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For this week’s journal entry I decided to read “Sometimes it is Fun to Lose the Map (everything is not a position paper). It is in Chapter four of Why White Rice. I actually really liked this story because it is very relatable. In this story, Mr. McGuire goes on to telling a story of when he and his wife “wandered” for a month during the summertime. He tells stories of how they just got in a car with very little money, and wandered through different parts of the country, and Canada. I always thought this would be sort of fun to just get in the car and go, and not worry about your destination. He relates this “wandering” back to writing papers. The way to write a paper is thesis, evidence, conclusion. This is how many people write papers, and how many teachers expect you to write papers. This way of writing gets pretty boring after awhile, though. Up until this Com 102 class, I thought that is how you were supposed to write. Mr. McGuire makes it pretty clear though, that we do not have to write in this expected form. This was the first I have ever had to not expect us to write like that. To me, I think it makes papers a lot more interesting, “losing the map”, as he puts it. It makes writing papers a lot easier, and go by way faster. It is not the normal way to write a paper, and I really like it.
McGuire, Michael. “Sometimes It Is Fun to Lose the Map (everything Is Not a Position Paper).” Why White Rice. 82-83. Print.
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Jaclyn Epstein
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Jaclyn Epstein
For this week’s journal entry I decided to read “Sometimes it is Fun to Lose the Map (everything is not a position paper). It is in Chapter four of Why White Rice. I actually really liked this story because it is very relatable. In this story, Mr. McGuire goes on to telling a story of when he and his wife “wandered” for a month during the summertime. He tells stories of how they just got in a car with very little money, and wandered through different parts of the country, and Canada. I always thought this would be sort of fun to just get in the car and go, and not worry about your destination. He relates this “wandering” back to writing papers. The way to write a paper is thesis, evidence, conclusion. This is how many people write papers, and how many teachers expect you to write papers. This way of writing gets pretty boring after awhile, though. Up until this Com 102 class, I thought that is how you were supposed to write. Mr. McGuire makes it pretty clear though, that we do not have to write in this expected form. This was the first I have ever had to not expect us to write like that. To me, I think it makes papers a lot more interesting, “losing the map”, as he puts it. It makes writing papers a lot easier, and go by way faster. It is not the normal way to write a paper, and I really like it.
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Jaclyn Epstein
In class Monday we watched a man named Taylor Mali. Mali was reciting his poem, “Totally Like Whatever”. This poem is basically about how these days, no one speaks with conviction. Who knows if that is because they think it is uncool to know what they are talking about, or really just do not know what they are talking about. I know I am definitely guilty of using the word, “like” as a sort of crutch. I have gotten a lot, better and do not use it nearly as often. I didn’t use the word like because I didn’t know what I was talking about, but more of a nervous tick when talking in front of a group of people. He always goes to say how people always talk like they are asking a question. Making a statement into an unnecessary question just undermines your words. It is going to make other people doubt that if what you are saying is true, or if you’re just pulling words out of the sky. A lot of girls now a days say like, and talk as if everything is question. I am not really sure why, maybe they don’t like sounding smart? It’s beyond me as to why you would want to dumb yourself down for any reason. In part, I think people are just overly sensitive. No one wants to step on anyone’s toes or come off as cocky. Like a story in Why White Rice, there is a difference between knowing what you’re talking about, and sounding arrogant. People should just take pride in knowing what they’re talking about and not try to dumb themselves down.
Mali, Taylor. “Totally Like Whatever, You Know? | Michael Hyatt.” Michael Hyatt’s Blog. Michael Hyatt, 14 Sept. 2011. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. . -
Jaclyn Epstein
Service Learning, Project Number Five
The environment is something that affects everyone single human being living on earth. My group wanted to volunteer our time with something meaningful, which should be important to everyone. So what better way to do that than help conserve our beautiful planet? Our group tried thinking of a great way to help so we decided we wanted to try and volunteer with The Little Red School House. After some research though, we got in contact with a man named Joe Newman. Joe worked and volunteered with the Cook County Forest Preserve. After discussing our options, we figured this was the most interesting one. Our group really did not know what we were getting ourselves into. Honestly, I wasn’t too excited that I would have to wake up early on a weekend to go do community service. (More …)
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Jaclyn Epstein
For this week’s reading journal I was reading around in “Why White Rice?” I came across the short story, “The Social Side of Research: Talking with experts”. It’s a story about doing research papers and actually going to the source to find out information. Mr. McGuire explained how he asked his class to find out what the word “mystory” was about. It was a research genre that they were trying to understand. Gregory Ulmer came up with this idea, and one student, instead of googling it, actually contacted Ulmer to find out what this meant. Ulmer actually responded to the student and gave an explanation of mystory! A lot of people, myself included, when writing a research paper always try to find credible sources on different websites, books, articles, and databases. I don’t think a lot of people even attempt to go straight to the source. Its probably because no one actually thinks someone like Gregory Ulmer will actually take the time to respond to someone. OR maybe it’s the fact that going to the source maybe a lot more work. I know research papers are very stressful, and a lot of work. I for one don’t want anymore stress added on top of that to try and go to the source. But, maybe I should. I have never really tried to go out of my way and ask the source themselves or interview a person for a paper. I just also thought finding credible sources was good enough. This short story is kind of eye opening.
McGuire, Michael. “The Social Side of Research: Talking With Experts.” Why White Rice? Thinking Through Writing. Kendall Hunt Pub, 2010. 127. Print. -
Jaclyn Epstein
For this week’s journal entry I decided to read, “Why I Like Mike The Builder”, by Troy Swanson. It is a short story in, Why White Rice. It sort of reflects on a previous story written by Mr. McGuire. The story of which he wrote about how he build his son as playhouse from scratch, while “not being a builder”. Swanson himself goes to say he is not a builder either. Except he looks at it like he CAN be a builder, he just has not had enough practice with building. He says how people always say they can not do something just because they are not good at it. I think lots of people have the mind set like this. I know I am guilty of this. Especially when it comes to things like math, I just tell myself I can not do math. Or I will just never be good at math. But Swanson makes a good point saying belief is a powerful tool. It sounds dumb but if you tell yourself you can not do something, chances are, you can’t. Not because you are dumb, just because you did not give yourself the benefit of the doubt. He goes into saying that the reason why most people are good at something is because they have had tons and tons of practice. I think that is a really good outlook on things. You are not simply born good at something, you have to work at everything you do. It’s a good outlook on life to have.
Swanson, Troy. “WHY I LIKE MIKE THE BUILDER.” Why White Rice? Thinking Through Writing. Kendall Hunt Pub, 2010. 134-35. Print. -
Jaclyn Epstein
My journal entry this week is on the short story, Be Confident, Not a Know-It-All. It was chapter eight, in the book, Why White Rice? I always find myself reading this book because it is actually pretty entertaining. This story was funny, it was about knowing the line between being cocky, and confident. Mr. McGuire goes into saying how his six year old son is quite the know it all, and how one of his former students went from no confidence, to arrogant and overly confident. Mr. McGuire talks about how his students pretty much undermine their writing by using phrases like, “I know”, “I believe”, “It seems to me”, and so on. I have definitely been guilty of this. The reason why is, I do not want to say something with conviction, and then ending up looking dumb if I’m wrong. I’m guessing (there I go) this is why a lot of people get into the habit of saying these phrases. Having your work judged by others is scary, so you do not want them to think you are trying to be cocky. I used to use phrases like this all the time, until I started reading other people’s papers with these phrases in them. When reading someone’s paper and coming across a phrase like that, I think to myself, “they obviously don’t know what they’re talking about, so why should I care?” Once thinking that, I have always tried my best to sound like a confident writer. I don’t want people thinking the same things about my writing!
McGuire, Michael. “Be Confident, Not a Know-It-All.” Why White Rice? Thinking Through Writing. Kendall Hunt Pub, 2010. 179-81. Print. -
Jaclyn Epstein
This week I was reading around in Why White Rice? I came across a short story called, “To All The Good Ones Along The Way, We Salute You”. It’s about a child’s third grade teacher who was very influential to her. She made her classroom feel like home, she encouraged her students, and made her students feel like they actually wanted to be there. I think we have all had our share of influential people in our lives, including teachers. I am sure that everyone had at least one teacher thoughout their life who has inspired them, or helped them in any way, or just someone who you really looked up to. I know I have. One of my english teachers in high school was seriously the best. Without a doubt, this lady was my favorite teacher of all time. She did not just teach her class, but she went above and beyond. She actually created friendships with students and made them feel like they can go to her for help with anything. She, like the author of the stories teacher, made her classroom so comforting. She had pictures up every where, she had posters, the windows always open, decorations for holidays, she really made her classroom feel like somewhere you would want to be. Not just for walls, and a dry erase board. She would help her students with writing assignments and actually sit down with them and discuss what they were thinking of doing. She really cared about her students, and her students grades’. I think more teachers should be like this, maybe then so many kids would not hate school so much.
DeVillez, Eric R. “To All the Good Ones Along the Way, We Salute You.” Why White Rice?: Thinking through Writing. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt Pub., 2010. 144-45. Print. -
Jaclyn Epstein
Feed my Starving Children Reflection/
Feed My Starving Children, or FMSC, is a Christian based non-profit organization dedicated to helping less fortunate kids. Feed My Starving Children relies solely on volunteers giving their time and money. FMSC packs and ships food to almost 70 countries to starving children. (Who We Are) The meals cost 22 cents to make and 93% of donations given to Feed My Starving Children go directly to the food program. (How your donation is used) 93% is a HUGE number, when most charities or organizations don’t even come close to that number. You don’t have to be a Christian to volunteer, and you don’t need to be a Christian to receive the meals. Volunteering for this great organization has truly opened my eyes to how lucky we are. (More …)
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Javier Calderon
I really liked reading your reflection paper about your experience at FMSC.I also had a great experience there. I think it is great that you used a lot of facts from FMSC. All of these facts really help grab your reader’s attention because the facts you provide are really interesting. For example when I was told that these meals only cost 22 cents to make I was really surprised. I could not believe how inexpensive these meals are to make. The facts you provide really show how strong and well organized FMSC is. You also provide great details about your experience and what you did at FMSC. As I read your paper I kept thinking about my experience at FMSC. I can relate with how you felt in the beginning about not knowing what to expect other than just packing food in boxes. I thought the story they gave us about the little boy who was literally starving to death was just flat out sad. I also could not believe that a little kid that is literally nothing but skin and bones could still somehow be living. It was truly shocking and sad. But it was amazing to hear his story after receiving FMSC food for months. After I saw the picture of him I would have never thought that that kid was once at the point of dying of starvation. The change was just so amazing and showed what FMSC can really do. Stories like that are really powerful and can open up people’s eyes to these global issues. It also really gets you thinking about how lucky we are and how good we have it when it comes to food. That one cup of food these starving children are able to receive from FMSC really makes a significant difference for them. You describe your experience in the packing room very well. It is good to be able to describe experiences like this because it can show people that doing volunteer work can be fun and productive and doesn’t necessarily have to be boring. This makes FMSC sound like a good organization to do volunteer work for. I got to do the bag sealing part and also had to pack the bags in the box. I felt like my time there went by really fast. It is good to read that your experience at FMSC made you consider looking for other organizations to volunteer in. It seems like this experience has made you more aware of the issue and has also made you want to help out more. It is good to want to become more involved with organizations like FMSC because the little time we volunteer for them clearly makes a significant difference in a starving person’s life. These kind of experience’s can also make us appreciate what we have a lot more. It is great that you left FMSC with a new appreciation for life it shows that your experience there had some kind of impact on you.
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Jami Busse
First of all I liked how you jumped right into what you wanted to talk about by explain what feed my starving children was and what the organization does. I liked how you threw in all those facts in your introductory paragraph because this makes the reader interested and want to more about your topic. I think that you did a great job with explaining everything on a step by step basis. I especially liked how you mentioned that you were given hairnets to wear, small details like theses really gave me some imagery and made me feel like I was there and I had experienced it myself. I really connected with what you said in this quote, “Think about it though, most Americans eat well over one cup of food a day and I know I do. I don’t even think about how lucky I am to know when and where my next meal is, and how lucky I am that I have house full of food.” The way you worded it and used “think about it though” really stood out to me and you really can connect with your audience when you go out and tell them to think about things that you’re talking about in your essay. Also I liked how you connected it back to yourself when you said that you don’t even think about how lucky you are to know that you’re going to have another meal and that you have a house full of food. I think that this is an awesome thing to do in your to make the readers know your feelings and your thoughts on the issue. I liked how you went into fine detail to even describe what that name of the room was that you were in. I liked how you touched on the fact of religion when you said, “After everyone was done volunteering we went into a room and said a prayer. It didn’t really matter what religion you were, because we were all one group just wishing these kids well.” This shows that you are not sensitive the religion issue and didn’t mind praying with other people. When I first read this I was kind of surprised but then again it is a Christian based organization. I still think that’s awesome of them to do that though and I like how you said that it didn’t matter what religion the people in the group were that you all came together and did it for the kids and that just shows off great character. Overall I think that you had great word choice and structure to your paper. I thought It was very good and I enjoyed reading it. Great job!
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Jean Claud Sunga
I really liked your paper because you explained everything that happened there. I also volunteered at the same organization and i am really impressed how you manage to write most of the things that happened there. I didnt remember the 1 cup of food that feeds a kid in a day. Your paper wasn’t hard to read and it was really specific. Your paper gave me more ideas and it made me understand the project even more because i think i didn’t do a really good job on my paper. Anyways, i agree with the part that you said you know that there are a lot of countries who are facing starvation and you didn’t know that you will be able to help. i felt the same thing ever since i was growing up but also because of this organization it also made me feel like i CAN help and there are a lot of possibilities to help. As a reader i can see that you have organized you paper really well and i know where you intro starts and end and also your conclusion. It was really interesting how you said your table packed 18 to 19 boxes because my table only did 7 boxes. i wish our table did more so there can be more food to give to those children that i can say, we made. i like the part where you said ” I walked away from this experience with a new appreciation for my life ” it shows that you actually care and you didn’t just do the volunteer for the class. The only thing though, is i think you forgot to put the name of the packed meals. if you don’t know, the names is Manna pack meals. there was another part where you said ” if all volunteering was this fun, I think a lot more people would actually volunteer” i think you should try to edit that or just delete it because it kind of contradicting to the whole paper that you wrote. What i meant is that, you were talking about how fun it is but is it just all about the fun? isn’t the reason why you came there is because you wanted to help out? There are different kinds of organization that gives people more task to do, and some people might be really exhausted after that and think that its not fun, BUT they made a difference. I liked the part where you said how lucky you are, because not all people are grateful of what they have because they are so used to the good life. also, the part where you said ” You don’t have to be a Christian to volunteer, and you don’t need to be a Christian to receive the meals. ” i think that is really good that you said that because you gave your readers that information and they wouldn’t have to think twice in going to this organization even if they had a different religion. i think you did a good job on your paper just some minor things but it was a good paper.
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Jaclyn Epstein
As I was skimming around in Why White Rice, I came across a story called, So-Is it Okay to Use Wikipedia, Then?, in chapter five. All teachers warn students not use Wikipedia for school projects as the information can easily be changed by everyone, and sometimes isn’t accurate. I myself find it very difficult to find “credible” sources. This short story explains that Wikipedia should never really be depended on as a good source, but it can be good for ‘jogging’ your memory. The writer explains that even if your teachers say you can use wikipedia, to not say you used it. He says not to say you used because of all of the ‘stigma’ over it and it will just male your paper look less credible. I’m guilty of using Wikipedia in some of my projects but only to get a better understanding of what it is that I need to find out. I’ll have a better idea of what it is and then go on to find better sources from there. DeVillez says the same thing, you can use Wikipedia but only as sort of a starting off point. I agree with him, it’s defintley an easy and quick way to get going on some sort of school assignment. Or even like he said, good to ‘jog’ your memory in case you forgot something. The example he used was that he had forgotten the name of an actor that played in a movie, so he went on wikipedia. Once he seen the actors name and picture, he then remembered and was able to verify that it was accurate since he already knew.
DeVillez, Eric R. “So-Is It Okay to Use Wikipedia, Then?” Why White Rice?: Thinking through Writing. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt Pub., 2010. 122. Print. -
Jaclyn Epstein
A Letter to the Editor.
Bullying is a very large spread issue. It not only happens all around the world, but it’s also a problem locally. Back a couple months ago, Ashlynn Conner, from Illinois, only 10 years old hanged herself because she was bullied so harshly. This story is sad but also very common. Suicide rates are going up for kids who are bullied. One big reason that is making bullying so relevant today is, “cyber-bullying”. This is bullying over text, internet sites, and other technologies. A big issue is harrasment over Facebook. Kids think they cannot get in trouble for words that are said online, but now a days, you can. Awhile back, the Chicago Board of education now considers “cyber-bullying” a serious offense. Cyber-bullying has basically become the most relevant form of bullying today. People need to take bullying more seriously. Just because schools are taking cyber-bullying more seriously, doesn’t mean that it’s going to stop. I think parents need to really step in and monitor what their kids are saying online. If you know what your kid is saying to others online it’s more likely children won’t say negative things to each other. Everyone needs to be really involved and supportive so we could try and stop bullying. Ashlynn Conner is only one out of hundreds and hundreds of kids who have taken their own life because of bullying. Maybe if people were more educated on the whole bullying, and cyber-bullying issues, the numbers would decrease dramatically.
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Javier Calderon
I think your letter to the editor about bullying is a really good issue to write about. I say this because it seems like not many people are really aware of the growing seriousness of this terrible issue. I also think your letter is well made because it gives your readers different relevant facts about the issue and it delivers your message to the reader effectively. We already have many unnecessary deaths happening all over the country. Anybody can agree that we do not need any more unnecessary deaths happening especially unnecessary deaths due to bullying. And the worst part of all is that most of the victims we hear about in the news are innocent little kids in grades school trying to live their innocent little lives. It is truly heart breaking to have to read or hear about a 10 year old little girl hanging herself just because she was bullied severely. No kid should feel that worthless and helpless. That’s like literally bullying someone to death. The fact really makes you sit there and think of a lot of things that have gone wrong in our society. It also makes you think what it is that you can do to help stop such sad and unacceptable acts. Reading things like these makes me think of the little kids I know and how they may be possibly be bullied by other classmates. It makes me want to ask questions or look into my little cousins school atmosphere. You also mention that cyber bullying is making bullying more relevant today. This is a good piece of information to know because that way people can take measures in monitoring what kids are actually doing on the internet especially how everything in this world now is electronic and computer friendly. And that means more and more kids will be using computers and be exposed to cyber bullying. As I read more and more of the issue of bullying I am becoming more and more aware of how big cyber bullying has gotten so far. And now that I look at it closely it is really easy for cyber bullying to take place because everyone is using all kinds of popular online profiles through which they can be bullied. You make an excellent statement by saying kids should really be made aware of the words can do and how serious of an offense using words the wrong way towards others can be. They need to understand that just because they are not causing physical damage with their words it is ok to keeps using wrong words. And it is good to know that the Chicago board of education has been considering bullying a serious offense. This should keep parents more alert and aware of the things their children go around saying or how they are being treated by their classmates. I think your paper is very well informed and also sends the message across to the reader clearly. I feel a lot more informed about the issue.
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Jami Busse
I also wrote my letter to the editor on bullying and I think that it is such a big issue in today’s time. I think that it is becoming a huge problem for our young kids and should be stopped in any way possible. I I like how you connected to the death of the 10 year old from Illinois. If you are submitting it to any newspapers locally I think that this will help you get it published because of this connection. I also talked about cyber bulling in my letter and talked about Facebook and how it affects it. I like dhow you said that everyone should be more aware of the issue and want to do something about it. Middle school and high school can be some of the best and worst times in your life and if we get rid of bullying I think that this will help get rid of the bad times. Everyone has been bullied in some way or another and I think that it’s kind of weird how still nothing is really being done because these stories still are popping up in the news. I think that also you could talk about the movements on these social sites like YouTube such as the it gets better campaign that helps raise awareness for the LGBT teens and let them now that life gets better. I think that your piece was great and it defiantly a great thing to raise awareness for. Although we cant get rid of it entirely we can still change some things and make a difference.
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Jean Claud Sunga
Your letter to editor was very precise and you gave some specific examples to support your topic. Bullying is a very big issue that people don’t really talk about or so something about until it gets really bad. It’s sad that a kid or even a person have to take their life away to get away from all the bullying that they are experiencing. I think it’s because when we were young we are all clueless with our surroundings or to what we are doing, we think that everything is okay and we are not doing anything wrong, and if we do, we try to make up things that would make us not face the consequences of our mistakes. that is just being young and immature, but on the other hand, you are right that parents should monitor their children, not just on the internet but with what they are doing in school, how they act and what they say to other people, parents should make their children get used to being nice to others and know the meaning of bullying. I agree with the part that you said, if a lot more people know about bullying maybe the number the bullying issues would decrease. Maybe the number of people who are getting hurt physically and emotionally would also decrease. I think that whatever we learn at home is what we show outside, in school, or to other people. The first step to this issue is for parents to teach their children how to act and what is right from wrong while the children are young. I have seen children being maltreated by their parents’ in public and I think that is one of the reason why some kids become a bully or violent, because that is what they see and what they got used to. I think there should be a parenting class that is mandatory because there are children who get pregnant at an early age and they think they know how to raise a child by what they see everywhere of from home. Some bullies turn the way they are because of their experiences and maybe they are scared to be bullied again by other people or even family. Bullying other people or children maybe their only way to let their anger and pain out, that is why those bullies should be paid attention to because they probably have a lot of things going on in their life and need a different way of venting out such as talking to counselors, teachers, joining clubs or other things that would take their mind of the harsh experiences that they have been through. I don’t know all the reasons why a person or child can be a bully but I know for a fact that love, care and attention may change how those children act. I know a couple of people who were a bully when they were younger, and they admitted that all they wanted was attention and to be appreciated and loved.
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Jaclyn Epstein
For this week’s reading and research journal I was reading Chapter two in “Why White Rice?”. One short story throughout the chapter was, “Quit Complaining-Go Back and Read the Damn Poem”. It talked about a few different things including how the arts programs in school are the first to get cut. I really think it’s sad something so important like art and music are cut before gym clases. Pysical activity is really important, don’t get me wrong, it’s just so is music and art and it’s really no one’s place to say which one is more important. The main thing that stuck out to me is that the author says to go back and re-read poems and lyrics even if you “get it”. He says they’re are many different meanings and different interpratations of everything. It caught my attention because I believe this is true with everything in life. People are just so concerend with what things “really” mean and what other people say about things. It’s up to YOU and your perception of things. People have different opinions and different reasons for those opinions and you should hear them out because maybe your perception on things will change. I think everyone should read deeper into things then just what is on the surface. It could give you a different outlook on things.
DeVillez, Eric. “Quit Complaining-Go Back and Read the Damn Poem.” Why White Rice? Thinking Through Writing. Kendall Hunt Pub, 2010. 56. Print. -
Jaclyn Epstein
Elevator Speech Outline.
Bullying.
What’s the problem?
- Bullying is becoming more and more vicsious.
- Cyber-bullying is becoming one of the most popular forms of bullying.
- “Over half, about 56 percent, of all students have witnesses a bullying crime take place while at school.”
- Suicide is a horrible and common result of bullying.
- Gay teens, people with dissabilities, and people who are “different” usually get ridiculed the most.
What can you do?
- Don’t be a bully.
- If you are bullied, ignore them, or tell a trusted adult.
- If you witness someone being bullied, don’t keep quiet.
- Know the warning signs.
If you want to know more about bullying or volunteer to put a stop towards bullying, visit http://www.stompoutbullying.org for great tips, advice, and information.
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Jaclyn Epstein
I read one of the short stories in “Why White Rice?” in chapter seven, called “Googling is Not the Same as Thinking”. This story is really, really relevant to today’s society. We live in such a technology friendly world and sometimes people forget that there’s other ways to get information besides Google. This teacher tells a story of how he asked his class to define the word ‘generation’. No one had an idea of what to answer with so everyone took out their phones, and Googled it. He says something really funny about how people are going to start having to Google how they feel. Technology is such a great resource today but everyone has just become so lazy. No one wants to actually go into a library to read a book anymore. McGuire quotes, “Googling is not thinking- thinking is.” I think this quote pretty much sums people up these days. I think people are soon going to stop having their own opinoins and just base everything off of what google and other websites have to say. I think technology has become so helpful, but on the other hand, it has also become some what of a problem. Kids would rather sit inside and play video and watch televison then actually go outside and enjoy themselves. Hopefully one day people will realize that we can still function without Google.
McGuire, Michael. “Googling Is Not the Same as Thinking.” Why White Rice? Thinking Through Writing. Kendall Hunt Pub, 2010. 119-20. Print. -
Jaclyn Epstein
Let’s Put an End to This.
What’s the big deal?
Bullying has been around for many, many generations. It’s part of society, so why should you be concerned? Bullying now, compared to bullying fifteen or so years ago, has become something totally different. There are more ways now for kids to become bullied. “Over half, about 56 percent, of all students have witnesses a bullying crime take place while at school.” (“Bullying Statistics 2010”) That statistic is for school alone. Bullying now takes place in schools, at home, and especially on the internet. Victims of bullies are fearful every single day, and start questioning their worth. This is why so many suicides are caused by being tormented and bullied. Some people may think as long as the bullying doesn’t get physical, then it’s not a big deal. Words cut like a knife, especially for a child with low self-esteem. People need to realize that bullying is happening everywhere, and it still is very, very relevant in today’s society. (More …)
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Jami Busse
First of all I want to say that I loved your topic. I think it is so relevant and it is a really big issue. Just by looking at it I like how your structured it into subtitles I think that really helps me stay interested and now what I’m reading about before I start to read. Also I think that the subtitles you used were very effective in asking the reader “Do you want some background on Bullying?” I thought this especially helps the reader connect and make them think.
I liked how you started off your essay, the whole paragraph was great. I liked how you added a statistics into you first paragraph. I think that statistics are the best way to show the facts on this issue because they are so shocking. I liked how you compared bullying beck then to what it’s like now. I think that you added this in the part talking about how you can help, you said, “You’re not the only one, and it’s important for you to tell someone you trust. If you don’t tell anyone, things will most likely just get worse. If you are a witness to someone being bullied, the same goes for you. Don’t keep quiet, that person may be too afraid to tell someone themselves. Ultimately, you could be saving a victims life by getting them the help they need.” This I thought was a great thing to do because your reader could be going through things that they can’t handle whether there going through it themselves or if it’s a friend. I think it also showed that you care about people and want to help them and it’s nice to see that through your writing. Also I liked how you listed all the warning signs. This helps people identify these things early so they can work on the issue. I think your sources that you used were great and very informative.
Overall I think you r essay was great I liked how you started it off and how you structured it. Also you r word choice and examples on the issue was great I really connected with this piece. Although I have already been through high school and gone through it all I still look out for my two younger sibling who are about to start high school and I think it help me learn more about it. -
Javier Calderon
Its alarming how bullying has increased both in numbers and severity. It truly is a very important issue that needs to be stopped immediately. I remember all of the kids that were bullies in my grammar school and also remember them picking on kids for no good reason. I think it is wrong how many people think that as long as bullying doesn’t involve physical contact it is nothing of big concern. Like you said words can cut like a knife and usually causes the most harm. Emotional harm that has been proven to lead to extreme measures such as suicide or killing. I never thought bullying would get this far to where it is being done thru the internet. Just the other day I was watching the news and there was an interview with a kid that had been bullied so much that he thought he was a worthless kid and was nothing but a waste of space. To me he looked like a completely normal healthy kid. And it got me thinking of all of the mental damage he had gone thru. It really got to me how this poor little kid really thought he was worthless all just because another kid thought it would be funny to point out this poor kid and make fun of him every day in school. The problem had been going on for months already but yet the teachers failed to see this and nothing was done until the situation got out of hand. You mention a lot of the reasons why kids end up being bullies and all of them are true. The kids from this generation are a lot more violent and are more prone to being insensitive about other kid’s feelings. I think schools and organizations should really crack down on bullying and establish some kind of zero tolerance for bullying. Some people might laugh at the idea because they might say kids are being kids. But these kids being kids by bullying end up driving other kids to committing suicide. Like the 11 year old boy you mention in your paper that killed himself because his classmates teased him and tortured him for being gay every single day. His days at school must have been so unbearable for this to have happen. Just eleven years old how sad is that. And this is something that has been happening for a long time. This was not the first suicide related to bullying but yet it still happens. And its true how bullying is starting at a younger age because I have seen it happen myself. I may not have any kids myself but it still hurts to hear about these poor little kids having to go through this type of torture. We already have enough innocent people dying every day due to gang and domestic violence we do not need any more unnecessary deaths. I think your paper was overall informative, well organized, and you also gave many tips on how to help against bullying and other information to look into regarding bullying.
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Jean Claud Sunga
I really liked your paper and i agree with a lot of the examples and points that you have provided. it is very sad that everything that you’ve said about bullying is true because many of us see bullying going on maybe when we were younger and sometimes we choose not to do anything or not say anything because we are scared of getting involved and be the one being bullied. When i was younger maybe around 5 0r 6 years old, i remember going to school and stopping in the middle of the entrance because i’m scared. My mom would always tell me that its okay, first day of school is always scary, so then i walked in, i wasn’t even half way going to my class and two little aggravating boys started teasing me and saying things and i don’t even know what they are talking about. For two weeks they would keep doing the same thing i would remember just crying throughout the entire class and because my teachers and other classmates didn’t know that to do anymore, they told my mom and i told my mom the whole story and she sent me to a different school. UP to this day i still remember it maybe because it scarred me even if its been a decade and a half ago, so i can relate to those kids who are being bullied whether they are in grade school or high school because it may be a different story but its the same book. Those bullies don’t think about the consequences that can happen to them or the kids they are bullying, your statement about “they just want to be cool” is true, they think that its their way of gaining friends because of the what they are doing . they probably think that because of all the attention they are getting it will make their image better. But they are wrong, some people may not say anything but they are smart enough to see what those ignorant people are doing. Although on the other hand, i know that there are bullies who are bullying because thats how they grew up and they are used to it. they think its okay because its not hurting them, like bullying comes naturally to them. I like how you explained whats in your paper very well from what bullying is to the places we can go to or organizations we can check out to solve the problem. i really like this statement” What would the world be if everyone had the same views, and dressed alike? ” because we are all different and that makes us unique in every single way. you really put a lot of thought into your writing and everything seems to be on the right place.
Bullying before and now are very different but also have similarities because of our culture, before i believe its mostly about racial issues or the physical look of a person or disabilities, and now its still the same thing although its more on those bullies trying to fit in and take their anger out from their bad experiences or whatever.
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Jaclyn Epstein
For this weeks reading and research journal I decided to do, “You Can’t Dodge All the Bullets”. It’s a short story part of chapter four in, “Why White Rice?”. Honestly it’s one of the stories we’ve had to read that I actually enjoyed. It’s about a girl who is basically saying things are going to go wrong, no matter how hard you try and avoid it. It’s basically how you deal with these things that’s important. I agree with the author of this story. Most people think the littlest things are the end of the world. You just have to take the bad things that go wrong, and deal with them in a positive way. Also there’s a part in the story when the girls father is describing how she wouldn’t believe how many writing errors people have. People don’t realize that writing skills are needed throughout your whole life wheter you’re a writer, or a police officer. Having good writing skills shows that you are a knowledge person, and more people would take you seriously. She also explains a situation where she was in a class that she didn’t care for with no way out. She kept on asking different teachers if she could join their classes and she finally made it happen! It just goes to show you, no matter how big or small, if you want something, YOU have to make it happen. No one can do things for you forever.
Kinsella, Kate. “You Can’t Dodge All The Bullets.” Why White Rice? Thinking Through Writing. Kendall Hunt Pub, 2010. 80. Print. -
Jaclyn Epstein
Rajeev’s story was really inspirational I think. While reading the article you really get a glimpse of what kind of person he is, which is very passionate and generous. This story really gives a good message and it’s really a “feel good” story. Reading about how a village would have to work to hard just to get water, really makes you appreciate what you have in life. It shows that some people really take for granted the simple things in life like water. It’s really amazing what great lengths Rejeev went through to help the people of Nepal. All the money he raised and all the time he invested was truly inspirational. The fact that Rajeev tried so hard to meet people of higher power to help out as well, just showed his commitment to helping people. The point I got from the story is that no matter who you are you can make a difference. No matter how big or small of a difference that may be. Obviously Rajeev had to have some help from people, but it amazes me that it was pretty much one man’s idea to make all of his helpful actions possible. This story was actually pretty eye opening. You don’t have to have hundreds and hundreds of people to make a difference. All it takes is passion and a lot of hard work!
Hessler, Peter. “A Reporter at Large, Village Voice, The Peace Corps’s Brightest Hope.” The New Yorker. 2010. pgs 101-109. splatter.writing101.net -
Jaclyn Epstein
The whole, “Who Should Survive” activity was very bizzare. Although it was just a class excersize, I don’t believe anyone has the right to say who lives, and who dies. My four picks on who was “booted” out of the bomb shelter were, Mrs. Hernandez, Mr. Newton, Father Philip, and Dr. Garcia. It seemed to me, Mrs. Hernandez and Father Philip really had nothing useful to offer the people of the bomb shelter. I booted out Mr. Newton because in my opinion he might cause much controversy among the people of the shelter. Dr. Garcia was my fourth pick, although he was a doctor, he was the oldest person and seemed to be in the poorest health.I don’t believe my choices were based on any “personal bias”. To me, these seem to be the fairest choices.
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Jaclyn Epstein
My reaction to “What is Means When A Crowd in a Faraway Nation Takes a Soldier Representing Your Own Nation, Shoots Him, Then Drags Him From His Vehicle and Mutilates Him in the Dust”, was kind of disturbed and sad. I could understand why the man in the story was so uneasy after reading the article, but I was kind of confused as to why he was before he read it. Thinking about how the soldier was all alone and killed in another country was very saddening and discomforting to me. I think the part that gets me really disturbed is the fact that the soldier was all alone when he died, and the fact that someone took a picture of his dead body and printed it in an article. I got the feeling that maybe the man in the story was a veteran himself, or someone that he knows or once knew was serving in the miltary. Maybe that’s why the man took the article so hard. This was actually a really good short story but I kind of felt like something was missing in the beggining of it. Maybe something has recently happened to him concerning him or someone he knows serving and reading this article just made it even worse.
Eggers, Dave. “What It Mean When a Crowd in a Faraway Nation Takes a Soldier Representing Your Own Nation, Shoots Him, Drags Him from His Vehicle and Then Mutilates Him in the Dust.” How We Are Hungry: Stories. San Francisco: McSweeney’s, 2004. 17-18. Print. -
Jaclyn Epstein
Live. Die. Kill.
What are the most important things in your life? It seems like such a simplistic question. Really think about it though, what do you live for? What would you actually die, or even kill for? Answering these questions seemed so easy, but I came to find out that there was a lot more to it. I have had many blessings in my life. I have lots of people in my life that I love, who love me back. I am able to go to school to further my education. I am provided with what I need, and I am able to get the things that I want. I am lucky enough to know that at the end of the day, I have a good home to go back to with people who love me. There are lots of things in my life that I am very grateful for, but on the other hand, there are lots of things in my life that I take for granted. Thinking about my answers to these questions really has made me realize what I truly care about in my life. These questions have also made me realize that I am extremely grateful for all that I am fortunate enough to have.
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Javier Calderon
I would like to begin by saying I am not the best responder or observer. So I would like to apologize in advanced if I miss something or misunderstand anything in your paper. It is true what you said about these questions appearing to be simple. But once you start trying to answer them you start realizing that these questions require us to dig in deeper into our thoughts. They really get you thinking of things you wouldn’t normally think of. There is no doubt in my mind that your family and your loved ones are extremely important to you. You answered all three of the questions by incorporating your family and loved ones. This paper really tells me how much you value your family and loved ones and what you would for them. I agree with your family oriented responses because I also feel very strong about my family. I can relate to you wanting to give back to your family as much as they have given you throughout your life. I too feel that it is important to be able to do this at some point because it would really show them how much you have appreciated everything they have done for you. I am sure that by you going to school and keeping your job you are already showing your family and loved ones appreciation for what they have done for you. And if you keep on this track I am sure your future will be very bright and promising and filled with good times alongside with your family and friends. You make an excellent point by pointing out how there are many people that unfortunately cannot answer these three questions about anything or anyone. This paper says you basically live for you family and other loved ones. It also seems like you were able to realize that you take some things in your life for granted. I am sure everyone in this world does it but the important thing is to be able to realize it and do something about. I feel that it is good to realize these things we take for granted because they allow us to be able to be happier with what we already have. But for the most part it seems like you are already very appreciative about the important things that you value the most in your life. I also liked what you said about dying in order to save a large amount of people or if it meant dying for the cure for cancer. That shows that you are not a selfish person and care about people. I feel that you have very good concrete beliefs and thoughts. It is very important to feel strong about things like these because they help us move past through hard times and also drive us to make the best out of what we have and be the best we can be. To me the paper flows smoothly and is very clear from beginning to end.
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Jami Busse
When reading your piece I was intrigued from the start. I like how you started of your first paragraph with the questions. I think that this helps when you want your audience to open up their mind to what your about to talk about. When talking about what you live for, I found it great that you came out and said that you take things for granted but you are still a grateful person. This shows that you are willing to admit these things and yet still counteract them by saying that you are grateful for what you have. I really connected with what you said about how you live to better your life and your families because I to do the same thing and it shows what kind of person you are. I think I even put that in my essay as well. Also when you said that you live for your future I can totally relate and feel the exact same way. In the section talking about what you would die for, Its very selfless for you to say that you would die for a large number of people. The example you gave were great and shows how much you care for other people even though you may not have been effected by that disease. I would also die for my loved ones or someone I couldn’t live without. When talking about what you would kill for, I also agree with what you said about how everyone uses that phrase figuratively as I’m sure everyone does including myself. This kind of puts the question asked in a different perspective and makes you really think about the question. I loved how you mentioned that their are people out their that cant answer these questions because they don’t have anyone that they can say that about. This hits a nerve just knowing someone out their doesn’t have any loved ones and evokes emotion out of your audience. I like how in the end you kind of reflected on how these questions and how they impacted you. I liked how you ended the essay very easily and simply. I think that this is a really well written piece You really kept the essay going smoothly with the structure and word choice. I think that you gave great details about each answers. I really could tell what your feeling were and could really connect with what you had to say. i think that your message was conveyed and understandable. I feel like i was reading my own paper because I connected and wrote the same things that you did. This essay is a very well thought out and well written piece. I enjoyed this essay and look forward to reading more of your work in the future.
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Gregory Laurenzana
I think that this paper flowed really well and was very well constructed, with well thought out examples. Even though, I did think that a couple of the examples were unrealistic. Like the example that you used about dying to find a cure for cancer, seems a little far fetched to me because will all the medical advancements that they are making the treatment of cancer and other ailments, someone martyring themselves for the cause is a little ridiculous. Sorry don’t mean to be harsh, just think that its not some thing people can relate to. I do have to say though your paper is very easy to read and filled with lot and lots of examples. But maybe you should elaborate of a few of them a little bit. Like in the beginning of your second paragraph u listed several things that you live for. I really didn’t understand why you would live for all those things and it would be nice if you were able to give some details about your examples. I really liked your re-cap in your ending paragraph, it was a great summery to what your paper was about, but I felt that your opening paragraph was a little week and I really didn’t know what the paper was about from reading your first paragraph.
So many people wrote about there friends and families for this assignment, and I thought and still think that answering these questions with your friends and family members is a cop-out answer, sill do by the way. But I really like what you did with it. Even though, you mentioned your family, friends, and your boyfriend you also Incorporated several other groups of people including complete strangers. So really my only real criticisms for your paper are make your opening paragraph stronger and talking in more detail about your examples, other wise I really enjoyed reading this! -
Jean Claud Sunga
I really liked your paper because it was well written and it made me want to read more as i was reading it. I like how you added questions on your essay because as i was reading it it kept me thinking throughout your whole essay . I could relate to your essay because I care about my family and friends too, including my boyfriend, and i would also kill if anyone would harm them. I agree that the it was really hard to answer the questions but you did a great job in providing your own examples and reasons because this is YOUR piece of writing and and you expressed what you really feel. I like the part where you said that you live to repay your parents or family from all the things that they have given you. I think its really nice of you to say that because not everyone appreciates what they have now or even before. Some people think that they deserved what they have so they stop appreciating things and ask for more. I like how your essay mainly focuses on family, love and caring. I think those are the major necessities that we need to be able to survive the harsh world we live in. Just like what you said not everyone are fortunate to have what we have to actually answer the questions “what would you die,kill and live for. Maybe they do, but it would probably be different from our answers because they had tougher times in their lives. Although there is one questions that I have in mind, and it is the part where you said you would kill for everyone you care about, does that include people that you just met for a week and have good conversation with, ate lunch with, or did some fun things together? Or the part where you would die to have a cure for some disease, what is going to happen to those people you care about or care about you? Is it because you want to be recognized by a lot of people if you do die for people who are sick? maybe you can add a sentence or two about that. I am not criticizing, but just adding a little bit more ideas for you.
I couldn’t find your thesis , maybe you can make it more clear. I liked your opening sentence though.
the second to the last paragraph is a little hard to understand maybe you can make some of your examples clear or add more to it.
I like how you put in there how you would kill for selfish reason, figuratively. I hear those things most of the time and i think its true because we all want to become better and have better appearance, hair, become smarter than everybody else and that is just normal. But if god created us all the same and all better I don’t think it would make our world better, but instead worst because other people will find ways to not look like the person right next to them.
I really enjoyed reading your work i like how you respected other people with your writing.
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Jaclyn Epstein
I believe ecological literacy means is to have a good understanding of the ecosystem, how it works, and its functions. I also believe to be ecologically literate you must understand the differences of an ecosystem and human society. I think most people, to some extent, are ecologically literate. For people to become more ecologically literate I believe that they should develope an undestanding of how and why the ecosystem is so important and taking steps to improve, and preserve our enviornment. In some ways, I consider myself to be ecologically literate. I have an understanding of why it is important to care for the enviornment we live in and I understand that an ecosystem and human society have similartites and differences. For example, Capra mentions that an ecosystem doesn’t show greed, but everything that happens in an enviornment effects everyone. I have an understanding of why it is important to really preserve our earth because you never know when something you have relied on for so long is just gone. Although many people know the importance of recycling and other ways to help out to planet, not too many people actually participate. I believe that the people who actually have a great understanding of ecological literacy should inform and try to motivate the people who are less aware, so that everyone knows the importance of it. Being ecologically literate to me doesn’t necessarily strictly mean knowledge of our enviornment. It could also mean having an understanding of what goes on in your own community and having the understanding of how things work there. For example, realizing that everyone in your community has a specific purpose and role. Hopefully in future generations “ecological literacy” plays a bigger role in society.
Capra, Fritjof. The Web of Life
Jean Claud Sunga, 
Javier Calderon, and 
Jami Busse are discussing. 
Gregory Laurenzana, 
Jami Busse 9:24 pm on April 23, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
To start off, I want to say that I really enjoyed reading this and think that your group and many others are having the same problem. I think you really want to help and you express you’re feeling about the topic and cause very well. I love how you started off your piece with, “The environment is something that affects everyone single human being living on earth. My group wanted to volunteer our time with something meaningful, which should be important to everyone. So what better way to do that than help conserve our beautiful planet? Our group tried thinking of a great way to help so we decided we wanted to try and volunteer with The Little Red School House.” You introduced your topic so eloquently that I to re-read it again because I was taken aback in a good way. I liked how you jumped right into it and explained the organization and the person that you were in contact with. I like how you added little details like the names of group members and maybe go into finer detail to give it more of the story telling aspect even though you did a great job with it already. I think this shows how great you are as a storyteller. You explained, “Diana had warned us to be very cautious of where we stepped. If we stepped on any of the wild plants growing, we could damage them and keep them from growing to their full potential. The forest ground was covered in green, so it was quite difficult to make sure we did not damage any plants. It was nice to see that people actually cared about the environment like she does.” I think that you really did your research and observed and took in every detail even the little ones. I think it was really great when you said, “It really did make me feel like I was making a difference in helping protect these woods. Joe and Diana, along with the rest of the workers and volunteers of the Cook County Forest Preserve, are such great people and we were truly thankful to them for giving us the opportunity of volunteering our time with them. If you care even the slightest about the environment, this is a great organization to work with.” I think this shows your character and how grateful you were to the people that you meet. Overall I really enjoyed your piece and thought it was very well written with little to no errors. I think that this piece is great and I really enjoyed it. You did a great job.
Javier Calderon 5:44 am on April 24, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
This was a very interesting and enjoyable paper to read. I am glad to know that you did not have to go through a tough time trying to find a n organization that would actually take your group as volunteers. I had a very hard time trying to find an organization that would take us in as volunteers. That was a first for me, never in my life would I have thought it would have been that hard for me and my group to actually find an organization that would take us in. I like the beginning of your paper because it starts off with an important solid fact. “The environment is something that affects everyone single human being living on earth”. This paper is interesting to me because I did not know about this European garlic mustard plants existence and that it stops other plants from growing in the forests. I also did not know about the honey suckle bushes that grow tall and overshadow their neighboring plants to the point where they cannot grow due to lack of sunlight. As I was reading about them I was comparing them to the invasive animals that come into our ecosystems and upset the natural balances due to their destructive manners. And it kind of sucks to have to go off and destroy these invasive species but unfortunately that’s how it has to be sometimes. Your honesty about having to wake up early on a weekend makes the paper more enjoyable because it shows that you are being real with your readers. It makes it more interesting to read because it makes people wonder if the experience is going to get more interesting or if it is going to take a turn for the worse. I can relate to you not wanting to wake up early on a weekend. It is not exactly the most fun thing to do on a weekend. I think it is cool how they dedicate a whole day in removing these specific plants and then switch off and work on other issues on different days. Your description of your experience at the woods was very insightful and entertaining. The details of your visit there reminds me of some of the things I have to go through when I have to go do work related training in the woods. Walking in the woods can be very relaxing but you always have to be careful were you step or what you are about to run into. The bugs can be very menacing and at times dangerous. And among those menacing bugs the ticks that you mention are the on the list. It is really annoying to have to deal with especially since they can be hard to see sometimes. I am sorry you had to go through that unfortunate inconvenience. But overall it seems like you had a good experience out there with your group and seem to have accomplished a lot. I feel like you wrote a good paper.
Jean Claud Sunga 11:03 pm on April 24, 2012 Permalink | Log in to Reply
I really liked your paper, you really did give a lot of details. I have some questions though when you said “We were all glad we got to talk with her because she shared the same views as us.” i got a little confused with that because you were talking about Diana Krug, and what she thinks and stuff like that, but then you put that at the end of your paragraph, the paragraph before this you we talking about how you guys were confused or how you felt in the beginning of your field research you were saying how you weren’t too excited about this. so I was kind of confused if Diana is also feeling the same way. Also your introduction is a little hard to understand, maybe just a couple of grammar errors. I really liked how descriptive you were when you were talking about the bugs and how scared you were of them, because i would probably feel the same way because i hate bugs too, especially Worms and other worm looking creatures. I have high respect for you and your group for doing this kind of service learning research, i know it may sound easy but we, readers, weren’t there so i know that there might have some stress or what so ever in accomplishing this project. I know i wouldn’t be able to do what you guys did because i dont have patience for that, but would rather do a different volunteer opportunity.
i also like how you said “ People just do not realize that this is the only earth that we have and once our natural resources are gone, there is not anything we can do about it.” it is very true, i see a lot of cigarette butts on the ground all the time, different kinds of garbage from the streets that go to the forest preserves or even in the lakes and rivers that i pass by going home from school or work. It’s very sad that a lot of people are so careless. I have been trying to recycle and as much as possible take home my garbage with me to separate the recycled from not, and if i can’t take it home i still throw it in the garbage, not on the ground or anywhere else. I wish a lot more people cared and have or feel ashamed of what they are doing to the earth. I know I’m not perfect but if everyone set a good example to younger children or anyone, other people might follow. There are enough people in the world to help clean and preserve the earth, but there are only a couple of people who are willing to help. A couple of people who thinks that changed needs to be done now, not in a couple of months, years or decades, But NOW. Maybe some people would finally realize what needs to be done, when there is nothing they can do about it.