacher is there to help guide students in the direction that they should be aiming.

Author Kenneth C Davis

But what happens when there is a topic that the teacher themselves have a hard time explaining? What tools are available for students then? The simplest way to fix this is to turn to the internet. But let's take it one step further. Let's use the internet, but not at the same time. Take a tool, Skype, that allows you to call someone with a web cam on your computer. What? Call someone to talk to you online? Yes! Through the power of video conferencing, you can now find someone that is an expert in the area that you need help with.

And that is exactly what we got to do in my 5th period Principles of Democracy class. While learning about the election progress, people always have the same question about the same topic. What is the Electoral College and what do they do? So, when we got to this question, we turned to an expert. And who was that expert? Well, this man has made it to the New York Best Sellers list, and held his position at the top for 35 consecutive weeks. With his unbiased looks into many different topics, he allows readers to see things in a new light. He makes things easy to understand while keeping it interesting.

Click to preview Don't Know Much About History

 Author Kenneth C Davis was kind enough to join our class and explain the topic to us. But he did it in a way that isn't a norm in most classrooms. He didn't simply preach to us. He briefly explained it to us, but then allowed us to ask him questions about the topic that we personally felt were important to our understanding of the topic. Personally, I felt like this was EXTREMELY helpful. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against my teachers teaching in their own styles and concepts. The Don't Know Much About... books that Mr. David wrote hold a lot of insight and hold covers a wind variety of topics. And like I said, he spells it out in a way that is easy for beginners to understand. I would suggest this to anyone that is looking for the things that aren't covered in the textbooks.

If you would like to know more about Mr. Davis, or simple have a question for him, you can follow him on Twitter. A brilliant man that clearly knows where his passions lie, he can advise you and walk you through just about any questions that you may have.